Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English

A WOLF CALLED ROMEO

Nick Jans

An Alaskan Tale of Love and Loss

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.

Nick Jans is one of Alaska’s most recognized and prolific writers. A contributing editor to Alaska Magazine and a member of USA Today’s board of editorial contributors, he’s written 9 books, hundreds of magazine articles, and contributed to many anthologies. In addition, he is a professional nature photographer, specializing in remote locations. He has been the recipient of numerous writing awards, most recently the co-winner of two Ben Franklin Medals (2007 and 2008) and a Rasmuson Foundation artist grant (2009). He currently lives in Juneau with his wife, Sherrie, and travels widely in Alaska. He returns each year to Ambler, the arctic Inupiaq Eskimo village in which he lived for 20 years, and the place he still calls “home.”

Available products
Book Published 2014-07-01 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Comments

Jans is an exceptional storyteller -- no nature writer can top him in terms of sheer emotional force -- and he frames even the smallest moment with haunting power.

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.