A Wolf Called Romeo - Hardcover

Jans, Nick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0547858191 ISBN 13: 9780547858197

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014

Synopsis

The unlikely true story of a six-year friendship between a wild, oddly gentle black wolf and the people and dogs of Juneau, Alaska

 

No stranger to wildlife, Nick Jans had lived in Alaska for nearly thirty years. But when one evening at twilight a lone black wolf ambled into view not far from his doorstep, Nick would finally come to know this mystical species—up close as never before.

A Wolf Called Romeo is the remarkable story of a wolf who returned again and again to interact with the people and dogs of Juneau, living on the edges of their community, engaging in an improbable, awe-inspiring interspecies dance and bringing the wild into sharp focus. At first the people of Juneau were guarded, torn between shoot first, ask questions later instincts and curiosity. But as Romeo began to tag along with cross-country skiers on their daily jaunts, play fetch with local dogs, or simply lie near Nick and nap under the sun, they came to accept Romeo, and he them. For Nick it was about trying to understand Romeo, then it was about winning his trust, and ultimately it was about watching over him, for as long as he or anyone could.

Written with a deft hand and a searching heart, A Wolf Called Romeo is an unforgettable tale of a creature who defied nature and thus gave humans a chance to understand it a little more.

 

 

About this title

About the Author

NICK JANS is an award-winning writer, photographer, and author of numerous books, including The Grizzly Maze. He is a contributing editor to Alaska Magazine and has written for Rolling Stone, Backpacker, and the Christian Science Monitor.

From the Back Cover

Advance praise for A Wolf Called Romeo

"A Wolf Called Romeo is one of the best books I ve read in a great many years. It gives heart-wrenching insight into an amazing animal, important insight into the shining side of our relationship with that animal, and important if bitter insight into the dark side . . . Riveting, a real page-turner one that years from now you will remember in all its detail. If you have only the time to read one book, read this one." Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs and A Million Years with You

"Beautifully written, A Wolf Called Romeo is a thoughtful and moving story about one of nature s most evocative animals. Be forewarned: I read it cover to cover in one sitting late into the night. The author owes me a good night s sleep, but it was well worth it." Patricia McConnell, author of The Other End of the Leash

"The compelling, grounded account of a black wolf that stepped forward in the half-light between wilderness and civilization and the people who met him there. From the powerful first moments to a hard-won conclusion that becomes our journey too, A Wolf Called Romeo is a book that carries long after the last page is turned." Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing and The Possibility Dogs

From the Inside Flap

The unlikely true story of a six-year friendship between a wild, oddly gentle black wolf and the people and dogs of Juneau, Alaska Nick Jans had lived in Alaska for nearly thirty years, as close as one could be to the wild. During that time he developed a particular, abiding fascination: wolves. Of course, mankind has long been entranced by these near-mythical creatures. But not until one evening at twilight, when a lone black wolf ambled into view not far from his own doorstep, did Nick Jans finally come to know the creature who had captured his imagination all those years up close as never before.

A Wolf Called Romeo is the remarkable story of a wolf who returned again and again to interact with the people and dogs of Juneau, living on the edges of their community, engaging in an improbable, awe-inspiring interspecies dance. At first the people of Juneau were guarded, torn between shoot-first-ask-questions-later instincts and curiosity. But as Romeo began to tag along with cross-country skiers on their daily jaunts, play fetch with local dogs, or simply lie and nap under the sun alongside his trusted human counterparts, they came to accept Romeo. For Nick, it was about trying to understand Romeo, then it was about winning his trust, and ultimately it was about watching over him, for as long as he or anyone could.

Written with a deft hand and a searching heart, A Wolf Called Romeo is an unforgettable tale of a creature who came in from the wild and gave humans a chance to understand it a little more. Part memoir, part moving animal narrative, part foray into the mystique, lore, science, and history of the wolf, A Wolf Called Romeo is a book no animal lover should miss.

Reviews

*Starred Review* Jans was walking with his wife and yellow Lab in the gathering twilight when a black wolf they’d spotted on the frozen lake came bounding up near them. Forty yards away, he stopped, but then the Lab broke free and approached the wolf. The result of this encounter was a wild wolf that became part of the author’s life on the fringe of suburban Juneau, an animal not only tolerant of humans but also downright friendly to dogs. As he began to be known among the local dog owners, it became clear that Romeo truly was sociable—playing with dogs of all types, putting up with pursuit by photographers, and interacting with all levels of clueless people. For six years, this friendly wolf graced the Juneau wilderness, accompanying people on hikes and interacting with their dogs. Woven through Romeo’s story is the larger tale of humans and wolves, of close contact and fear, of wolves and dogs, and of an animal that lives both beyond and among us. As in Jans’ previous works (The Grizzly Maze, 2006; The Glacier Wolf, 2009), the writing is both lyrical and factual, and through Jans’ pen, we feel the crisp Alaska twilight and see the breeze ruffle Romeo’s black coat. --Nancy Bent

