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Wild Chorus: Finding Harmony with Whales, Wolves, and Other Animals
In Wild Chorus , award-winning author Brenda Peterson draws on her lifelong relationship with animals to explore the wisdom we humans can glean from them. Looking beyond the companionship we enjoy with domesticated animals, Peterson explores how wild animals can become our guides and fellow travelers, helping us navigate the stresses of daily life and a rapidly changing planet.
From beluga whales to wolves, raccoons to bears, elk to herons, the stories in this collection offer insights into the intricacies of animals’ intuitive communication, compassionate attention, and peaceful adaptation. Featuring vivid, visionary stories, Wild Chorus reveals a world filled with inspiring lessons of kinship, connection, and living in the present. Join Peterson on an incredible journey as she speaks for animals as both an artist and an activist to discover the power of learning from the natural world.
From beluga whales to wolves, raccoons to bears, elk to herons, the stories in this collection offer insights into the intricacies of animals’ intuitive communication, compassionate attention, and peaceful adaptation. Featuring vivid, visionary stories, Wild Chorus reveals a world filled with inspiring lessons of kinship, connection, and living in the present. Join Peterson on an incredible journey as she speaks for animals as both an artist and an activist to discover the power of learning from the natural world.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published March 19, 2024
13 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Peterson
57 books81 followersBrenda Peterson is the author of over 20 books, including the recently released murder mystery, Stiletto. Her first memoir Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals, chosen as a “Best Spiritual Book of 2001,” to three novels, one of which, Duck and Cover, was chosen by New York Times as a Notable Book of the Year. Her second memoir, a dark comedy of family and faith, is I Want To Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth; it was selected by The Christian Science Monitor among the Top Ten Best Non-Fiction Books and chosen by independent bookstores as an Indie Next and a Great Read.
Her non-fiction has appeared in numerous national newspapers, journals, and magazines, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Reader’s Digest, Christian Science Monitor, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Utne Reader. Oprah.com featured her Your Life is a Book: How to Craft and Publish Your Memoir. Her new kid’s are Wild Orca and Lobo: A Wolf Family Returns Home.
Her non-fiction has appeared in numerous national newspapers, journals, and magazines, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Reader’s Digest, Christian Science Monitor, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Utne Reader. Oprah.com featured her Your Life is a Book: How to Craft and Publish Your Memoir. Her new kid’s are Wild Orca and Lobo: A Wolf Family Returns Home.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 14, 2024
In the spirit of transparency, this was a free galley I won from a Publishers Weekly event on NetGalley. Similar to Wintering and The Comfort of Crows, this book is about our connection to nature and the importance of maintaining that connection. The difference between this book and the former is that Brenda Peterson shares her decades of experience in animal conservation and behavioral research, starting with being raised by her park ranger father in state/federal parks. It communicates information and her beliefs without being overly preachy or scholarly. I appreciate that the chapters center around the animals as well.
This book is equal parts devastating and motivating, filled with sorrow and beauty. I can't recommend it enough!
This book is equal parts devastating and motivating, filled with sorrow and beauty. I can't recommend it enough!
March 27, 2024
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
This book was very much a memoir that I think could have used a little more structure. For those who do not believe that hunting can be part of being in harmony with nature, they should pass on this book. I personally believe that hunters can be in harmony with nature if hunting is done with respect to the animals and acknowledgement that the animals being hunted are also living beings too. That is what is shown in this memoir when it comes to the bits about hunting. Otherwise, I feel that it can get a bit repetitive at times and could have down with a little more editing or more structure. The writing is strong and shows a great love for nature and what we have in our world.
This book was very much a memoir that I think could have used a little more structure. For those who do not believe that hunting can be part of being in harmony with nature, they should pass on this book. I personally believe that hunters can be in harmony with nature if hunting is done with respect to the animals and acknowledgement that the animals being hunted are also living beings too. That is what is shown in this memoir when it comes to the bits about hunting. Otherwise, I feel that it can get a bit repetitive at times and could have down with a little more editing or more structure. The writing is strong and shows a great love for nature and what we have in our world.
December 31, 2023
3.5
The beginning of the book and many other smaller sections read more like a memoir. Also, if you have an issue with hunting you might want to skip the first couple pages. Honestly, she repeats the main point of those pages so many times in the book that you don't even need to read them. She repeats a lot of things, actually. The writing is not great and relies too much on adjectives, analogies, and metaphors. You almost lose sight of the point. I think the book would flow better if it was grouped into sections about aquatic animals and then land animals (or vice-versa). The back and forth didn't flow well.
