The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming

Animal Lovers: Do not be fooled!

This is truly the worst book I have read in years. I bought the book based on the premise and the engaging photos, which are very good, but that is really all the book has to offer.

The writing is shallow and self-indulgent. The author shares way too many details of her intimate relationship which sound more like romance novel drivel and seem grossly out of place here. Additionally, she appears to be devoid of any convictions of her own. She blows into Wyoming, falls in love with a hunky but sullen and sulky cowboy who slaughters coyotes for a living, and adopts his values regarding the justification for this "work". If she had happened to find a gorgeous environmental activist we would be reading that book instead. The only reason she has the coyote in the first place is because he snuffed out the pup's entire family and, on an unexplained impulse, grabs this pup out of the den, taking it to be raised in an unnatural manner. The book gives the feeling of being written out of some compelling need to convince the rest of us that this sort of systematic extermination is really OK. Reading the lame justifications given for the daily slaughter of wild animals will be hard for anyone who truly loves animals.

5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Mostly Enjoyable (Except For One Thing)

One night I stayed up until 3 am reading the Daily Coyote blog. It was fascinating but left me with more questions about the author and what brought her to Wyoming. So, of course, I was delighted to discover there was a book that filled in some of the blanks. There's much about the book (and blog) that I enjoyed. Stockton paints a portrait of the rugged countryside and her pared-down lifestyle that's pretty appealing. She also clearly has an amazing bond with a wild animal but never forgets Charlie's wildness. Her fierce independence was also inspiring, and, for a brief moment, I contemplated just packing up my life and moving somewhere different. Now, about the things I didn't like. Across the top of the blog is a brief description of how Charlie came into her life: his parents were shot for killing sheep. She makes it seem like it all happened faraway, anonymously. So it's pretty startling to find out in the book that her boyfriend is responsible and for gassing the rest of Charlie's littermates (In a Q&A, Stockton casually mentions that Charlie was one of twelve). Now I know things are different in Wyoming and that coyotes pose a very real threat to sheep. That I can accept, but what I didn't like was how disingenuous it seemed, keeping that from the reader (I'm pretty sure it's never mentioned anywhere in the blog). Also, Charlie's life is completely altered by that one act, and the author never seems to really mourn or contemplate what might have been. He's caught between two worlds, never completely being accepted in either, and that struck me as incredibly sad. Overall, I enjoyed the book and especially appreciated how much the author has willingly sacrificed to make Charlie's life as comfortable as possible. I think that's a good lesson for anyone thinking about taking in a wild animal and trying to raise it as a pet.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful

It is a great story...a little boring at times but on the other hand it is a true story :)

Great book, great read!!!!

This book made me "Happier than a coyote in a corn pile". Entertaining, funny, insightful, thought provoking, and inspiring. It was a fast read, which is good for me but it was not one of those 'fast reads' that you get through, like, but donate to the book sale. This one is a keeper and a great re-read.

Shreve (what a cool name) is adventurous, and a risk taker. She decides that Wyoming is where she would like to call home (at least for a little while). She moves there to a rental house, sight unseen and things just start happening for her.

I don't want to give away the book but she gets the chance to raise a baby coyote. That's when it gets really interesting.

I love reading about the daily activities and how she handled Charlie as well as living in a very rustic cabin for a time.

She not only lets us in on her daily life with Charlie, the coyote, but she digs a little deeper. She does not get too liberal for me in her observations about life which was nice but it did give me things to think about in some places. She has a recurring situation throughout the book in dealing with Charlie's pack mentality and she goes into detail on how she set about developing and maintaining a schedule for his care and well-being. He was never her "pet", which she makes clear. And she places great emphasis on her relationship with his and the responsibilities placed on her to provide and care for him.

Great book, great read!!!!

Adorable book

I found this book at my local Barnes and Noble store. It caught my attention due to the beautiful pictures. It looked like a nice animal story so I got it. If you like animal stories this is a great little book. The author which is a photographer has taken great pictures and she tells the story of Charlie in such a beautiful way. From the time she got him as a orphaned little pup you can follow him growing up, trying to make friends with the cat and his daily adventures. She has a blog where you can see the more recent pictures. Highly recommended for animal lovers.

Truly a Story for All

This is a wonderful book but you will need a box of tissues when you read it. In addition to the content, there are many beautiful pictures of Wyoming which will help you to 'see' the story. I enjoyed the book so much that I gave it as a 'cabin warming' present to my brother and sister-in-law who recently bought a place in Wyoming close to where the author lives.

Awesome Book

Story is beautifully written. Having grown up & lived and worked on farms and now living in a major city suburb, I clearly understand the conflicts between urban and rural realities of people as occur in this book.

I highly recommend this book for high school or above.

What a wonderful book!!!

I just finished reading this book. I purchased it when it was new but since I have so many books to read, well, it was my choice yesterday and today I finished it.

