4.5 stars

I remember distinctly October 1991 when the tragic incident with the bear happened in Algonquin Park. I remember it because it was the same weekend my family was going on a canoe trip and their destination was somewhere within that park, but at the last minute they changed their mind. So reading this book brought back memories of family adventures in the great outdoors.

This was an audio read for me with the author being the reader, she did a great job and kept me captivated with her stories. It was a blend of her life, information about bears, their wanderings and the park.

Relatively a fast listen I had a hard time putting it down, a lot of the area was familiar to me. In fact on my first canoe trip we were visited in the wee hours of the night by a bear. This was an educational, personal and enlightening glimpse into her life, her motivation into why she investigated this tragedy.

I highly recommend the audiobook.

My thanks to Penguin Random House for the audio in exchange for a honest review.

How to Survive a Bear Attack by Claire Cameron is both about her cancer diagnosis and a fatal bear attack in Algonquin Park in 1991.

Cameron’s previous book The Bear won the 2014 Northern Lit Award. The Bear was based on the same story as her current memoir. Perhaps because she had written a fictional story inspired by these events, it would make sense that the author would have given much thought to the motivations of the bear in this particular (and rare) attack. However, given that this selection is a nonfiction account of the events, I felt that the author extrapolated and took considerable liberty when writing the bear’s perspective. She could not know the level of detail she has attributed to the bear.

I think I would have really enjoyed her fiction book more as I have high standards when a writer takes on an investigative approach. I also struggled with the many sidebars/tangents that the author went on that, while interesting, were not necessarily directly related to the account (e.g. Canada’s feelings about broken treaties and Thanksgiving).

I digested this memoir on audio, a format I am hoping to include more of in my reading year. The book is narrated by the author which can work well in some cases. I found this audio to be a bit choppy.

While this book wasn’t my favourite, it might he a great piece for people who love nature, camping, and animal behaviour.

Thank you to @netgalley and @knopfca for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. How to Survive a Bear Attack publishes March 25, 2025.

Note: I know many believe we shouldn’t rate memoirs but I hope you have noticed I am not rating the author’s experience only the form of sharing it.

I absolutely loved this book and having the author read it was actually quite nice as she really knew her subject. I have been to Algonquin park many times but virtually just driving through as the highway goes right through it. Claire has done an amazing amount of research for this book and it comes through to the reader wonderfully. Having actually spent time in the park on various occasions gave her insights most people wouldn't have. I like how she compares her life to the life of forestry and bears. I did she'd some tears and also some chuckles, I would definitely read or listen to more books by this author.

his is my favorite kind of non fiction book: an author teaches us about something I don’t particularly care about (bear attacks, in this case); tells about their subject in relation to their own life; writes well; cares deeply about the subject.

I learned a lot about bears and bear safety, Algonquin Park, and melanoma. The story she told was compelling, and her writing is beautiful.

The author narrates the audiobook, and the narration was fine. (“Fine” is my preference for narration - I don’t want to notice it.) One note about the production - I kept thinking the book had shut off, because the pauses between chapters were really long. This was distracting, and will likely get resolved before the book’s release date (3/24/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley / Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks for an advanced reader copy of the audiobook, which was provided free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7364495345
https://bsky.app/profile/christine-farmer.bsky.social/post/3ljucauzrjs2h

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying I read the audiobook version which was read by the author. Unfortunately in this instance I feel like that was not the best choice as it was quite choppy and the cadence was off. This book would have greatly benefitted from a professional reader.

Aside from that my favourite part I think was the POV of the bear. This was of course fictional, but it really did add something to the story. I was really interested in this bear attack given that Algonquin Park is not terribly far from me. I love camping myself, but have not done any back country camping and do not have any experience with bears, making the instructions in the book of what to do and not to do both interesting and informative. Overall this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

Residing in Northwestern Ontario, I am no stranger to backwoods camping, bear visits and have a strange love/hate relationship with the outdoors. When I was younger, I seemed less fearful of camping in what I like to tell my husband is "the middle of no where" but as I am older, nope, not happening. I am in my "glamping" era now lol. We have encountered a bear at our tent before and my husband has stories of bears at his campsites when he was younger as well.

