James is the author and/or co-author of 10 non-fiction books and one novel on human aspects of environmental conservation that have sold over 300,000 books in English. His books have been translated into four other languages, including Japanese and Spanish. He's also written over 800 articles and columns that have appeared in a wide variety of magazines, including a decade working as a columnist for ESPNOutdoors.com. Two books have been Book of the Month Club selections, and another was named "One of the Best Books In Print" by the New York Review of Books. He currently writes for the Outdoor Wire as well as freelance magazine articles.

He began writing documentaries in the 1970’s and has since written for and consulted on over 100 produced TV shows and documentaries including the series “NOVA,” “Sightings,” Ancient Mysteries,” “Modern Marvels,” “Bushnell’s Secrets of the Wild,” “Sports Afield TV,” and “Engel’s Outdoor Experience,” and an ESPN Special on Hurricane Katrina. He has won one "Golden Moose" Awards and been nominated for six others. He is the co-writer for the documentary Falconer: The Sport of Kings, winner of Best Film and Script at Skyfest Festival, 2013; Award of Merit, Accolade Film Festival and The INDIE Fest, 2013; Official Selection in the 2014 Madrid and 2015 Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema in London.