Includes bibliographical references (pages 493-498).

Edward Hoagland is not only one of the best writers of our time; he is also one of the keenest observers of nature and one of the most celebrated essayists. His subjects range from the natural history of owls to the delicious mystery of wolves ("Howling Back at the Wolves"); the demise of the red wolf ("Lament the Red Wolves"); the nature of a bear-stalker ("Bears, Bears, Bears"); admirable qualities of other creatures (in his famous essay "The Courage of Turtles"); and the intricate workings of an old farm's ecosystem. Hoagland's exploration-from the Okefenokee swamp to the brawny Belize River-illuminates both the exotic and the wilds of our own backyards. Hoagland reports from the frontlines of life. He recounts fascinating details with exacting prose. He's irascible, brilliant, probing, sharp-witted, and brutally honest-about himself and the state of the natural world. No one who admires John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, and Edward Abbey should miss this definitive collection. It will forever change the way you view the natural world. The best observations on nature by the finest essayist of our time.

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