Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot. The author sets out to report on the wolves in Washington State. He starts by riding with Daniel Curry who works with ranchers to protect livestock and the wolves. He also attends various meetings and fundraisers both for and against the wolf. The book is well written and easy to read. Enjoy

I found this to be a fascinating book! I grew up in Wisconsin in the 1960's, and spent my childhood fishing and hunting there. After I retired, I followed my wife to Seattle for her career, and live there now. As I spend a lot of time in Eastern Washington fly fishing, I get to witness the "war" between the Seattle urbanites against the Eastern Washington farmers and ranchers over the subject of wolves. The urbanites have a vision of wolves as very noble, almost magical creatures who can do no wrong. The ranchers view wolves as bloodthirsty creatures ruining their livelihoods. And the conservation department is caught in the middle!
The author does an excellent job of examining both sides of the "war", without any perceived bias or opinion. Very well researched and written, and easily readable.
It reminds me of back in Wisconsin, when the Native Americans decided to exercise their rights to harvest walleyes by spearing. I remember my father, as a deputy sheriff, being sent to Northern Wisconsin to stand guard between the Natives and the local fishermen. Tensions were very high, and thankfully did not erupt into an actual "shooting war". I hope the same will happen here in Washington with the wolves. Both sides need to communicate and meet somewhere in the middle. Hopefully this book might help!

The fascinating, sly, and often dangerous creatures in this book aren't the wolves but the people who entangle themselves with them, whether out of choice or not. Reading this book gave me new insight into the complex tangle of opinions, policies, and beliefs that accompany wolves as they reclaim territory lost decades before. The author interview and follows varied stakeholders, giving them respectful space. And like the range rider he profiles, Francovich helps us navigate the territories in between the ranchers and the public forests.

Reading this book has certainly given me a more nuanced appreciation of what happens with the reintroduction of wolves in our wild, and not so wild, spaces.

This book was very informative, if a bit dry. I liked the anecdotal information about the ranchers who work to preserve the habitat of the wolves and to stop wolves from being hunted.

I think this book is worthwhile and that readers will look to this when researching animal habitats and over hunting. However it was not compelling enough for me to want to read it for pleasure.

A wonderful natural history title in the vein of H Is For Hawk; this book follows the journey of one of the most beguiling, secretive creatures on Earth. Almost lost to extinction as human encroachment onto their lands destroyed their habitats and food sources, the return of wolves presents a ray of hope for the future of the natural world.

I appreciate Eli Francovich writing this book. Francovich brings you with him on his quest to find out why the wolf stirs such emotion. I enjoyed the first half of the book immensely, as we ride along with him on a scary horseback ride with a range rider, Daniel Curry, who protects both the wolf and the cattle they are accused of killing. This is Daniel's story as well as the wolves. Mr. Francovich's writing is funny, interesting and magical. It is almost as if you can hear the quiet as you walk with him through the woods. You feel the awe and fear when he sees his first wolf.

And then it is almost as if he leaves you at a crossroads. The last half tells of committees and government agencies and people who work to protect the wolf, those who think they should exterminated, and those who walk the fine line of management. In hearings and meetings, it shows how humans won't agree on anything unless they themselves are getting everything they want. It's not what's best for the subject, it's just that people, whichever "side" you are on can't be seen as wrong.

This book ended before I expected it. Or even wanted it to. I wanted to be back in those quiet woods.

Thank you NetGalley and Timberpress for the advanced read.

This is a contemplative non-fiction that follows a range rider, whose job it is to reduce incidents of wolves preying on cattle and the tensions between ranchers and conservationists. This is an important topic and it is thoughtfully addressed on these pages. However, I wanted this book to be more direct. I found the storytelling hard to follow because it went back and forth in time and between information and anecdotes. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

DNF - I will be revisiting this title when I can read it via an e-reader or a traditional book. The available format is hard on my eyes & I, therefore, cannot make it through the book though I admit I should have checked the download method prior to requesting this book.