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“Ramble with Jerry Wilson along the Missouri River bluff as he explores the heart of the land he shares with animals and plants, family, friends, neighbors, and those who lived there long ago. In rhythm with nature’s cycles, readers can walk old trails and new in this rich Dakota landscape.”—Linda Hasselstrom, author of Between Grass and Sky: Where I Live and Work
“Waiting for Coyote’s Call is rooted in the river hills of South Dakota, but it speaks to wild places everywhere. If you are in love with the natural world, you will want to read this inspiring book.”—Candace Savage, author of Prairie: A Natural History
“Wilson’s book is a sensitive and personal account of his encounters with nature on the Missouri River bluffs. His subjects range widely from coyotes to stars to native grasses. It is a must read for those fascinated by the nature all around us.”—Dr. Carter Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Ecology, South Dakota State University
Inspired by the works of Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, and Annie Dillard, Jerry Wilson's eco-memoir Waiting for Coyote's Call covers twenty-five years of trying to live life while leaving as small an environmental footprint as possible. Wilson encourages the reader to think about his or her place in nature as he recounts his own family's experiences on prairie and woodland near the Missouri River in eastern South Dakota.
Wilson chronicles his family's building of an eco-friendly solar home and their attempts to restore the plowed-under prairie to its original state. He muses on the beauty and simplicity of nature in contrast to modern lifestyles in which time is ever-more precious and convenience often outweighs other considerations. Taking the reader on midnight rambles through his "Big Woods," Wilson shares his wonder at the creatures that also make their home on the bluff.
From his delight in home-grown tomatoes and high-flying Sandhill cranes to concerns about human interaction with the web of life, the stories of Wilson's quarter of a century on the Missouri River bluff spring off the pages of Waiting for Coyote's Call. Fauns leap and turkeys strut past his window as Wilson listens for the plaintive howl of the prairie predator.
More Praise:
"This book is encouraging, optimistic, thoughtful and well-written. And it is also extremely relevant, given the pressure we continue to put on the land. If you hadn’t realized that every step you take in your life affects the earth, you will after reading this book. And - even better - you’ll want to do something about it."—LibraryThing reviewer
"These are eloquent, lyrical essays written from the heart."—South Dakota History
"With plenty of anecdotes and intriguing stories, Waiting for Coyote's Call is solid and very recommended reading for environmentally-oriented readers."—Midwest Book Review
"I recently received Waiting for Coyote's Call as a gift, and have so enjoyed your writing…both the book and your weekly blog. My husband and I live in a very similar landscape…cedar breaks west of Yankton…woods and ravines, native plants, abundant wildlife…and we ourselves are “amateur naturalists.” Our hearts are so close to your own experiences and observations. So not only am I fine-tuned to your subjects, but I find myself thoroughly immersed in your graceful writing style. You have written a rhapsody to this beautiful area we live in. Thank you for that. You have inspired several road trips…Spirit Mound and the Missouri River…fun to learn more about the landscape we call home. I will eagerly watch for your future writing. And I’ll be thinking of you sitting by the Solstice Fire. We will continue to open our hearts to the wonder around us…and think about how Jerry Wilson might capture it in words."—Comment from B. Mannes, Yankton, SD