Customer Reviews

Coyote at the Kitchen Door: Living with Wildlife in Suburbia

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Stephen weaves tales of his life's work as a wildlife biologist and brings it home to our own backyard. From Polar Bears in Churchill, Condors in Peru to the Coyote down the block. This is a well written and interesting perspective on our place on the planet, our wild neighbors, and our continued relationship with them.

This is wonderful. So balanced, so insightful on the state of our wild and urbanized world meshing together. Well written. Highly recommended.

Everyone else here so far has given this book five stars, so maybe I received the wrong copy. The editorial reviews suggested a book about wildlife in the suburbs, but the space in this book devoted to that topic could barely fill a pamphlet. A larger percentage of the book is dedicated to the author's autobiographical info but the bulk of the book consists of an environmentalist screed. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for environmentalism as my avocation is native botany, but that's not how the book is presented or marketed.
Granted, as an environmentalist screed this is well written and far less harsh than most and only occasionally turns accusatory, such as blaming the reader for environmental misdeeds of previous centuries (the "you and I did it" argument), or dictatorial (paraphrasing here--"I don't want to trample on anyone's rights but the world would be better off if they all did it my way" argument; which is apparently the mantra of anyone who managed to finagle more than a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher learning).
In my opinion there is a serious downside to the current trend of padding literature with an author's ideological viewpoints, no matter how benign and well presented they are or how much they will impress the author's peers.
More than one young man or woman will pick up this book, begin to read it and rather than become fascinated with wildlife and be more involved in its preservation (the supposed intention of the book), they will be presented with what they perceive as just another lecture by just another gray-hair, will put the book down and return to their video games.
But I can see why the editorial reviewers love it, because they write this way too.

Destefano's work does what it's set out to do, essays on living with suburbia. This isn't a textbook on Urban Wildlife but a personal account on the continuing spread of development into wild areas and the stories of the animals (coyote, moose, beaver, birds and others) who share space in our not-so-wild communities.

The author serves as a good, enlightened guide along this read and we're introduced to scientific study on urban ecology along the way. I wished there was more on the subject but clearly this seems to be a field that is in its infancy in context of books written on the subject.

Coyote is focused on the most in this work (as well as it should, it's the animal who's garnered the most legendary status in our neighborhoods) and gives us a narrative into their lives in the wild and in the borders between undeveloped and developed spaces.

I found the book worth reading especially for his personal accounts of wildlife and his perspectives on urban development, wildlife and especially coyote (Chapter 9 "Coyote Spirits" is a haunting, gripping and beautiful chapter). He ends on a positive note that we do have the ability to change our ways but I wish he gave us more to work on and less of what we've may heard before from infamous Aldo Leopold (whom he recites and relies on too much in my opinion). In the end, more book works must be published in this field and I hope Stephen publishes another more heavier book on the subject.

I purchased this book shortly after an encounter with a coyote at my back door. It was calmly surveying my yard, checking if I had left out any cat food. It looked very healthy - but then, there have been several small dogs missing in the neighborhood lately. My own cat is a smart old guy and quite sneaky himself. At 14 is very old for a feral. (He is mine only by his claim on my lap. He avoids everyone else.) This particular coyote and its mate are raising a couple of pups and I wish them all the luck. It's a challenging environment for them, in the middle of a city. I really enjoyed the book and was completely absorbed in the life of the female coyote. Would recommend the book to anyone with any interest in these critters.

So, I warn the neighbors to keep their dogs and cats inside and I keep watch for the coyotes at my door. My connection with my wild side.

"Coyote at the Kitchen Door" is on the ROROTOKO list of cutting-edge intellectual nonfiction. Professor DeStefano's book interview ran here as the cover feature on
February 5, 2010.