The Way of Coyote

“Van Horn  reminds us that urban is not the same as absence of nature. He writes with great beauty and dignity about how we might better align ourselves with the natural world and establish urban habitats where a diversity of wildlife can flourish. As the author rambles through the canyons of Chicago skyscrapers looking for roosting peregrine falcons, or kayaks along sewers and canals in search of beavers, the voices of ecologist Aldo Leopold, Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu and Coyote—the trickster and mischiefmaker of Native American myth—lend both wisdom and charm to a true story about how the paths of people and wildlife cross and merge and how, if we attend to each other’s needs, we may all enjoy a brighter urban future.”
  * Wall Street Journal *
“The almost lyrical observations and prose bring beauty and respect to the urban wilds of peregrine falcons roosting on the ledges of skyscrapers, Monarch butterflies laying their eggs on the diminishing milkweed, and coyotes walking on pedestrian paths and through alleys. . . . This dramatic picture of wildlife both flourishing and defending its very existence in the city will appeal to naturalists, urban dwellers, environmentalists, city planners, and those who enjoy good writing."
  * Library Journal *
“In his collection of essays, framed by imaginative tales of Coyote, Badger, Owl, and other animals, Van Horn reports on ‘nonhuman animals’ on the rise and in decline in the Chicago region and around the world. . . . Readers may change how they see their neighborhoods and begin spotting wildlife nearby." * Booklist *
“The Way of Coyote blends memoir and ecological research in a work of creative nonfiction that explores Chicago’s wilderness and how we live alongside it. . . . We come to view ourselves as citizens of the same ecosystem as the animals around us, our fates tied up in theirs. Wildlife has adapted in order to live alongside us. We would do well to return the favor.” * South Side Weekly *
“[Van Horn] wanders the city by foot and kayak and discovers a surprising abundance of wildlife. He visits places like Northerly Island, which hosts several dozen acres of rolling prairie, and he spots animals everywhere, including a peregrine falcon perched on a library, a coyote on a golf course, and a beaver in the North Shore Channel. In fact, the city accommodates some species quite well: chimney swifts and cliff swallows readily adapt to urban structures, while coyotes, raccoons, and opossums can do fairly well if they don’t get caught.” * Undark *
“It is the potential and possibility of the city as a life-giving place for humans and animals that Van Horn captures in his stories. That possibility is celebrated in this book, and celebration seems like a good place to begin.” * Stonecrop Review *
“How does one learn to perceive the wildness in cities? In a remarkable new work of creative nonfiction, Van Horn blends memoir, careful attention to place, and scholarly inquiry as he tracks the wild creatures and landscapes with whom residents of Chicago share their city. In The Way of Coyote: Shared Journeys in the Urban Wilds, the Taoist Lao Tzu, Aldo Leopold, and Coyote—North America’s material and mythological trickster extraordinaire—guide Van Horn as he asks how we can perceive the city’s wildness and how attention to that wildness can shape how we design and live in cities.” * Edge Effects *
“Van Horn explains: ‘But we don’t need access to a bee’s mind to think about what a bee needs, and that kind of empathic thinking can be transformative.’ It is those imaginative leaps, Van Horn insists, of a deep empathy with other creatures that will ultimately reveal our place beside them.” * Humanimalia *
“This interdisciplinary work of natural history, memoir, and ecology invites readers to look more closely and introspectively at the urban wildlife that dwells among us, and how humans interact with the natural world in cities. Set in Chicago (a megalopolis), this book calls for us to reimagine cities as places where we can coexist with the wild more sustainably by finding a balance between our needs and those of the animals that fascinate us.” * Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America *
“It is difficult to predict a classic. But certainly Van Horn’s book will be read by new generations of those gaining an appreciation of urban wildlife and, indeed, an ethical concern for all living things. While Van Horn relies upon many historical sources, he capsulizes an argument in this journey, this way of the Coyote, that cannot be ignored nor easily forgotten. I expect it will become a classroom staple at the very least, and an exemplary model of nature writing and a thought-provoking discussion of how we might achieve what to some may now seem impossible.” * EcoLit Books *
“An awareness and appreciation for urban wildlife is an important part of world conservation efforts. Van Horn writes eloquently and with insight about the creatures that live among us—and, perhaps, why we should help them flourish. Highly recommended.”
  -- Jeff VanderMeer, author of the Southern Reach Trilogy
“One part ode to animal adaptability, one part eloquent personal journal, one part scientific exploration, this book takes readers on an inspiring walk through Chicago’s skyscrapers and down its shorelines to understand how wildlife lives among us, despite the odds and obstacles—and what we can learn about ourselves in the process. With Van Horn’s approachable prose, this book feels like a long conversation with a friend, one that drifts through ecology, philosophy, mythology, and, of course, daily life on a quest to discover how to be better inhabitants of this changing planet. Engaging and uplifting, this book provides a fresh perspective about the wilderness woven throughout the urban forest.” -- Jaymi Heimbuch, Urban Coyote Initiative
“Van Horn’s The Way of Coyote explores the ways humans and the natural world interact, often unknowingly, within an urban context, tracing a map of Chicago through a series of captivating encounters with nonhuman animals, going on to examine the possibilities for finding new paths of connection and coexistence. Along the way, Van Horn argues passionately and effectively for the reimagination of urban space, recalibrating it through beautifully woven prose to include more than just a rigid human focus, bringing the wild lives in our midst into view. The book is an opportunity ‘to see what a city is—and what a city could be—with new eyes.’” -- Julian Hoffman, author of The Small Heart of Things
"Van Horn's lyrical essays on encounters with wildlife in cities combine the insights of science and poetry into a powerful personal statement. The Way of Coyote is our urban Sand County Almanac."
  -- Gerald W. Adelman, president and CEO, Openlands
"As a prairie steward and natural history instructor, I'm always looking for thoughtful books that challenge me to think out of the box about the environment. Van Horn's book is exceptional; from his quest to discover nature in the city to his skillful intertwining of coyote fables and observational narration. Highly recommended reading for anyone who cares about the future of the natural world."
  -- Cindy Crosby, author of Tallgrass Conversations