American Wolf

A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West

By: Nate Blakeslee

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Nate Blakeslee

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The enthralling true story of the rise and reign of O-Six, the celebrated Yellowstone wolf, and the people who loved or feared her.

Before men ruled the earth, there were wolves. Once abundant in North America, these majestic creatures were hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states by the 1920s. But in recent decades, conservationists have brought wolves back to the Rockies, igniting a battle over the very soul of the West.

With novelistic detail, Nate Blakeslee tells the gripping story of one of these wolves, O-Six, a charismatic alpha female named for the year of her birth. Uncommonly powerful, with gray fur and faint black ovals around each eye, O-Six is a kind and merciful leader, a fiercely intelligent fighter, and a doting mother. She is beloved by wolf watchers, particularly renowned naturalist Rick McIntyre, and becomes something of a social media star, with followers around the world.

But as she raises her pups and protects her pack, O-Six is challenged on all fronts: by hunters, who compete with wolves for the elk they both prize; by cattle ranchers who are losing livestock and have the ear of politicians; and by other Yellowstone wolves who are vying for control of the park’s stunningly beautiful Lamar Valley.

These forces collide in American Wolf, a riveting multigenerational saga of hardship and triumph that tells a larger story about the ongoing cultural clash in the West—between those fighting for a vanishing way of life and those committed to restoring one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.

The Riveting, Captivating, Timely, Heartbreaking Story of Us

One of my favorite books this year, not just because of its grand depth, where O-Six and her family were brought alive before my eyes, and where the people who care help others know and care so much, but for its tale of two cities in a fragile eco system, cohabiting with each other while political games and increased rhetoric first put one and then the other above each other. I suppose it's possible that we Americans shall go on living with each other, come what may, never noticing all they who depend on our equilibrium, who need a good example of melting-pot cohabitation; I suppose it, but I no longer take it for granted. Yes, this book told me a beautiful story of wolf life in Yellowstone, made me think of the whole picture of the Yellowstone community, but it also made me think of America, and indeed the world, on a grand scale. Thank you, Nate Blakeslee, for doing such a damned fine job and bringing this story to me and the world. Also, thank you for helping me know that I've put off my long desire to visit the park, far far too long.

Truly an outstanding work.

I have listened to four audible books about the Yellowstone NP wolves. Three were of the four, including this work are superb, and one was terrible. This is a fascinating subject. The writer did a commendable job, with highs and the heartbreaking lows. I liked this book enough I will be purchasing a hard copy. Well worth the listening time.

very enjoyable.

many endearing realistic stories about wolves. you get a sense of actually observing the wolves and seeing what their family life is like. seeing how they defend their territory, how they raise their young I really enjoyed the whole thing

Its a great history

I loved the passion of the watchers and determination for the author for transmitting this feeling!

Enraptured

This is story-telling at best. Blakeslee carefully balances the political controversy of the wolf project and the fascinating lives of its packs to create a cohesive and compelling story about survival, passion, people, and wolves.