Customer Reviews

Shadow Mountain: A Memoir of Wolves, a Woman, and the Wild

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Wolves were eliminated from Yellowstone National Park by 1926. They were the only creatures banished from the preserve, because humans unrealistically feared them and the cattle damage they might do. As Americans became aware of what ecology was, more were able to accept that the missing wolves ought to be restored to the nature preserve, for they should have been preserved along with all the other creatures. Renée Askins would certainly not claim that she was the one to effect their restoration into Yellowstone, but she certainly deserves much of the credit. Her lovely memoir, _Shadow Mountain: A Memoir of Wolves, a Woman, and the Wild_ (Doubleday) not only tells about her involvement in this huge project, but also is her autobiography, taking in her upbringing, her lovers, and in many pages, her dogs. It is sweet and compelling reading.

In 1980, Askins was a college student working at a wolf research facility in Indiana. She had a wolf pup thrust upon her to raise, and although she had plenty of experience with wild and domestic animals before, this was "the first time I truly began to face and fathom the capacity of another species." When the pup was taken from her, she was heartbroken. She sobbed, and (this is something she does quite a bit throughout the book), she howled. And she was answered by the pack, which "one by one, called out in the long, graceful wail that is the code of their species. Their own had been taken. I had no doubt they knew." (Also throughout the book is this sort of mystical anthropomorphic speculation, which may put some readers off, but which has served the author well.) In 1986, she founded the Wolf Fund. Returning wolves to Yellowstone was its one and only purpose. Much of the book is devoted to how she lobbied and cajoled bureaucrats and donors. It is a complicated story, but wolves were returned to the park, and the Wolf Fund, having achieved its goal, in contrast to other bureaucracies, simply shut itself down.

Askins's delightful writing includes many non-wolf topics. She writes with feeling about a friend and a sister who died of cancer. She describes with amusement the activities of her dogs, and winds up at the Westminster Dog Show in New York, looking for an "apricot, teacup, powder puff Chinese Crested." She faces feral dogs in West Africa (by howling). In these episodes, and all others she includes here, she gracefully ties the themes back to her life with wolves and the lessons she has learned from working with them and for them. She has the good sense to realize that reinstating the wolves was a hopeful symbolic act, and that compared to other protections of endangered species, it was biologically insignificant. She is open about losses; some of the wolves have been deliberately killed, some in response to cattle depredation, although such instances have been few. And she realizes that with electronic monitor collars strapped on them, with a population "managed" rather than entirely wild, the wolves are not truly free. The ironies of managing wilderness permeate this fine volume of heartfelt memoir and reflections on successful environmental action.

Just before the start of Chapter one in the book Shadow Mountain is the Quote from Gandhi "Whatever you do will be insignificant and it is very important that you do it". Ghandi also once wrote that you can judge people by the way they treat their animals. Renee Askins founded the Wolf Fund in 1986 for the purpose of reintroducing the wolf into Yellowstone National Park. Renee Askins is a fine human being, one who, like Dian Fossey, has devoted herself to one endangered species and from her efforts has found ground breaking and hopefully, long lasting success. Shadow Mountain is a wonderful book filled with emotion and adventure that will make you laugh, make you angry, and make you cry, but most of all is will make you pleased about the way you treat your animals.

Askins has crafted a compelling story about examining our human relationship with the natural world. Ostensibly, the book describes the formation of the Wolf Fund, her single issue, streamlined, strategic environmental organization aimed at garnering grass roots support and applying political pressure to achieve the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park. And yet it is about so much more. She writes with candor and wit, wandering back and forth in time, highlighting the trail, effectively illustrating serendipitous twists of fate that ultimately influence her role in the attainment of this greater goal. It's her story, and yet, like any good writing, there is something universal here. Digging at the roots of her own motivation, she uncovers a philosophy for life. Askins herds the reader along with a mixture of dogged determination and poetic passion, feeding us cookies of wisdom along the way, plenty of food for thought. I hope we hear her howl again.

