Farley Mowat
A passionate, provocative storyteller who fought for the wild places and creatures of the North with his typewriter as a weapon.
1921–2014 (age 93)·Canadian writer and environmentalist·Birthday: May 12·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Farley Mowat was a literary force of nature who dedicated his life to sounding the alarm for the Canadian wilderness and its inhabitants. His experiences as a infantry officer in World War II forged a deep distrust of authority and a sympathy for the underdog, which he later channeled into his writing. After a life-changing stint in the Arctic, he published 'People of the Deer,' a blistering account of the starvation of the Ihalmiut Inuit, which launched his career as a crusading environmental writer. His most famous work, 'Never Cry Wolf,' blended memoir and advocacy to recast the wolf as a noble creature, fundamentally changing public perception. Mowat wrote with a raconteur's flair and a polemicist's fire, often embroiling himself in controversy over his blending of fact and narrative. He was unapologetically emotional in his defense of the natural world, becoming Canada's most widely read author and a relentless, thorny conscience for a nation often careless with its vast ecological heritage.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Farley was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Farley Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Farley's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2014Died at 93
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Published 'Never Cry Wolf' (1963), a book that dramatically altered public and scientific attitudes toward wolves.
- His book 'People of the Deer' (1952) brought international attention to the plight of the Inuit in the Canadian Arctic.
- Authored over 40 books, translated into more than 50 languages, selling over 17 million copies worldwide.
- Won the Vicky Metcalf Award in 1970 for his enduring contribution to children's literature in Canada.
Did You Know?
He was banned from entering the United States in 1985 under the McCarran-Walter Act for alleged 'communist leanings.'
During WWII, he served as a commander of a captured Italian villa and reportedly flew a Nazi flag to confuse Allied bombers.
He claimed to have sunk a German U-boat with a rifle shot during the war, a story typical of his embellished storytelling style.
His writing cabin in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, was shaped like a ship's prow.
“We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be.”
