When referencing the wolf, Americans utilize fairytales, famous hunter accounts and ecological revelations to describe the personality and purpose of the predator. Like most historical studies on the wolf, this paper focuses on the major events in the life of the American wolf beginning with first encounters, followed by eradication programs, and ending in reintroduction campaigns; but concentrates on the dissemination of wolf literature and its influence on public policy. Researching genres of wolf literature produced during the eradication and reintroduction movements reveals how industries, government agencies and conservation groups took advantage of the wide reach of public media to garner financial and political support. Literary representations of the wolf played a vital role in shaping how Americans perceived the wolf and the motivations that influenced the success of targeted eradication programs. Anti-wolf sentiment intensified as farmers released their stock onto grasslands and wolves received the newcomers with open jaws. Enraged by the predators' carnivorous appetite, stock owners relied on each other's accounts of the devastation brought on by wolf attacks to coordinate the elimination of the wolf through public campaigns for government intervention. Early American literature featured the wolf as a villain, ascribing to it murderous intentions and having an insatiable hunger for blood. Nature studies revealed the value of the predator/prey relationship in ecosystems and introduced endearing characteristics like loyalty and courage into the public's wolf vocabulary. The depletion of natural resources and wildlife alarmed persons whose professions and passions were threatened, leading to a change in attitudes towards human effect on the wilderness. This concern grew, so too did the science supporting the wolf's role in ecosystems. The debate over the wolf's value continues today with passionate advocates rallying to either save or destroy the wolf. Further explanation into the publications by agricultural industries, government lobbyists, and conservation clubs will enhance the understanding about the importance of public opinion in the fate of American flora and fauna.