Interesting account of man vs bear...
The author was legitimately scared, as I would be, but generally speaking, black bears are not aggressive and definitively not man eaters... they are not even carnivores, one could say they are almost vegan, if it wasn't for the odd insect (and a love of honey!).
There is an inaccuracy about bear spray... it's not the smell that is foul to a bear, but more the fact that having the active ingredient of a scotch bonnet sprayed through your nostrils is likely to send you running a mile... whether you are a bear or else... the same product is repackaged in smaller cans to deter rapists.
I once witnessed a black bear, not far from Radium Hot Springs in BC... from the safety of my hired car... he went trough a field a dandelions as if it was cake... couldn't get enough of them.
BTW: I don't think the bear on the cover is a grizzly. I am more inclined to think it's still a black bear with a cinnamon fur, which is quite a common variant in North America.