Catherine Reids beautifully grounded nature memoir casts a fresh eye on one of the most dramatic wildlife stories of our time. Throughout the twentieth century, coyotes expanded their population and territory so rapidly that they now live in each of the mainland forty-nine states, occupying a range larger than any other North American mammal. Their habitats increasingly encroach upon our own; in testament to their remarkable adaptability and awe-inspiring survival skills, coyotes have been spotted in nearly every habitable area available, including urban streets, Central Park, and suburban backyards. With great appreciation for this scrappy outsider and the fascinating ecological concerns its story brings to light, Reid suggests that we will all need to forge a new relationship with this uncannily intelligent species in our midst.

"Alive with terror, charm, and mystery." — Madeleine Blais, author of Uphill Walkers

When Catherine Reid returned to the Berkshires to live after decades away, she became fascinated by another recent arrival: the eastern coyote. This tenacious species, which shares some lineage with the wolf, exhibits remarkable adaptability and awe-inspiring survival skills. Coyotes have been spotted in nearly every habitable area available, including urban streets, Central Park, and suburban backyards.

Settling into an old farmhouse with her partner, Reid felt compelled to learn more about this outlaw animal. Her beautifully grounded memoir interweaves personal and natural history to comment on one of the most dramatic wildlife stories of our time. With great appreciation for this scrappy outsider and the ecological concerns its presence brings to light, Reid suggests that we all need to forge a new relationship with this uncannily intelligent species in our midst.

"A captivating read, worthy of joining the pantheon of literary ecological writing." — Booklist

"Enlightening . . . a heartfelt, often poetic case for coexistence between humans and the wild." — Publishers Weekly

"Graceful, intimate, and vibrant prose . . . an important, beautiful book." — Jane Brox, author of Clearing Land

Catherine Reid is a naturalist, teacher, editor, and poet. She lives in an old farmhouse in western Massachusetts.

This study of the eastern coyote traces its first emergence in New England in the 1970s to its life there today. Reid shows that during its migration from the Southwest, the eastern coyote picked up wolf DNA and acquired little-understood behaviors of pack allegiance and prey.

CATHERINE REID is a naturalist, teacher, and poet. She lives in an old farmhouse in western Massachusetts.