Gretel Ehrlich

Gretel Ehrlich is an American author, poet, and filmmaker. In 1976, Ehrlich traveled from her native California to Wyoming to shoot a documentary for PBS. The documentary was to focus on sheep herders and their lives throughout the high months of the year. While in Wyoming, Ehrlich fell in love with the wilderness of the state, its primitiveness, and open spaces. As a result of this transformation and her introduction to the world of ranch life, Ehrlich began to write The Solace of Open Spaces in 1979.

While in Wyoming, Ehrlich tried her hand at many things from lambing to calving, branding, and herding animals across thousands of miles. Part of the reason for the stay in Wyoming was for the author to lose herself in the wide open spaces. However, the exact opposite occurred and Ehrlich found her true self in spite of her efforts.

Ehrlich survived hard...