This is Nate Blakeslee's 2nd non-fiction work and he has done a masterful job of weaving together written records and personal interviews to tell the story of the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and the western United States. He focuses particularly on one female alpha wolf dubbed 0-Six who came to be beloved by people far beyond the park due to bloggers who documented her activities. According to her fans, she was a remarkable leader, exhibiting the human characteristics of intelligence, strength, generosity, protectiveness, playfulness, adaptability, and the ability to strategize. She built and guided her pack ably in the face of challenging wolf packs and fearsome weather, but was ultimately defeated by the ranchers and hunters who saw the wolves as enemies. Blakeslee also examines the heated convictions on both sides of the wolf reintroduction and the often labyrinthine politics that went along with them. He briefly touches on the cascade of environmental benefits that have resulted from the wolf reintroduction--from plants to fish, to mammals and birds of prey--as they re-established a more balanced level of predators and prey. You will find yourself rooting for the wolves if you have any humanity at all.
This book was the
NY Times October book club pick. Additional reviews from the
LA Times,
Kirkus, the
Denver Post, and
The Spokesman-Review.
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