The Rise of Wolf 8

I recently had the good fortune to listen to Rick McIntyre speak on his book. He was at Sundance Resort to tell the audience about the wolves in his book and to sign copies for each of us. So many folks attended that the event had to be moved to a bigger building at the resort.

If you haven’t heard Rick talk about the wolves, you are missing out. This is a man who has watched wild wolves more than any other. This is a man who clearly has a passion for wolves and wildlife. In his descriptions of the wolves, his listeners/readers get to know wolves on an intimate level. They become much more than an animal, but instead, sentient individuals with personalities and emotions. My hope was that the room full of people attending his talk was brought closer to understanding what special creatures wolves are and the important roles they play in the ecosystems they inhabit.

The stars of the book are the wolves. In particular, we gain further insight into particular individuals such as Number 8, of which the book is titled. Here’s an underdog of a wolf who becomes a notable leader of a pack through the use of intelligence and compassion. His adopted son, Number 21 is also featured and we see him learning from his stepdad. It’s heartwarming and an informative journey.

The book is a very easy read due to Rick’s storytelling capabilities. He is genuine and detailed. He has over 12,000 pages of notes from his time observing wolves and he continues to add to that number! I encourage each of you to read the book.