Packs

How closely can anyone come to comprehending what another creature thinks? And how do we reconcile the need for acceptance with the equally pressing need for individuality within ourselves, especially since we so often have difficulty understanding our own motivations and those we love? Such are the topics considered by four friends who leave the urban pressures of Anchorage and venture toward Denali National Park in the fall, unaware of how their lives will be altered by their serendipitous encounters with animals that have become symbols of the wilderness: wolves. D.T. Kizis presents a glimpse into the wilds of contemporary Alaska, with a dramatic consideration of historical ingredients that have influenced our relationships with a species we regard as both ally and enemy. The tension remains between our two species, not only in Alaska but throughout many portions of the Northern Hemisphere, in which wolves have in fact influenced human behavior, and through that, human history, for many millennia.

D. T. Kizis, author of Packs, teaches philosophy and history in Alaska, and can typically be found backpacking in and photographing the great land that he loves. He also offers seminars about wolf education, presenting wild canids fairly to thousands of eager listeners. His work is appreciated for its accurate depictions of wildlife.