I was drawn in by the title and synopsis of this memoir and found myself fully immersed in the vivid scenery and storytelling. When my husband asked about the book, I jokingly described it as 'CSI: Bear Attack' where the author is uncovering clues and recreating a crime scene of a fatal bear attack.

The author's use of multiple perspectives and timelines was engaging and easy to follow. For those unfamiliar with black bears, the book offers a fascinating look at their behavior and statistics. While encounters with humans are rare, they can be deadly.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook, narrated by the author, and was captivated by her story. The memoir served as a friendly reminder to check my bear spray's expiration date before my next outdoor adventure!

This was definitely a mix of memoir and the author's obsession with the Algonquin Park bear attack. The book alternates from sections told from the bear's perspective, to critical analyses of the attacks, to moments where the author shares about her melanoma diagnosis and the way that it's genetic and her fears that she could have passed it on to her children. While it was okay, I think I would have liked more personal reflections in the book. Recommended for fans of books like Beyond the pale by Emily Urquhart and Cameron's fictional account about the attack, The bear. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW: cancer diagnosis, death of a parent from cancer

An original take on the illness narrative genre. The book is at its best when the Cameron directly addresses the relationship between her own illness/mortality and her interest in the attack. In that way it reminded me of Emma Copely Eisenberg's The Third Rainbow Girl, in that it blends a kind of true crime account with personal narrative. However, some of the sections just on the bear/bears in general dragged a bit for me, and these made up most of the book.

Wow this was unexpected told from three distinct POVs all surrounding bear attacks but also drawing parallels to her personal life, Cameron has written a really exciting, emotional and insightful memoir.

The level of research is evident in Cameron’s knowledge surrounding bears and when she flips the point of view to that of a bear that attacked a couple in the Canadian wilderness it is effective and brilliant really offering alot of introspection.

When memoirs collide with nature it is like catnip this was a great time.

I recently had the opportunity to listen to an Advanced Listener's Copy of How to Survive a Bear Attack by Claire Cameron, a memoir that seamlessly blends true crime, non-fiction, and speculative fiction. At its heart is the real-life 1991 Bates Island bear attack, in which a couple camping in Algonquin Park tragically lost their lives. Woven throughout is Cameron’s own battle with cancer, drawing a striking parallel between the wilderness within us and the wilderness surrounding us.

Told with meticulous research, insight, and compassion, Cameron presents multiple perspectives—including that of the bear, which was incredibly effective. This quintessentially Canadian story held me captive from start to finish. Not a professional narrator, the author's voice enhances the listening experience, lending an intimate, chatting across-the-kitchen-table feel. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜoʀ, ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇʀ
ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴘʏ. ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴏʟᴜɴᴛᴀʀʏ.

ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ sᴜʀᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴇᴍᴏɪʀ ʙʟᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴏᴍᴇ sᴘᴇᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪᴛ ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀɪᴛᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴄᴀɴᴀᴅɪᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋs sᴇᴛ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ɪs ᴛᴏʟᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴀʟʟᴇʟ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟɪɴᴇs:
1- ғʀᴏᴍ ᴄʟᴀɪʀᴇ , ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ ᴅɪᴀɢɴᴏsᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ, ʜᴇʀ ʟɪғᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴇᴀʀs
2- ᴀ ʀᴀʀᴇ ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴀᴍᴘɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀʟɢᴏɴϙᴜɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ɪɴ 1991
3- ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʙᴇᴀʀ's ʟɪғᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ, sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍ's ᴘᴏᴠ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀʀ's.

ɪ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ғᴏʀᴍ ᴏғ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ. ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʟᴏsᴛ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴍᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀʟɢᴏɴϙᴜɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ɪ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄʟᴀɪʀᴇ's sᴛᴏʀʏ.

