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The Hidden World of the Fox
Ecologist Adele Brand has devoted her life to understanding the fabled yet enigmatic fox. Now she reveals their secrets in this extraordinary portrait of our most remarkable wild neighbors..
For thousands of years myth and folklore have celebrated its cunning intelligence. Today the red fox is the nature’s most populous carnivore, its dancing orange tail a common sight in backyards. Yet who is this wild neighbor, truly? How do we negotiate this uneasy new chapter of an ancient relationship? Join British ecologist Adele Brand on a journey to discover the surprising secrets of the fabled fox, the familiar yet enigmatic creature that has adapted to the human world with astonishing—some say, unsettling—success.
For thousands of years myth and folklore have celebrated its cunning intelligence. Today the red fox is the nature’s most populous carnivore, its dancing orange tail a common sight in backyards. Yet who is this wild neighbor, truly? How do we negotiate this uneasy new chapter of an ancient relationship? Join British ecologist Adele Brand on a journey to discover the surprising secrets of the fabled fox, the familiar yet enigmatic creature that has adapted to the human world with astonishing—some say, unsettling—success.
213 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2019
283 people are currently reading
3222 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
December 20, 2019
I didn't know much about foxes before reading this book and I don't know much about foxes after reading it. I should have known it wouldn't be an in-depth look at foxes because of its brevity (193 pages) and because the font in the hardcover edition is sizable. Still, I thought I'd learn more than I did.
Adele Brand is a mammal ecologist who loves and studies foxes. Unfortunately, the book is more anecdotal than factual, as she largely relates personal stories and mistaken notions people have about foxes.
There were a couple interesting things I learned, such as that vixens are only fertile for three days a year in December and that by digging in the earth, foxes greatly contribute to plant diversity. I also hadn't realised there are several species of foxes.
The book includes some gorgeous photos and is a quick read. However, it's so basic and seems more like young adult nonfiction than adult. I will have to look for another book on foxes now that I realise how little I know about them (at least this book brought that to my attention).
Adele Brand is a mammal ecologist who loves and studies foxes. Unfortunately, the book is more anecdotal than factual, as she largely relates personal stories and mistaken notions people have about foxes.
There were a couple interesting things I learned, such as that vixens are only fertile for three days a year in December and that by digging in the earth, foxes greatly contribute to plant diversity. I also hadn't realised there are several species of foxes.
The book includes some gorgeous photos and is a quick read. However, it's so basic and seems more like young adult nonfiction than adult. I will have to look for another book on foxes now that I realise how little I know about them (at least this book brought that to my attention).
January 1, 2020
3.5 I've lived a haal block from the fox river for over thirty years and until two years ago had not seen even one fox. Now, I see them regularly walking down my sidewalk, near daybreak. Have also seen a mother fox with her two kids off the trail of our Riverwalk. As explained in this book, they are making a resurgence in familiar territories and I have to admit the ones I saw certainly looked healthy.
The book covers some history, genetic information, what they eat, their size and their habits. Found much of it fascinating, though found the book itself of mixed interest. . Apparently, they are larger in size in colder climates, such as Scotland. Their colors fit the landscapes in which they dwell.
Fox families are called skulks, and the kits as they grow are very rambunctious. The book includes some wonderful pictures, in color and from different countries. The Arctic fox, all white is just beautiful and the fox that reside in the African Savannah has bat ears.
The author has studied foxes for over twenty years, and she feels the fox has the most ability to adapt to a changing environment and in the urban environment in which they now find themselves.
The book covers some history, genetic information, what they eat, their size and their habits. Found much of it fascinating, though found the book itself of mixed interest. . Apparently, they are larger in size in colder climates, such as Scotland. Their colors fit the landscapes in which they dwell.
Fox families are called skulks, and the kits as they grow are very rambunctious. The book includes some wonderful pictures, in color and from different countries. The Arctic fox, all white is just beautiful and the fox that reside in the African Savannah has bat ears.
The author has studied foxes for over twenty years, and she feels the fox has the most ability to adapt to a changing environment and in the urban environment in which they now find themselves.
November 15, 2023
A surprising amount of GR reviewers disliked the fact that this book was not more stringently academic. That is true, but it was fun. Brand has serious messages—how the fox fits into the ecosystem, how we should behave towards frequently encountered wildlife such as foxes and how we benefit from their being around.
I have no problem with reading facts about the animals and enjoyed learning from the author’s point of view. She is English, so it is primarily the English Red Fox she is talking about. The nice thing is that similar red foxes are common nearly everywhere in the world except a few islands, Antarctica and South Korea, where they appear to now be extinct. The variants often have similar looks and behaviors. Their numbers (around 240,000 or maybe 430,000 depending on the studies) in Britain alone make them good subjects for casual watching. They rarely carry rabies, leave people alone for the most part but are curious enough to watch neighbors like us, and readily live in cities. The book answered some questions I had.
