The perspective of Death in Yellowstone is that of its author, Lee Whittlesey. A thirty-five year veteran of the park, Whittlesey has served as a tour guide and park ranger. He has an MA in history and a JD in law and so not only knows the geography of Yellowstone well, but knows its history and is familiar with the legal issues that the park often becomes involved in. All of these hard won series of expertise make Whittlesey acutely aware of the dangers in Yellowstone and have given him enough experience to understand how to preserve it.