God's Dog: The North American Coyote [Paperback]

Hope Ryden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1989

For two years naturalist/photographer Hope Ryden camped in remote areas of the West observing and photographing coyotes. With eloquence and clarity, she describes the private life of this much-maligned animal in a book that has been heralded as the classic treatise on the subject. While observing her controversial subjects, Hope endured hardships and peril, events she weaves into her beautiful story.

"Full of charm and tenacious inquisitiveness as the appealing animal she pleads is allowed to live."

--The Washington Post

"A faultless and reasoned attitude."

--The New York Times

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

To the desert Indians of the Southwest, he is "God's dog"; to generations of ranchers, a pest. But to Hope Ryden, the North American coyote is a fascinating, endearing, and maligned wild creature.God's Dog is the result of two years of field research on the coyote, replete with over 50 photographs of the animals whose wild spaces she shared. This is a spirited, informative account of a unique wild species. The final chapter, specially augmented for this edition, brings the story of the embattled coyote up to date. (6 X 9, 336 pages, b&w photos)

About the Author

Hope Ryden has spent years in the field studying and photographing wildlife. Her findings have been published in the National Geographic, The Smithsonian and Audubon Magazine. Her books have been translated into eight languages. To date she has written twenty-three books, all of which are illustrated with her photographs. She lives in New York City and Wolf Lake, New York.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (November 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558210466
• ISBN-13: 978-1558210462
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,081,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Depth Look at North America's Controversial Canine, March 16, 2000

By 

JCAmberlyn (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: God's Dog: The North American Coyote (Paperback)

This is an excellent book. Hope Ryden spent years in Yellowstone and other places watching and learning about coyotes first-hand. The book reflects this, full of the charm, interest, and conflicts of watching coyotes and getting involved in their world- which inevitably means getting involved in the human world, and its mixed emotions towards these canines, as well.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific, detailed study of Coyotes, March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: God's Dog: The North American Coyote (Paperback)

I read this book for the first time back in 1994 when I was working on an educational program about Coyotes. I felt like I had roamed with the Coyotes after reading it. For years I have been looking for this book, wondering if it was still in print. I'm anxious to read it again.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Breaking The Myth, February 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: God's Dog: The North American Coyote (Paperback)

The writings are scant on the coyote but this book answers many questions. First hand observations,natural history, the past history of man vs. coyote and photographs. There are many wonderful aspects to this book but what is most compelling is the way Hope Ryden shows the coyote as a resourceful, affectionate and intelligent creature rather than its familiar portrayal as a pest and killer. Much more than a field study this book is written from the heart.