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"A wise and intimate book about a solitary woman, a biologist by training, who befriends a fox. More than that, it's the tale of a human mind, trained to be logical, meeting and being touched by Nature and coming to realise a greater truth. If Thoreau had read The Little Prince, he would have written Fox and I." - Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi
Catherine Raven has lived alone since the age of 15. After leaving home to escape an abusive father, she put herself through college and trained as a biologist, before building herself a house in a remote part of Montana, in a place as far away from other people as possible.
But one day she realises she has company - a wild fox who appears in front of her house every afternoon at sundown. Against all her scientific training, Catherine grows to appreciate the personality and individuality of her newfound friend. As time goes on, the two form an unlikely and powerful bond - shaken only when natural disaster threatens to destroy their woodland refuge.
Fox and I is a story of survival and transformation, a captivating tale of the friendship between two species in a shared habitat, battling against the uncontainable forces of nature on one side and humanity on the other - immersive, original and utterly unforgettable.
About the author
Catherine Raven received her Ph.D. in biology from Montana State University and is a former National Park Ranger at Glacier, Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Yellowstone National Parks. Her natural history essays have appeared in
American Scientist and
Montana Magazine. A member of American Mensa and Sigma Xi, she is currently a Professor at South University in Savannah, Georgia.
Summary
Catherine Raven has lived alone since the age of 15. After finishing her PhD in biology, she built herself a tiny cottage on an isolated plot of land in Montana, in a place as far away from other people as possible. She viewed the house as a way station, a temporary rest stop where she could gather her nerves and fill out applications for what she hoped would be a real job that would help her fit into society.
Then one day she realises she has company: a mangy-looking fox who starts showing up at her house every afternoon at 4.15pm. She has never had a visitor before. How do you even talk to a fox? She brings out her camping chair, sits as close to him as she dares, and begins reading to him from The Little Prince. Her scientific training has taught her not to anthropomorphise animals, yet as she grows to know him, his personality reveals itself and the two form a powerful bond - shaken only when natural disaster threatens to destroy their woodland refuge.
Fox and I is a story of survival and transformation, a captivating tale of a friendship between two species in a shared habitat, battling against the uncontainable forces of nature on one side and humanity on the other - immersive, original and utterly unforgettable.
