Billionaire Wilderness

The Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of the American West

By: Justin Farrell

Narrated by: John Chancer

A revealing look at the intersection of wealth, philanthropy, and conservation

Billionaire Wilderness takes you inside the exclusive world of the ultra-wealthy, showing how today's richest people are using the natural environment to solve the existential dilemmas they face. Justin Farrell spent five years in Teton County, Wyoming, the richest county in the United States and a community where income inequality is the worst in the nation. He conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews, gaining unprecedented access to tech CEOs, Wall Street financiers, oil magnates, and other prominent figures in business and politics. He also talked with the rural poor who live among the ultra-wealthy and often work for them. The result is a penetrating account of the far-reaching consequences of the massive accrual of wealth, and an eye-opening and sometimes troubling portrait of a changing American West where romanticizing rural poverty and conserving nature can be lucrative - socially as well as financially.

Weaving unforgettable storytelling with thought-provoking analysis, Billionaire Wilderness reveals how the ultra-wealthy are buying up the land and leveraging one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world to climb even higher on the socioeconomic ladder. The affluent of Teton County are people burdened by stigmas, guilt, and status anxiety - and they appropriate nature and rural people to create more virtuous and deserving versions of themselves. Incisive and compelling, Billionaire Wilderness reveals the hidden connections between wealth concentration and the environment, two of the most pressing and contentious issues of our time.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Justin Farrell (P)2020 Princeton University Press

Critic reviews

"Justin Farrell explores a bold new understanding of nature and people in America's wealthiest county. This startling, provocative, and respectful analysis of conservation and the Teton community will ignite important future scholarship. A must-read." (Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University)

"A Yale sociology professor documents the class divide in Teton County, Wyo., where ultra-wealthy tech CEOs, financiers, and political figures are buying up land and romanticizing rural poverty in order to improve their own socioeconomic status." (Publishers Weekly)

"An eye-opening look at a specific element of economic and social inequality." (Kirkus Reviews)

Thought provoking & important

Important topics to reflect on and take action on in these current times to ensure healthy communities where all community members & nature are respected

Good Overview of Wild West Real Estate

Audio performance is pretty good. Author's research is presented in fair/earnest way. Given the continued ballooning of western real estate prices since this was published, I'd say his perspective an insightful part of a national conversation.

Amazing overview of the disappearing west

I am a current park ranger and former wilderness guide who has made a living in frontier towns in the north, north east, and southwest. It’s been shocking to watch as these former sleepy towns disappear to the ultra wealthy and their ideals of what wilderness should be. Necessary reading for any who are interested in how the landscapes are changing due to wealth.

A tough read

When you finally get to the appendix, you realize the book that it could’ve been or should’ve been a story of someone on a personal journey of understanding.
Instead, you get a dry research paper, by someone from the academic elite trying to skewer the wealthy elite. With no sense of irony like many things in this book.

Incredible! An accurate, insightful look at Teton County, Wyoming and the very wealthy in America. Scathing!

He interviewed people I’ve known and have met and worked for In Teton County over the past 37 years, almost stereotypes of the the wealthy who started trickling in after “Teton Pines” was developed and then greatly worsened, with the self important (better people”) in 3 Creeks and and now totally ruined by the ( “Special People” ) in Shooting Star.
Those that wanted that community and equality missed it by 25 years when the hospitality businesses became unwilling to pay livable, decent wages to their workers and found a source of workers in illegals and drove down the wages to a point wherein few can have a secure life.
Greed and the drive to keep it all at the top have put us here!
The capital sourced income keeps growing and properties are purchased by those that can’t relate to working for wages.
It’s been a national trend the last 40 or more years as we continue to elect a professional and corrupt political class in this country.
Justin Farrell nails it!!!