Title: Wild Among Us: True adventures of a female wildlife photographer who stalks bears, wolves, mountain lions, wild horses and other elusive wildlife
Author: Pat Toth-Smith
Publisher: Amazon Createspace and Lightning Source
ISBN: TBD
Pages: 102
Genre: Photography/Animals/Nature
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Few of us probably have jobs exciting enough for people to want to hear about them, let alone read an entire book about. Pat Toth-Smith, on the other hand, not only has an exciting job but one filled with the beauty and wonder of nature. The book, Wild Among Us, composed of breath-taking images and reminisced tales, takes the reader on an adventure into the life of a female wild life photographer.Divided up into sections by animal, Toth-Smith introduces us to many of nature’s majestic creatures, ones that sadly many of us will never see in real life. Her vivid descriptions of their mannerisms and playful spirits make them seem all the more real to the reader, almost like friends. Through her writing, you can tell that, while seeing them up close, she is in awe of these animals, and that she wants to share that wonder with her readers. I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see the pictures of the animals she was describing, and, to be honest, I did flip ahead in sections just to take a peak. Her close encounters and run-ins with some of the animals gently remind us of the delicate balance of nature and people and of the danger that these encounters can present.
The photography in the book is truly stunning and captivates the reader. To see images like that frozen in time, the perfect shots, and then to hear the stories about them, really is impactful on the reader. It makes you want to advocate for and protect these creatures, so that this book does not become a book you find in the history section in years to come. If the author’s goal was not only to entertain, but to also bring awareness, her mission was achieved in this book.
While reading the book, I was part amused, part proud, by the author’s candid talk about her fears, everything from running into wild animals to meeting strangers. It really says a lot about her determination and love of her job that she would continue to face those fears on a daily basis. It’s a motivation for us all that we can face our fears to do what we love. The drive that she has to get that one great shot is impressive to say the least. The book was presented in a very candid, down-to-earth manner that made the author seem very approachable, like someone you could sit around a campfire with and swap stories. The photographer/author is much more than a photographer here. She leads us to opening up our eyes far beyond what they have been able to see before. Overall, I would recommend this book to nature lovers and non-nature lovers alike.