I originally got this book out of the library, in part of planning a trip to Yellowstone and a desire to see its wolves. After only a few pages, I realized I was reading a book that was about so much more than wolves -- Ms. Askins writes brilliantly about conservation ethics, wildness, the politics of animal reintroductions, and living a commitment. The book was so good that I rushed out to buy my own copy, in part so I could underline all of the 'nuggets' of wisdom she serves up. This is a woman that I hope someday my daughter can meet - for she is a living example of what someone with vision, chutzpah, a good education, and perserverance can accomplish.

Renee Askins is a lyrical writer who tells her story beautifully. It's not about the wolves and it's not about Yellowstone; it's about passion and heartbreak and staying on course. It made me laugh, shake my head, and cry. And long after the last page of the book, her bright images peer from behind trees and peek around corners.

Renee Askins has written something (somewhat tangentially), about wolves--that truly translates into every other aspect of life--she's a brilliant and beautiful genius, and it will probably be ages before we realize her wisdom. For the time being, I am content to wander through her metaphors and images, just hoping that I discover their worth.

I've always admired people like Renee Askins - people with perseverance, a strong will, and the strength to rise above the crowd and do what they want done. I am so glad that she has written a book about her experience helping wolves return to Yellowstone.

The text flows beautifully, written in a style the young adult-adult population (Kids just won't understand it) will appreciate, understand, and relate to. The book is not so much about wolves but about nature itself.

Now, you're probably wondering when I'm going to say what I mean by calling this review 'This book will change your life.' We'll, you're about to find out.

The book is so much about our connection with the wild, and about life, that I cannot imagine someone reading it and walking away the same person. It will change your view on the wilderness, true wildness, fulfilling dreams, and life itself.

This wonderful woman, Renee Askins, says she once wondered if the wolf recovery program would take a year. As it turns out, it took fourteen years.

It was worth it to the very end.

The consummate wordsmith, Renee Askins creates a gorgeous and flowing account of her journey to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone, infusing her courageous tale with vivid imagery of her relationship with the wild throughout her life. Wrought with ferocious emotion and a blazing intellect, Askins' writing effortlessly melds her deep philosophy concerning wildness with the page-turning details of her time spearheading the wolf-recovery effort. Truly a must-read for any nature lover, or any lover of beautiful writing and storytelling.

I cannot express in words how much I loved this book. It is more in my heart than words on a page. I felt uplifted at times and horribly saddened at other times. I cried out loud and smiled big smiles when a part of the book touched me. Rene had many, many wonderful experiences and shared her life with so many wonderful people and animals. I could not put the book down. I had bought this book for my Daughter as a Christmas gift. She is studying to be a wildlife bilogist and her passion is the wolf. Ashley (my daughter) reminds me so much of Rene that it scares me. Her passion to fight for the wolf is exactly what I wish for my daughter. I recomend this book to anyone who loves wildlife and who wants to fight for their rights. Rene is an asset to the world of wildlife and should be commended on such honorable work. Great book! Buy it! together we can all make a difference!

This is a remarkable story of one woman's courage to fulfill a promise she made long ago to a tiny wolf pup to one day have wolves roam wild again in Yellowstone. Renee worked very, very hard to make this a reality and all the behind-the-scenes information makes for very good story telling. Her foray with Washington bureaucrats is astonishing in that they were not able to undermine her plan. It was very compelling to read about her struggle to formalize her vision for Wolf Fund, find support, hammer away at the plan amid lack of funds, bear through immeasurable heartbreak and witness incredible coincidences and miracles. It makes one shake their head and wonder how she stuck with this for nearly 15 years? But we come to understand her reasons and learn along the way. Shadow Mountain is an excellent book for someone interested in understanding what it took to get the wolves to Yellowstone. It is a handbook for those seeking to approach conservation from a different mindset rather than "us and them." It's also a story told from a very honest and accessible place -- Renee's heart. She is very revealing, raw and very gifted in her prose and retelling of meaningful people and places. She will be remembered in the same breath as Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey.