"This tribute to the mountain lion’s presence on the land and in our psyches includes short stories and essays by many of our finest nature writers, including Rick Bass, Marc Bekoff, and Barry Lopez. In some pieces, the puma appears front and center; other works evoke the big cats indirectly. Biologists describe aspects of cougar ecology, such as its rugged habitat and how males struggle to claim territory. Conservationists relate their political history. Other writers reflect on accidental encounters, dreams, Navajo beliefs, and more. 208 pp."