EW reviews two ''Grizzly'' titles

Appearing months before the August release of Werner Herzog’s Sundance-winning doc Grizzly Man, these two books — The Grizzly Maze and Death in the Grizzly Maze — explore the bear-obsessed eccentricity of Timothy Treadwell, a wildlife activist who was killed by an Alaskan grizzly during his 14th season living in ursine country. Representing the conflicted perspective of his fellow Alaskans, Nick Jans questions Treadwell’s choices from an ethical standpoint while maintaining empathy and awe for the man’s courage. Extensive interviews reveal a troubled soul who straddled the human and animal realms: One observer recalls Treadwell ”down on all fours. . .making bear noises.” Mike Lapinski’s outsider account feels more clinical — he failed to talk with Treadwell’s closest friends and uses the case as a soapbox against people breaching the bears’ domain. Both raise interesting questions, but neither haunts nor captivates. For that, wait for the movie. Jans: B Lapinski: C