JACKSON, Wyo. — Even as a full-time paramedic with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Kevin Grange still finds time to pen award-winning nonfiction books. His latest, “Grizzly Confidential,” is a deep-dive into all things grizzly bear.
The new tome examines grizzlies from myriad vantage points, ranging from the scientific to the spiritual. His research took him across the country, including as far as Alaska, introducing him to conservationists, hunters, sideshow profiteers and more, all dedicating their lives and livelihoods to the great brown bear.
Grange spoke with Buckrail ahead of his book’s release. He said he’s hoping the work will inspire more in-depth conversations about grizzly coexistence in the Jackson area and beyond.
“The book is for the thousands of people that live, work and recreate in bear country,” Grange said. “The ideal reader is someone who is interested in bears but also a little bit terrified of them. Hopefully everyone within the bear community feels they have a voice.”
Grange said the project started taking shape around the time Grizzly 399 was on her walking tour of Jackson.
“She was everywhere I went,” Grange said. “I tried to hike Josie’s Ridge, and she was there. I went to Albertsons — she was there. I knew I was really interested in bears, but realized I was also pretty afraid of them. That lead me on this journey.”
The status of grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem remains a lightning rod for impassioned conversations (see: Buckrail’s Facebook comments). Some plead for the bear’s removal from Endangered Species Act protections; others advocate for stronger conservation legislation. Grange said he didn’t want to wade directly into this debate.
“I’ve tried to steer clear of the politics and present the different lenses of the bears and let the people decide where they fit in,” Grange said. “I generally let the art speak for itself.”
Instead, he’s hoping that the information presented in his book will inspire productive conversations.
“If someone doesn’t like grizzly bears, you’re not going to talk them into it,” Grange said. “But what you can do is find out their concern. Maybe it’s a mother who wants to be able to let her kids play outside safely. You can find that common ground, and say, ‘I also want kids to be able to play outside safely.’ Once you establish that agreement, then you can work together from there.”
Grange’s emphasis on the kaleidoscope of viewpoints possessed by “bear people” is evident in the diversity of his chapter topics: “The Leading, Bleeding Edge of Human-Bear Relations” precedes “A Tale of Two Bear Parks,” “The Chonkiest of the Chonky,” “Devils or Deities?,” “The Ursine Paparazzi,” “Into the Sanctuary” and more, before ending with “From Conflict to Coexistence.”
“The animal rights folks aren’t necessarily talking to the biologists, who aren’t necessarily talking to the hunting community,” Grange said. “Hopefully this book spurs conversations. All of these groups want bears on the landscape, so if we can start at that commonality and then work together, we can find solutions.”
This is Grange’s fourth book. He is also the author of “Wild Rescues: A Paramedic’s Extreme Adventures in Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Teton”; “Lights and Sirens: The Education of a Paramedic” and “Beneath Blossom Rain: Discovering Bhutan on the Toughest Trek in the World.” “Grizzly Confidential” hit shelves on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Grange will make stops in Jackson (Oct. 1 at Jackson Hole Book Trader) and Victor (Sept. 27 at Highpoint Cider) on his upcoming book tour. He’ll also appear at literary events in Jackson throughout the fall and winter.
