Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History

Dan Flores

Jun 2016 · Sold by Basic Books

About this ebook

The New York Times best-selling account of how coyotes--long the target of an extermination policy--spread to every corner of the United States
 
Finalist for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
 
"A masterly synthesis of scientific research and personal observation." -Wall Street Journal
 
Legends don't come close to capturing the incredible story of the coyote. In the face of centuries of campaigns of annihilation employing gases, helicopters, and engineered epidemics, coyotes didn't just survive, they thrived, expanding across the continent from Alaska to New York. In the war between humans and coyotes, coyotes have won, hands-down. Coyote America is the illuminating five-million-year biography of this extraordinary animal, from its origins to its apotheosis. It is one of the great epics of our time.

Ratings and reviews

America’s history with the coyote is long and detailed, ranging from Native American legend and American species cleansing to the modern urban coyote populations. Dan Flores records that history here with a deliberate hand, full of respect and awe for the coyote without deifying them. This book is full of detail, and while far from comprehensive, it provides a digestible overview. Dan Flores writes in a vivid, evocative style without veering into self-indulgent purple prose. His book’s arc follows the coyote more or less chronologically, explaining the ins and outs of America’s complex relationship with them. Occasionally his own experiences are peppered in for a personal touch and connection to the animal. This book is recommended not just for animal enthusiasts or history buffs, but to anyone interested in the intriguing mythology and history of a remarkable creature. The legend of the coyote extends far beyond America’s attempted genocide, revealing a complex interspecies relation.

Fascinating animal

About the author

Dan Flores is the A. B. Hammond Professor Emeritus of Western History at the University of Montana and the author of ten books on aspects of western US history. Flores lives just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico.