Disclaimer: should you make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I may earn a commission from the sellers, but that has no impact on the cost to you as the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.
If I can't be found nose deep in a book, it might be because my attention has been drawn by something wild.
I love to go walking in the countryside. And, when I am out there, trying to ignore the fact I am more out of breath than I would like, catching the sight or sound of something wild still has the power to make me stop and gasp. And, after that gasp, the trying as hard as possible to remain still, for fear that any move or sound I make might disturb the wonder I have stumbled upon.
The fox is an animal I have only caught glimpses of really, and I am incredibly envious of those who are able to report having had a "moment" with this feline-like canine; a moment in which the teller comes face to face with Vulpes vulpes and they look into each other's eyes for what seems an age. For me, alas, the fox is usually, when I have been fortunate enough to see one, a flash of red and white fur disappearing into green.
But, in this book, Lucy Jones brings the fox into sharper focus. In Foxes Unearthed she explores Britain's relationship with one of the largest predators it has left, and as she does so she walks with those who love the fox, as well as those who see the animal as vermin. And, in this the author writes without proselytising, instead allowing the truth of the subject to speak for itself.
Lucy Jones does bring the fox into sharper focus, and she does so by shining a light on the falsehoods and absurdities with which we have adorned the animal over centuries. And, we get to meet the fox face to face, and we come away knowing the red fox better for having read this book.
One hopes that this book has found its way into the hands of someone that really needs to know this animal better. Posts on social media tend to suggest their are still plenty out there ready to believe in the bad press.
Lucy Jones writes beautifully and honestly on the subject, and now that I have finished this book I really need to get my hands on Losing Eden, the author's latest offering!
If you would like a copy of Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones, you can purchase the book here.
You can purchase Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild by Lucy Jones here.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting me over on ko-fi so that I can keep bringing you content just like this!
No comments:
Post a Comment