Fires in the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, the FBI, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage

Journalist and sociologist Wolfe debuts with a fascinating history of the Earth Liberation Front, a loose-knit climate justice group that was concentrated in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s. Wolfe begins with a sweeping history of American environmentalism, detailing how hippie tree huggers gave way to professional organizations like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth in the latter half of the 20th century. As the planet’s prognosis worsened, Wolfe writes, many environmentalists went from monkey wrenching, or nonviolent disobedience, to ecoterrorism. The Earth Liberation Front, or ELF, was “whispered about” in activist circles after its first cell emerged in Brighton, England, in 1992, then made headlines in 1998 when a Eugene, Ore., cell took credit for torching a ski lodge in Vail, Colo. None of the group’s actions, which also included blowing up ranger stations and liberating wild horses from the Bureau of Land Management, resulted in human casualties. After the passage of the Patriot Act in the wake of 9/11, the FBI went after the ELF, arresting seven members in 2004. Wolfe captures the urgency that gave rise to the group and poses potent questions about the ethical boundaries of extremism. Readers will be rapt. Photos. Agent: Adam Eaglin, Cheney Agency. (June)