ᴛʜɪs ɪs sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀ ᴍᴇᴍᴏɪʀ ᴏʀ ᴀ ʙᴇᴀʀ sᴛᴏʀʏ.
ᴄʟᴀɪʀᴇ's ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ᴀ ᴘᴏɪɢɴᴀɴᴛ, ʜᴇᴀʀᴛғᴇʟᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴀɴᴀᴅɪᴀɴ ᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss. ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ sʜᴇ sʜᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ɢʀɪᴇғ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴɴᴇʀ 'ʙᴇᴀsᴛ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ'.

ɪ ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛs ᴏғ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴋ. ʜᴇʀ ᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴍ sᴜʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴀsᴛɴᴇss ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴜᴛᴅᴏᴏʀs ᴡɪʟʟ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴛʜɪs ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴇᴍᴏɪʀ.

ɪ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ᴘɪᴄᴋɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ 25,2025

The reason I grabbed this book is kind of a funny story. We were driving to the mountains for a few days to celebrate my GF’s birthday and and received an email that this was a read now, we’ll listen now and I thought what a funny book to read for when we are heading to the mountains.
I’m so glad I did, I’m going to go ahead and say this is one of the best books I have read in a while and for sure this year. It’s not at all what I was expecting. We are told the story from kind of 3 different POV’s, our main character Claire and her story of why she is so interested in bears and he going through her dad passing as a teenager from cancer and her own cancer journey, to the POV of the black bear that killed a couple who was camping to Claire’s idea of what happened to the couple when the attack happened. It was such an interesting way of telling the story, and honestly my favourite was from the bears Claire must have out in hours and hours of research. It was so interesting because I don’t think I’ve read an animal POV before but one that was told as a memoir and a real life crime happening. But I also learned a lot about bears and bear attacks and what to do and not do. Claire is an amazing story teller and I loved listening to her voice and the emotion she felt telling her story.
I can’t decide between a 4.5 or 5 star so I’ll just leave it at 5. I would recommend this read to everyone.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks for giving me the chance to listen to this masterpiece.

I wouldn't call this a memoir. Part memoir, part documentary, part fiction. While the author does talk about her life, diagnosis and the death of her father, much of the book is about the bear attack. It has a semi fictional POV of the bear during the attack and his adult life, but also brings that back to the bear being her diagnosis.

The diagnosis is treated respectfully, not overly cute with the comparisons to the bear but also talks about the losses you don't see. Like spending time outdoors when you are a hiker/camper and your life changing in an instant.

The author reads this one herself and while a decent narrator, you can tell that it is not a professional narrator situation. I found it best at 1.5x speed. Still almost conversation speed but a bit too pitchy if you listen at a faster speed.

I love a read that blends the human condition and grief with nature writing! It can feel disjointed, but when it's done right, it's memorable and touching. Fortunately, Cameron does it well! I'm a city dweller to my bone, so there is an element of escapism for me and I can't exactly comment on the camping and so forth, though I trust she knows what she's talking about, but I love bears. They're one of my favourite, if not my favourite, animals. At one point, a bear attack survivor that Cameron interviewed mentioned being in awe of the bear that was attacking her...while being attacked. Very much my energy. That said, I loved and appreciated how the author balanced the stereotypes and realities of bears, as well as the real danger, but low likelihood of attacks. She also literally gives voice to the bear behind the 1991 attack that has long plagued her imagination, which I thought was effective. The mix of the bear's narrative, research, Cameron's own life and cancer battle (and that of her father's) just really worked for me. It's the kind of read that reminds you both how big and amazing life is and how small you are in the grand scheme of things. The audiobook wasn't anything revolutionary, but I do always love when an author reads their work, particularly when it's a memoir. Cameron's own narration made the parts about her family all the more moving. 4.5 stars!

This memoir caught my attention because it was set in Canada, specifically Ontario! The beginning of this book caught my attention and the recounting of the bear attack on Bates island was reminiscent of a true crime/cold case format.
This story really hit home for me and while parts of it were really touching and reflective, I found other parts to be very repetitive. The repetitive nature of this memoir made it difficult to fully immerse myself in this audiobook and at times I was checking to see if I had accidentally skipped backwards.
Overall a good read, just repetitive!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

First I must start off by saying thank you for being allowed to listen to this book! I’m getting more into audiobooks and am so happy to be able to support Canadian literature.

