matty_icey's review against another edition
2.0
Just read a book about coyotes, not sure how I got here.
I liked reading about a subject I knew nothing about. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot to know. Coyotes have been hunted by humans, but they are just as resilient as we are. The authors prediction is that coyotes will warily coincide with humans to the point that every human will live within a mile of a coyote and not even know they are there. I love how he said you’ll hear them but rarely see them.
This book also exposed me to the idea of speciesism, which conveys the critique that we exploit other species out of an extreme preference for our own.
I liked reading about a subject I knew nothing about. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot to know. Coyotes have been hunted by humans, but they are just as resilient as we are. The authors prediction is that coyotes will warily coincide with humans to the point that every human will live within a mile of a coyote and not even know they are there. I love how he said you’ll hear them but rarely see them.
This book also exposed me to the idea of speciesism, which conveys the critique that we exploit other species out of an extreme preference for our own.
samseybert's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Well organized, plenty of digressions but always ties right back to the central message. Successfully toes the balance between creativity and coherence.
bookbirder's review against another edition
3.0
4 stars for topic but only 2 for writing style.
I did not have any particular interest in coyotes before reading this book, but now I am engaged as soon as somebody references the species, or even Wile E. Coyote. The history of coyotes in the United States is truly fascinating, but I think there was some lost potential in this telling of the story.
One problem was that the book skipped between times a fair bit, and lost me in the process. I think that ordering the book by time period (not including the flash forwards to the author's personal experiences, which were a welcome addition aside from some of the weird details that were included) rather than topic would have made a better story.
My other issue with the book were references to Old Man Coyote. The first chapter of the book is all about Coyote stories from Native Peoples in the US, and these are often referenced later in the book, especially in the epilogue. I think that these stories are very important in the animal's history, but I am not convinced that they were shared appropriately. In the first chapter, stories are told one after the other, with no reference to where they were taken from. I am sure that the sources are listed in the selected bibliography, but I think that they should also have been mentioned in the retelling of the stories. Additionally, there were a few offensive sentences in the book's epilogue.
I did not have any particular interest in coyotes before reading this book, but now I am engaged as soon as somebody references the species, or even Wile E. Coyote. The history of coyotes in the United States is truly fascinating, but I think there was some lost potential in this telling of the story.
One problem was that the book skipped between times a fair bit, and lost me in the process. I think that ordering the book by time period (not including the flash forwards to the author's personal experiences, which were a welcome addition aside from some of the weird details that were included) rather than topic would have made a better story.
My other issue with the book were references to Old Man Coyote. The first chapter of the book is all about Coyote stories from Native Peoples in the US, and these are often referenced later in the book, especially in the epilogue. I think that these stories are very important in the animal's history, but I am not convinced that they were shared appropriately. In the first chapter, stories are told one after the other, with no reference to where they were taken from. I am sure that the sources are listed in the selected bibliography, but I think that they should also have been mentioned in the retelling of the stories. Additionally, there were a few offensive sentences in the book's epilogue.
saratellmanveloz's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.5
I’m as wise and ever hopeful as Wile E. Coyote after listening to this book. Despite humans’ best efforts to eradicate coyotes, they live on.
Coyote America is as much a history of the American environmental movement as it is a history of the tenacious canid in its title. The recounting of the methods of killing coyotes, wolves and other predators is not for the faint of heart, but it was eye-opening to learn of how coyotes have adapted to withstand the pervasive onslaught.
This is a great read whether by ear or by eye.
Coyote America is as much a history of the American environmental movement as it is a history of the tenacious canid in its title. The recounting of the methods of killing coyotes, wolves and other predators is not for the faint of heart, but it was eye-opening to learn of how coyotes have adapted to withstand the pervasive onslaught.
This is a great read whether by ear or by eye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
jare7d's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.25
Dan Flores displays he is clearly very knowledgeable about coyotes and their history, it is interesting and you come away learning a lot about all the ways coyotes have effected the American continents as well as how humans, and more specifically European colonizers, has affected both coyotes and the ecological systems they reside in. Very informative, my only complaint is that for all the history we learn about Coyote as a deity and important figure in indigenous cultures we only briefly get the names of some select indigenous writers and instead the emphasis is out on the people who collected the stories from native tribes meaning we are far removed from the people that make up the source of these important cultural histories. So, besides the sections on the indigenous tales of Coyote the book was really well put together and informing both on coyotes and the history of environmentalism/conservation that coyotes played a part in.
pceboll's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
3.0
As a resident of Tucson, AZ coyote sightings are a wonderful treat and this book did nothing but increase my appreciation for these mystical creatures.