What conclusions would you draw?

1. How old was Tom Brown, Jr. when he began learning tracking from Grandfather? Was he 7 or 8?

Answer according to these writings attributed to Tom Brown, Jr.: Yes.

Age 7:

“The Science and Art of Tracking” 1999, pages 2 [met Grandfather a few months after my seventh birthday [in January]], and pages 8-9 [during the first few months, awareness and tracking combined].

“Case Files of The Tracker” 2003 pages 3 and 6.

Age 8:

“The Tracker” 1978, page 15.

“Nature Observation and Tracking” 1983, “About The Author” on publisher page and back cover.

“The Science and Art of Tracking” 1999, “About The Author” on publisher page and back cover.

“Case Files of The Tracker” 2003, “About The Author” just after page 190 and on back cover.


2. How long did Tom Brown, Jr. spend with Grandfather? Was it 9 or 10 years?

Answer according to these writings attributed to Tom Brown, Jr.: Yes.:

9 years. “The Tracker” 1978, page 10.
The better part of 10 years. Case Files of The Tracker” 2003, page 2.

10 years. “Nature Observation and Tracking” 1983, page 12.
More than 10 years. “The Science and Art of Tracking” 1999, page 3.
Nearly 11 years. “Case Files of The Tracker” 2003, page 109.



3. Where, how, and by whom was Tom Brown, Jr. shot? Was it in the side or back? Was it by a criminal, by a murder suspect who escaped State Police, or in a foreign country by a former student turned rogue assassin?

Answers according to these writings attributed to Tom Brown, Jr.: Yes.

Answer 1:
Tom Brown, Jr. was tracking a criminal when he got shot and “almost lost his legs.” Tom Brown, Jr. remembers looking up and turning just in time to catch the bullet in his side instead of his back. “Nature Observation and Tracking” 1983, page 43.

Answer 2:
Tracking a man after he disappeared into the woods after being pulled over by the State Police as a suspect in the killing his brother, mother, and wife. The suspect was an avid hunter, survivalist, and mercenary but it became clear to Tom Brown, Jr. the suspect was not a really competent woodsman. Tom got too absorbed in interpreting a track and suddenly realized the armed suspect was behind him. As Tom Brown, Jr. began to stand and turn toward the suspect, he was shot in the back: the bullet entered just above his beltline, traveled just under the skin, and exited. Tom Brown, Jr. was not hurt except for a stinging, burning sensation and successfully fought the suspect. Tom Brown, Jr. carries a neat .38 scar in his back. “The Science and Art of Tracking” 1999, pages 24-26.

Answer 3:
Tracking “Nails,” a former covert government student of Tom Brown, Jr. went rogue. Unidentified, possibly government, operatives transported Tom Brown, Jr. somewhere to a foreign country to find the Nails, who had previously been a sniper assasin for them. Tom Brown, Jr. found Nails' hiding area and, though dehydrated and suffering from hunger, was studying Nails' tracks when he realized Nails was behind him. As he stood and turned, Tom Brown, Jr. was shot in the back but in turn struck Nails hard enough to disable, and perhaps kill him. The .38 police special bullet had struck Tom Brown, Jr. in the back just above his spine but threaded itself under his skin and then exited his left side. “Case Files of The Tracker” 2003, pages 9-70.


4.Who invented the term “pressure release”? Tom Brown, Jr.? The Lipan Apache?

Answer according to these writings attributed to Tom Brown, Jr.: Yes

Answer 1:
“The term pressure release is mine alone. Grandfather referred to them the 'voice, or spirit, of the track.' “ “The Science and Art of Tracking” 1999, page 36.

Answer 2:
“[M]y people call these little landscapes pressure releases....” The listed author purportedly quoting Grandfather. “Case Files of The Tracker” 2003, page 6.

Answer 3:
I cannot verify this, but a trusted friend, who is a student and a supporter of Tom Brown, Jr., reports Mr. Brown stating in a tape recording that the term “pressure release” is a translation of what Grandfather called them.

What? Discrepancies by an author writing for commercial success? I am shocked, I tell you, positively shocked!

Nos. 1 and 2 are fairly trivial, and the others are perhaps not that important in the overall scheme, but I would take what he says with a grain of salt...

I think if you now were to compare the TB books to tracking books by other authors, written before TB, you will see some issues as well. Some of his "expertise" and "experience" are somewhat previously written...if you get my drift.

I would agree with most of these points if they applied to conversations, but not so much with these four presumably edited and proofread books whose publication dates span over 30 years of time.

A story-teller who keeps changing the supposedly true facts, back and forth repeatedly, does not strike me as very good.

I decided to write up my thoughts about the apparent discrepancies and put them here:

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/51058.Tom_Brown_Jr_

Well, it looks like this mystery is solved.