However, the content is clearly based on research and decades of experience and paints a grim picture of the fate of animals if we humans don't get our heads out of our arses and stop messing up the environment. We are a selfish species and if we think we can live without animals, we're in for a sad lesson.
Once you get past the first chapter, the book reads easily and some of her stories are wonderful. My favorite was the man with the heron on the beach because it shows that we CAN live harmoniously with animals.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
The beginning of the book and many other smaller sections read more like a memoir. Also, if you have an issue with hunting you might want to skip the first couple pages. Honestly, she repeats the main point of those pages so many times in the book that you don't even need to read them. She repeats a lot of things, actually. The writing is not great and relies too much on adjectives, analogies, and metaphors. You almost lose sight of the point. I think the book would flow better if it was grouped into sections about aquatic animals and then land animals (or vice-versa). The back and forth didn't flow well.
However, the content is clearly based on research and decades of experience and paints a grim picture of the fate of animals if we humans don't get our heads out of our arses and stop messing up the environment. We are a selfish species and if we think we can live without animals, we're in for a sad lesson.
Once you get past the first chapter, the book reads easily and some of her stories are wonderful. My favorite was the man with the heron on the beach because it shows that we CAN live harmoniously with animals.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
July 15, 2024
“…a woman’s place…is in the wild.”
This remarkable book is a memoir, a unique lesson in natural history, a love poem to the wild, and a plea for peaceful coexistence with the natural world. Peterson embeds herself in the lives of researchers and students of animals, and in the lives of the animals they observe. She calls herself a “citizen naturalist,” although the book is extensively referenced in a thorough bibliography. Her approach is reminiscent of some of the best contemporary natural history journalists such as Ed Yong, Carl Safina, Susan Casey, and Susan Orlean.
Peterson’s emphasis is on the complex cultures of animal societies (belugas, dolphins, orcas, chimpanzees, wolves) and the all-encompassing roll that culture plays in the lives of these animals. As the book’s title, Wild Chorus, implies, Peterson throughout emphasizes the importance of sound in the lives of animals, as manifested by listening to and vocalizing with other organisms via songs and other sounds. Not surprisingly, Peterson maintains that we would be better off if more of our leaders were matriarchs, as occurs in many other socially complex societies. The result would be a more “supportive, socially inclusive society.”
Every chapter of Wild Chorus connects the reader intimately with another species. My personal gauge of how deeply a book impacts my thinking is reflected in the number of passages I highlight, to remind me to go back and explore an idea. I found I highlighted sections of almost every chapter of Wild Chorus, which is indeed “a survival guide and love story. A celebration of the wonder and wisdom of other animals.”
This remarkable book is a memoir, a unique lesson in natural history, a love poem to the wild, and a plea for peaceful coexistence with the natural world. Peterson embeds herself in the lives of researchers and students of animals, and in the lives of the animals they observe. She calls herself a “citizen naturalist,” although the book is extensively referenced in a thorough bibliography. Her approach is reminiscent of some of the best contemporary natural history journalists such as Ed Yong, Carl Safina, Susan Casey, and Susan Orlean.
Peterson’s emphasis is on the complex cultures of animal societies (belugas, dolphins, orcas, chimpanzees, wolves) and the all-encompassing roll that culture plays in the lives of these animals. As the book’s title, Wild Chorus, implies, Peterson throughout emphasizes the importance of sound in the lives of animals, as manifested by listening to and vocalizing with other organisms via songs and other sounds. Not surprisingly, Peterson maintains that we would be better off if more of our leaders were matriarchs, as occurs in many other socially complex societies. The result would be a more “supportive, socially inclusive society.”
Every chapter of Wild Chorus connects the reader intimately with another species. My personal gauge of how deeply a book impacts my thinking is reflected in the number of passages I highlight, to remind me to go back and explore an idea. I found I highlighted sections of almost every chapter of Wild Chorus, which is indeed “a survival guide and love story. A celebration of the wonder and wisdom of other animals.”
January 1, 2026
3.5/5 I am not a writer so bear with me as I try to properly express why I'm conflicted about my rating but overall like this book.
Pros:
-The content was engaging and thought-provoking. I really like most of her opinions on nature and generally enjoy the way she sees the world. She makes many poignant points that made me reassess my own views and motivations when interacting with the natural world.
-I appreciate the references section at the end.
-I agree with her overarching message about humanity's disconnection from the natural world, our apathy toward climate change, and how we need to kick ourselves in the butts and something about it before it's too late.
Cons:
-Some of the stories told in the book are repeated a little too often for my taste as it got to be a bit annoying to read the same story stated in a previous chapter. For example, it felt a bit tedious at times rereading about the deer heads she remembers from childhood with not much added to the narrative than was previously stated.