I listened to this book steadily for the last five days. This book is unlike any book or memoir (?) I have read before. What first drew my attention was that a large part of it discussed Algonquin park which I know well enough, having grown up camping around Ontario. There’s a unique sense of enjoyment that comes from listening to a story from your own backyard, even if the story was hard at times.

I’m not an avid fan of bears but I feel like I gladly learned a lot about them while listening to this book. I felt like I got a good sense of the authors sense of adventure growing up, enjoying the outdoors, and I know too well the fondness one has when truly being in nature. I was born shortly before the bear attack in question, but I can understand how this story would be a gripping puzzle for people who spend the majority of their spare time surrounded by animals and wilderness.

The author does a great job of weaving her personal narrative, her battle with cancer and her struggle to find what her role is in this fight, within the greater story of what happened to the couple in Algonquin in the 90s. For anyone who enjoys the outdoors, relates to people who are passionate about nature, or who wants to know about a species we think is common but can be quite fascinating, this is for you. I went into it blind but quite enjoyed this unique plot line and moving story.

This was not so much a memoir as it was true crime reporting on a black bear attack and death of two campers in Algonquin Park in 1991 and some black bear facts, with only a sprinkling in of Claire’s life and her rare genetic mutation leading to the same skin cancer her father died of.

Some chapters in the book are from the point of view from the possible bear involved in the deadly bear attack, tracing its path through seasons and through Algonquin Park till it came upon the campers. Weirdly these chapters were my favourite parts. Claire’s nature writing is top notch, it’s just too bad the book as a whole fell short of my expectations. This book might have be better served by leaving the memoir part out being it is such a minor part anyway.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio for and early audio copy of this book.

This is such a unique book. Categorized as a memoir because it covers Cameron’s diagnosis with a rare genetic mutation that gave her cancer and put a stop to her outdoor adventurer lifestyle, the same mutation that took her father’s life when she was only nine, but written as part reimagining part fact sharing of an equally rare bear attack that killed a couple in Algonquin park in the early 90s. Even though the parallels between these two things didn’t always track for me, Cameron eventually brings them together in a very thought-provoking way. She is a lover of camping and nature exploration and bear attacks became an area of fascination for her because of their rarity and seeming randomness, much like her mutation. She found a really fascinating way to cope with her loss and diagnosis through trying to understand the bear who killed the campers and his subsequent killing. Her writing is fantastic and even though I am not a nature lover, I was engaged the entire time. I also love when authors narrate their own memoirs because it makes their story that much more intimate.

Did I grow up in bear country? Yes. I’ve had countless experiences with bears as a kid and learned to be bear safe.
Have I ever experienced a bear as an adult? Nope. Nada. Never. My bear sprays continually expire and need to be replaced unused.
Am I confident with my skills if I came across one? The fear is palpable.

“Being alive is one big risk, and it will end in death. But the bridge between those two things is love. After this investigation, my recommendation is to spend your time falling in love with the people and the world around you. Don’t let a fear of death eclipse your life. Run toward love. Fight for it, and die for it.”

I binged this so fast. This book is told from 3 parallel timelines and keeps you so engaged. There’s the memoir of the author- her battle with cancer and her life experiences with bears. There’s the timeline of a couple who were both attacked and killed by a black bear. And there’s the timeline of what the black bears life experiences leading up the attack may have looked like.

I highly recommend this book and was enthralled from cover to cover.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Here I go again, taking on a book while barely skimming the synopsis. I went into this with almost no expectation other than the title and cover seemed interesting and I love discovering more Canadian authors.

This was so cleverly written. It's listed as a memoir but it's somewhat fiction as she goes through great lengths to research and explore a rare bear attack while offering the readers the victim's pov as well as the bear's. The author also takes us through her rare hereditary cancer diagnosis that no longer allows her to safely experience the things that have always brought her the most joy...being outside in nature.
I really enjoyed this story and hearing it narrated by the author was a huge plus for me. Though in hindsight, I may have preferred a physical copy so I could take note of all the extensive information that may actually save me from a possible bear attack! I may never look at hiking or camping the same way again. 😬