Blindsided: Surviving a Grizzly Attack and Still Loving the Great Bear
Having survived two grizzly attacks, Cole, a nature photographer, songwriter, and bear enthusiast, has a good tale to tell. In Glacier National Park in 1993, Cole was attacked by a bear, but a friend with bear spray chased it away, and Cole survived with minor injuries and no hard feelings toward bears. He was alone in Yellowstone in 2007 when an unseen mother grizzly protecting her cub attacked, ripping his face and blinding him in one eye. Seeing through a slit in the lid of his remaining eye and losing blood, he had to hike out quickly to avoid going into shock and becoming food for coyotes. In this upbeat memoir laced with data about bears, descriptions of their habitats, and stories of other mauling incidents, Cole recounts his trauma care, rehabilitation, and campaign to protect the wildlife to which he devotes his life. Although some readers will think Cole inspiring, others will judge him fanatical. Book clubs recruiting men should consider this engrossing book. --Rick Roche