-I wasn't a fan of the layout of the chapters. It felt like she yoyoed between subjects throughout the book. It was jarring to go from talking about orcas, to cougars and cranes, then go back to more about orcas again.
Pros:
-The content was engaging and thought-provoking. I really like most of her opinions on nature and generally enjoy the way she sees the world. She makes many poignant points that made me reassess my own views and motivations when interacting with the natural world.
-I appreciate the references section at the end.
-I agree with her overarching message about humanity's disconnection from the natural world, our apathy toward climate change, and how we need to kick ourselves in the butts and something about it before it's too late.
Cons:
-Some of the stories told in the book are repeated a little too often for my taste as it got to be a bit annoying to read the same story stated in a previous chapter. For example, it felt a bit tedious at times rereading about the deer heads she remembers from childhood with not much added to the narrative than was previously stated.
-I wasn't a fan of the layout of the chapters. It felt like she yoyoed between subjects throughout the book. It was jarring to go from talking about orcas, to cougars and cranes, then go back to more about orcas again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2025
In Wild Chorus, author Brenda Peterson talks about her lifelong relationship with animals and how humans can learn from beluga whales, wolves, raccoons, bears, elk, herons, and many more.
This book is filled with personal essays, which I enjoyed because I could kind of go back and forth on reading it and reading a fiction book. Some nonfiction books take me a long time to get into, and others I just can read information after information without needing a break.
I definitely took a lot of photos of passages in the book to go back and read later, or to share with my friends.
Brenda Peterson’s writing is very chill and friendly, it just felt like I was reading a letter a buddy wrote me about their latest outdoorsy adventure.
*Thank you Mountaineers Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book is filled with personal essays, which I enjoyed because I could kind of go back and forth on reading it and reading a fiction book. Some nonfiction books take me a long time to get into, and others I just can read information after information without needing a break.
I definitely took a lot of photos of passages in the book to go back and read later, or to share with my friends.
Brenda Peterson’s writing is very chill and friendly, it just felt like I was reading a letter a buddy wrote me about their latest outdoorsy adventure.
*Thank you Mountaineers Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 1, 2025
memoir/educational/inspirational
Peterson goes to explain different relationships she’s able to have with different animals, from dolphins to wolves. she describes her experiences with wildlife and connects it to how we can learn not only about the wildlife and understand them, but to also learn from them. the wildlife are guides to hopefully us having a harmonious and healthy earth.
“Before we developed telescopes to see the stars, our ancestors believed Planet Earth was the center of the universe. Many people still believe humans alone have culture, language, and music— that we are still the center of Earth's ecosystem. But we can choose to humbly listen to other songs like the humpbacks, to honor the vital role all other species play in our planet's well-being and survival.”
Peterson goes to explain different relationships she’s able to have with different animals, from dolphins to wolves. she describes her experiences with wildlife and connects it to how we can learn not only about the wildlife and understand them, but to also learn from them. the wildlife are guides to hopefully us having a harmonious and healthy earth.
“Before we developed telescopes to see the stars, our ancestors believed Planet Earth was the center of the universe. Many people still believe humans alone have culture, language, and music— that we are still the center of Earth's ecosystem. But we can choose to humbly listen to other songs like the humpbacks, to honor the vital role all other species play in our planet's well-being and survival.”
December 28, 2024
This book caught me at the right time. Great for lovers of wildlife. The writing was excellent, poetic. A cozy read that I could savor over the holidays. References to alot of important people and organizations in the wildlife and conservation space, some I knew and some I didn’t. I enjoyed looking up the new ones and becoming familiar with them…..and adding them on instagram to follow their journeys and progress, to give me hope.
September 18, 2024
Morning reading for the days leading up to the full moon. Very thankful for where I live.
Favorite quote:
"As the Taoist writer Huanchu Daoren writes,
'Best be very calm yet radiantly alert.'"
Trying.
Favorite quote:
"As the Taoist writer Huanchu Daoren writes,
'Best be very calm yet radiantly alert.'"
Trying.
May 21, 2024
One of my favorite pieces of nature writing this year.
February 15, 2025
Really enjoyable essays, and I love that they are true stories.
June 2, 2025
DNF
Could not listen any further after the absolutely disgusting love letter to hunting in the first chapter. I have never returned a book, but with this I did.
Could not listen any further after the absolutely disgusting love letter to hunting in the first chapter. I have never returned a book, but with this I did.
February 8, 2025
Filled with lots of little ideas that I keep coming back to in my mind. It reinvigorated my love for animals and nature. It was sweet to read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews