Until recently, very few people had ever seen a wolf in the wild. But thanks to the success of the recovery program in Yellowstone National Park, more and more people are getting the chance to appreciate this iconic animal. But for many ranchers, wolves—like coyotes—are regarded as varmint to be eradicated. For hunters and trappers, they are exciting quarry.

In Wolf Nation: The Life, Death, and Return of Wild American Wolves, Brenda Peterson takes us inside the world of these top predators—and the cultural war being waged over them. Speaking from her home in Seattle, she explains why the battle over wolves is like the abortion debate, how removing protections in six Western states has led to the