I live off a country road in a development of homes, each on 1/2 acre. Last year, after living here for over 15 years, we suddenly had Coyotes in our neighborhood. My husband and I saw one in the neighbor's backyard one Sunday at 12:00 noon. It was the first time I had ever seen one and so much bigger than I thought one would be.

This book certainly gave me an insight to Coyotes! The photography is absolutely stunning. The book is well written and very interesting.

As an animal lover, I thoroughly recommend it. It was one of the best memoirs, not to mention most unusual I have read in a long time.

Woman of Independence, Coyote of Dependence

This book is both heartwarming and uplifting. Shreve Stockton's retelling of how she settled in a small town of 300 in Wyoming from New York City while pursuing her fierce flag of extreme independence will surprise and delight. In agreeing to adopt a days old coyote named Charlie, she realizes she has traded that independence in an instant. Her candid photos of Charlie are amazing, sometimes frightening, more often melting. Along the way she falls in love with a cowboy who is yet to deal with the death of his 12 year old daughter two years before on his ranch as a result of a four-wheel accident. Cast this in the light of living in a cabin with no running water, no heat and no inside plumbing! A real true life adventure.

For all animal lovers and Wyoming enthusiasts

It is a great book. Shreve Stockton gives a great account of what it is like to live with a wild animal in a small town in Wyoming. For someone from Wyoming I can relate to her experiences living in Wyoming. It is a great read for anyone of any age. It is great book to read by the cozy fireplace.

Daily Coyote a Wonderful Read

I just loved this book. I have never been to Wyoming but somehow fell in love with the state. Prior to reading this book, I knew nothing about coyotes but have come to appreciate this wonderful wild creature. A wonderful book for all animal lovers!

Great Reading

This story held my interest from begining to end. I read it in 3 days and read every evening until I had finished the book.
I gave the book to my freind and she also really enjoyed the book.
I would reccomend this book to all dog and cat lovers.

We have a coyote that we bottle fed from the time she was about 3 days old. It is not only a family pet, but sleeps in the bed with my daughter and/or grandson. We were hoping the author would have more incite into some of our coyote's habits.

Truly enjoyed the reading, but was hoping for more.

A New Favorite

Shreve Stockton wrote The Daily Coyote based on the mass appeal of her weblog. It seemed people couldn't get enough of her story. Now that I've read the book I can understand why.

I'm fascinated by all things Wyoming since visiting the state, for the first time, last fall. What drew Shreve Stockton, a city girl, to such a different lifestyle is lovingly explained throughout her story. Her early descriptions of the beauty and appeal of the land mirrored my own. But what captivated me and kept me turning pages was the frightening suspense of raising a pet coyote in such a tough and rugged environment where Shreve had yet to conquer her own inadequacies. So as the story progresses we discover how Shreve learns, sometimes the hard way, how to survive successfully with Charlie, her coyote pup, exploring things about herself that may have remained hidden had she not followed her dream. Readers will come to appreciate how Shreve made a go of this calling, gaining an unexpected exposure to a culture and people that have broadened her life in ways she could never have imagined.

The intimacy of Sheve's writing and the beautifully composed photographs drew me tightly into her world and still have hold of my emotions. I only hope she continues the privilege of permitting us to share it.

An absorbing read

This is just a very compelling story accompanied with breathtaking photography. The story of Shreve and Charlie has much to teach all of us in terms of relationships and unmet expectations.

I recommend this book, but expect to do little else once you start reading it. I finished it in less than 24 hours because I couldn't put it down.

Beautiful photographs and an intriguing story!

When Shreve Stockton decided to ride her Vespa from San Francisco to New York she figured she'd have one last wild adventure before settling down in New York. Instead, she fell in love with Wyoming and shocked her family and friends by moving to a town of 300 people in the middle of nowhere. The Daily Coyote is about Shreve's process of learning how to be true to herself, whether that comes through in raising the coyote, in her relationship with Mike (a cowboy who kills coyotes for a living), or in finding a career. Of course Charlie (the coyote) is the star of the book and he has an uncanny way of making the people around him re-examine their priorities.
I really enjoyed this book despite the reservations I had in the beginning about a coyote being raised as a pet. I was very impressed with Shreve's willingness to tackle the tough issues. She openly shares with the reader the moral struggles she has grappled with and how she reached her conclusions. Charlie is a delightful character throughout adding plenty of humor and love to the story. His relationship with Eli the tomcat is especially entertaining!
What really makes the book special are the many gorgeous photographs. Pictures of both the amazing Wyoming landscape and of Charlie at every age give the reader the feeling of being there to experience the desolation, wildness, and gloriousness of Shreve's experience.

Eagerly Awaiting

I have been following Charlie on Shreve's website dailycoyote for awhile now. It bodes of good things to come in printed form...

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