Barry Lopez (1945–2020)

A deep dive into the history, mythology, biology, massacre and reintroduction of the wild wolf. Thought provoking an still highly relevant. Should be on every university zoology/biology major's mandatory reading list. Barry Lopez at his best.

This book is the transcription of three days' conversation between Lopez and Julia Martin, a friend of long standing, at Lopez's home in the remote PNW woods. These are the sorts of conversations that, in another setting, might come across as pompous or pedantic. But here, it's just an older friend trying to convey some of the ideas and perceptions he has accumulated over a lifetime of work. I have highlighted many passages.

I enjoyed this very much. Lopez travels to these amazing places and makes them real for the reader by taking tiny details apart and looking at them in unique, insightful and unconventional ways. This is a man who cares about our planet and incites others to care through his thoughtful writing.

Interesting topics and observations, but the prose is too flowery, and sometimes melodramatic, for me.