From geysers to grizzlies, Yellowstone has captured the imagination of writers for over a century. If you’re planning a trip—or just want to experience the world’s first national park through the page—these books belong on your Yellowstone TBR list.
1. American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee
A gripping nonfiction account of O-Six, Yellowstone’s legendary wolf, and the battles over wildlife management in the park. Perfect for readers drawn to conservation, wilderness, and human-wildlife conflict.
2. Yellowstone: A Journey Through America’s Wild Heart by David Quammen
Bozeman-based writer David Quammen weaves together Yellowstone’s ecology, geology, and human history in a way that’s both informative and deeply moving.
3. Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone by George Black
This sweeping history traces the creation of Yellowstone National Park, exploring the mythmaking, politics, and cultural forces that shaped it.
4. Yellowstone Has Teeth by Marjane Ambler
A memoir of living year-round in Yellowstone’s Thorofare District—one of the most remote areas in the lower 48. Ambler captures the challenges and beauty of a truly wild life.
5. Decade of the Wolf by Douglas W. Smith & Gary Ferguson
Written by Yellowstone’s lead wolf biologist alongside a celebrated Montana author, this book provides a firsthand look at the wolf reintroduction and its ecological impacts.
6. Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future by Edward Struzik
With Yellowstone’s famous 1988 fires as a backdrop, Struzik explores the history and future of fire in the West.
7. Lost in My Own Backyard by Tim Cahill
A short, witty love letter to Yellowstone from one of America’s best travel writers (and longtime Livingston local). It’s both a humorous memoir and a pocket-sized guide.
8. Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey
A darker but fascinating read, this book recounts the sometimes tragic, sometimes unbelievable stories of people who met misfortune in Yellowstone.
For geology buffs, this book explains the supervolcano, geothermal features, and tectonic forces that make Yellowstone so unique.
10. Speaking of Bears by Rachel Mazur
A thoughtful exploration of bear behavior and management in Yellowstone, blending science with stories from the field.
From memoirs to history to science, these books reveal the many layers of Yellowstone—its wildlife, its landscapes, and the people who’ve tried to understand and protect it. Just like the park itself, your Yellowstone TBR is one you’ll return to again and again.
