This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel’s magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves The Clan of the Cave Bear. A natural disaster … natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous land until she is found by a woman of the Clan, people very different from her own kind. To them, blond, blue-eyed Ayla looks peculiar and ugly–she is one of the Others, those who have moved into their ancient homeland; but Iza cannot leave the girl to die and takes her with them. Iza and Creb, the old Mog-ur, grow to love her, and as Ayla learns the ways of the Clan and Iza’s way of healing, most come to accept her. But the brutal and proud youth who is destined to become their next leader sees her differences as a threat to his authority. He develops a deep and abiding hatred for the strange girl of the Others who lives in their midst, and is determined to get his revenge.
This eBook includes the full text of the novel plus the following additional content:
• An exclusive preview chapter from Jean M. Auel’s The Land of Painted Caves, on sale in hardcover March 29, 2011
• An Earth’s Children® series sampler including free chapters from the other books in Jean M. Auel’s bestselling series
• A Q&A with the author about the Earth’s Children® series
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The first in a series of 6 books. Original concept. The earlier 3 books were better than the last 3 which became redundant just to fill pages.
I love her whole Earth’s Children series
This book and the following books were spellbinding, the author really did her research on the information she used to write the series. LOVED THEM!
The really old days.
Even though it may not be believable, it is an interesting story. A lot can be Learned about prehistoric times and what could have happened.
Loved the whole series
These were the among the best books I have ever read; and I have read a great many books in my 76 years!
look at the world before ancient times and written history. a view into what the world was like back then
I read this and waited all the years in between each or her books
The 1st book of Jean Auel’s Earth Children series. This one opens with a major earthquake that kills Ayla’s parents, leaving her alone in the world, too young to take care of herself. It also collapses the cavern the Clan of the Cave Bear had been occupying for some time. Once they gathered all the remaining members & bid farewell to those who were buried, they struck out cross country to another cave. Along the march they found Ayla a very different child from their own, but in desperate need. The Medicine Man & Woman decide to take her in until the parents appeared or to raise at their fire. This book covers Ayla’s growing up with a people very different from her parents, with different ways and customs, a very different and more difficult (for Ayla) language using few words, largely sounds and gestures. They also had many strange and difficult to understand and learn customs. But with time and persistence on the part of her adopters and herself she caught on and made the adjustment, largely considered a useless outcast with subnormal mental abilities. The Shaman and Medicine Woman disagreed. They felt more intelligence was there, she simply learned differently. To give her some value to the clan, the decided to train her as a Medicine Woman, and to Assist the Shaman. Despite requiring intensive repetitious training, she learned well and was able to understand and apply her knowledge. Auel richly details the background of Ayla’s world, she fully fleshed out the characters! giving them human personalities and human failings. She touches on problems still problematic in the 21st century. Things like racism, child abuse, incest, abuse of women, bullying, hatred, intolerance,Isolating and all kinds of social injustice. Auel worked to create this clan in the image of current society. It makes them understandable, we can identify we them. They may be wrong in the eyes of some but have very human qualities many understand well. I do;’t want to give away the whole story, this book is dedicated to Ayla’s childhood from adoption to maturity within the Clan. There are layers and layers of rich detail here. I’ve read the series several times and come away with something new each time. I recommend it the whole series highly.
One of the best books I’ve read in years!
The Clan of the Cave Bear is an excellent read. The dedication to learning so much about early mankind and their environment by Jean Auel is remarkable. The daily life of early man during the ice age was fascinating. The incredible journey of Ayla and her will to survive is outstanding. I’ve read this book several times over the years, rereading when the next books in the series became available.
Nothing can prepare you for this journey. The depth of emotions, danger, love, hate, brutality, and courage as they struggle to survive is almost unfathomable. Only the strong survive in this world of Woolly Mammoths, Cave Bears, and Cave Lions.
Read this book years ago (as well as the next two in the series). Loved them all. These long books draw you into a world you never imagined. The detail given draws a vivid picture.
IMO the first book was the best. However, when the second book came out, I was so happy to go back to this long-ago world and to see what my favorite characters were up to.
Yes, I recommend this book as well as the next two in the series. Jump into this series for an exciting journey into the past.
An oldie but a goodie. She paints pictures with words. Some we would like not to see, but on the whole you feel as though you’ve walked into their world.
This is the first of the Earth Children’s series of books. Excellent writing. Jean Auel studied the era and wrote a believable story of a time long ago.
I have read this series more than once and keep coming back to read again and again.
I always enjoy novels that portend to tell us what life was like “way back when”. I read this one months ago, and still remember parts I really enjoyed. Course, I have always enjoyed her books. No exception here.
You get hooked on this book, leading you read the entire series. One of the best I’ve read.
I had tried to read this book n regular print – couldn’t do it. Got very sick – sent hubby to library to get this book n large print and I couldn’t put it down. The life of Ayla is very interesting n the mammoth era. The third day (had kidney stones), sent hubby for the second one n series n large print. I was in the third book when i finally passed the very small stone.
Really enjoyed these and glad I read them.
Absolutely love it hands down