I Am Not Wolf by Roger Terry

“I Am Not Wolf” by Roger Terry
Review by Natalie Smith, regular contributor

I was intrigued first because of this title, and second because of the picture on the front. It’s true that generally you can’t judge a book by its cover, but this one was really interesting to me, and I borrowed it from the library.

Because “I Am Not Wolf” was in the LDS section of our library, I was expecting to read a story about conversion to the LDS Church, and instead I came away with a very different idea of what West Germany was like during the 1970s. This book barely mentions the LDS Church, except to state how the missionaries look from the eyes of an outsider with a very different lifestyle.

“I Am Not Wolf” follows a young American, David, who goes to West Germany and meets his best friend, Wolf. They have some adventures, and while the book is somewhat formulaic in places, it’s also such an interesting study in culture and personality that it keeps the attention. I recommend this one to adults because of their comprehension of repercussions of the Berlin Wall, although it would be appropriate for young adults, as well, especially if they have studied this time period.