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Prologue

“Are you sure about this?” my wife, Sherrie, breathed. She glanced over her shoulder toward the comforting glow of our house on the lakeshore, then gazed ahead where a black wolf stood on the ice in the gathering twilight. Bundled against the Southeast Alaska cold, we’d taken along just one of our three dogs — our female yellow Lab, Dakotah, who’d always been perfectly mannered and under voice control around wildlife, from bears to porcupines.
   Despite some understandable jitters, Sherrie was so thrilled she was about to jump out of her skin. After all these years of trying and not seeing, there it was: her first wolf. Perfect, I thought, and easier than it ever should be. But as we walked farther out on the ice, things changed. The wolf, instead of watching from the tree line as he had several times with me, angled toward us at a trot. Then he broke into a bounding lope, snow flying beneath his paws, jaws agape. I drew Sherrie toward me and reached for Dakotah’s collar. My vision sharpened, and synapses crackled. I’d seen my share of wolves over the years, some point-blank close, and hadn’t quite shifted into panic mode. But anyone who claims he wouldn’t get an adrenaline jolt from a running wolf coming straight in, with no weapon and no place to run, and loved ones to defend, is either brain-dead or lying.
   In a few heartbeats, the wolf had closed the distance to forty yards. He stood stiff-legged, tail raised above his back, his unblinking stare fixed on us — a dominant posture, less than reassuring. Then, with a moaning whimper, Dakotah suddenly wrenched free of the two fingers I’d hooked through her collar and bounded straight at the wolf. A tone of desperation sharpening her voice, Sherrie called again and again, but there was no stopping that dog. The Lab skidded to a stop several body lengths short of contact and stood tall, her own tail straight out, and as we watched, mouths open, the wolf lowered his to match. With the two so close, I had my first clear idea of just how large the wolf really was. Dakotah, a stocky, traditional-style female Lab, weighed in at a muscular fifty-six pounds. The black wolf towered over her, more than double her weight. Just his head and neck matched the size of her torso. A hundred twenty pounds, I figured. Maybe more.
   The wolf stepped stiff-legged toward Dakotah, and she answered. If she heard our calls, she gave no sign. She was locked on and intent, but utterly silent — not at all her normal happy-Lab self. She seemed half-hypnotized. She and the wolf regarded each other, as if each were glimpsing an almost-forgotten face and trying to remember. This was one of those moments when time seems to hold its breath. I lifted my camera and snapped off a single frame.
   As if that tiny click had been a finger snap, the world began to move again. The wolf’s stance altered. Ears perked high and held narrow, he bounced forward a body length, bowed on his forelegs, then leaned back and lifted a paw. Dakotah sidled closer and circled, her tail still straight out. The eyes of each were locked on the other. With their noses a foot apart, I pressed the shutter once more. Again, the sound seemed to break a spell. Dakotah heard Sherrie’s voice at last and bounded back toward us, turning her back, at least for now, on whatever call of the wild she’d just heard. We watched for long minutes with Dakotah softly whining at our sides, staring toward the dark, handsome stranger who stood staring our way and whining back, a high-pitched keening that filled the silence. Half-stunned, Sherrie and I murmured back and forth, wondering at what we’d seen and what it meant.
   But it was getting dark — time to go. The wolf stood watching our retreat, his tail flagging, then raised his muzzle to the sky in a drawn-out howl, as if crushed. At last he trotted west and faded into the trees. As we walked toward home in the deepening winter evening, the first stars flickered against the curve of space. Behind us, the wolf’s deep cries echoed off the glacier.

With that first close meeting one evening in December 2003, a wild black wolf became part of our lives — not just as a fleeting shape in the dusk, but as a creature we and others would come to know over a span of years, just as he came to know us. We were neighbors, that much is certain; and though some will scoff, I say friends as well. This is a tale woven of light and darkness, hope and sorrow, fear and love, and perhaps, a little magic. It’s a story of our time on this shrinking world, one I need to tell — most of all, to myself. Late at night, it fills the spaces between heartbeats, nudges me awake. By speaking, I hope not to be rid of it, nor even to understand, but just to set down all the facts, the musings, and unanswered questions as best I can. Years from now, at least I’ll know that I did more than dream, and that once upon a time, there was a wolf we called Romeo. This is his story.

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0547858191
• ISBN 13: 9780547858197
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 267