Fox & I

Unusual, kind of like something from a slightly different dimension, or as if Raven's voice is rotated a few degrees away from the world I'm used to. Not difficult to read, just ... expect occasional disconnects. For a certain kind of person — someone who can appreciate wildness without romanticizing it, who understands that life is messy, who can accept that scientific objectivity and personal attachment are not incompatible — totally worth it.

The author befriends a fox. Said fox befriends the author. It's not a storybook relationship nor a lovy-dovey woofy-pet one, more a gradual exploration of each other, of boundaries and comfort zones, converging into a mutually respectful bond. And, damn, it's a real one: Raven may have her tics and quirks, but she knows her way around feelings. Their friendship is a moving one, with missteps and triumphs and regrets. And there's much more: personal memoir, natural history, and Raven's rich wildlife observations.