I have no problem with reading facts about the animals and enjoyed learning from the author’s point of view. She is English, so it is primarily the English Red Fox she is talking about. The nice thing is that similar red foxes are common nearly everywhere in the world except a few islands, Antarctica and South Korea, where they appear to now be extinct. The variants often have similar looks and behaviors. Their numbers (around 240,000 or maybe 430,000 depending on the studies) in Britain alone make them good subjects for casual watching. They rarely carry rabies, leave people alone for the most part but are curious enough to watch neighbors like us, and readily live in cities. The book answered some questions I had.
November 27, 2019
my new favourite niche genre is non-fiction nature writing, where the woods and the wilds of the world are described in tantalisingly beautiful detail.
January 10, 2020
Apparently foxes in the UK are a divisive topic. Some want to protect these feral creatures at all cost while others want to kill them and want them gone from their neighborhoods and communities. Well, Adele Brand breaks down the fox as a wild, delicate and beautiful creature that is neither evil nor it is like a dog, a man's pet. I listened to this fascinating audiobook from my local library and let me say that this is why I love my library. I am able to listen or read something that may not be my usual and discover and learn something I didnt even know I needed to read or learn about. I feel like I have taken a nature walk with Brand as she delivered a very friendly chat about the enigmatic fox. I am now somewhat informed on their breeding and feeding habits. I was also fascinated to learn about the mange. I have never thought much about the mange which actually is scabies in humans. Anyway, I think this book is so worth reading not just because it is written for people like me who are not very scientific but also because it was really interesting.
September 3, 2023
Seemingly comprehensive review of foxes and their presence in urban areas and more natural settings. Journeyman writing and no great shakes but a decent amount of information and consideration of another species we share space with.
March 2, 2021
British ecologist and fox expert Adele Brand explores the world of our vulpine neighbors in this brief work of natural history, touching on such topics as the evolution and history of this group of canid species, their anatomy and likely habitats (rural and urban), their internal social structures and their dealings with other species, particularly their complicated and often fraught relationship with humanity. Methods of counting populations, anecdotes about the author's own various adventures with specific foxes, both in the UK and abroad, and suggestions for minimizing vulpine-human conflict are also included. Brand's central message seems to be that foxes are endlessly adaptable, managing to live and thrive in a world we humans have radically transformed, and that we should work to coexist peacefully with them...
I wanted to like The Hidden World of the Fox far more than I did, but although I certainly enjoyed reading it, and agreed with the central message, I came away somewhat frustrated, thinking it had significant flaws. First, I should mention that almost all of my prior reading about foxes has been centered in the cultural, rather than the biological sphere. I wrote my masters dissertation on three centuries of Reynard retellings in the world of English-speaking children's literature. After all, it was Locke who opined, in his 1693 Some Thoughts Concerning Education , that other than Aesop's fables, Reynard was the only fit reading material for children then available, giving the subject matter a particular historical significance, when it comes to the development of children's literature in the Anglophone world. An immensely popular beast epic during the Middle Ages, the Reynard story was retold in the literature of many different European countries, and was so influential that it changed the French word for fox from goupil to renard. It is impossible to overstate how central the Reynard story was, in shaping how Europeans and their descendants around the world perceived the fox. Given that this is so, I was somewhat surprised to see no direct mention of Reynard and his tale in the chapter on the fox's history, although Aesop does appear. I found this rather odd, as Brand is clearly aware of the story and its significance, including one of Wilhelm von Kaulbach's famous Reynard etchings in her section of photos, and referencing Kenneth Varty's excellent Reynard the Fox: Social Engagement and Cultural Metamorphoses in the Beast Epic from the Middle Ages to the Present in her bibliography for the chapter (more on the problem with the bibliography below). I realize that this is a very specialized area of interest, and that Reynard is not as well-known as he once was, at least in the English-speaking world - his history is still considered a classic in the Netherlands, Germany and France - but it struck me as odd that Brand would devote an entire paragraph to Japanese kitsune, when none of her research or anecdotes concerned the foxes of that country, but would then neglect to discuss one of the most influential and long-lasting fox stories in the western cultural tradition, despite almost all of the fox research she presents coming from western countries.
I must admit that my disappointment at the absence of Reynard in Brand's book is a highly personal reaction, driven by my own research interests, and is one that most other readers would probably not share. That said, as the chapter on the history of the fox comes at the beginning of the book, it set the tone for me, and put me on my guard, as I continued to read. I am not a scientist, and have little training in biology or natural history. I sought out The Hidden World of Foxes precisely because all of my prior reading on the subject had been cultural, and because I wanted to learn about biological foxes in the 'real' world. In that sense, the book was also a bit of a disappointment. I did learn a number of things that I hadn't known before, and that I found fascinating - the fact that ancient canids evolved in North America, spread to Eurasia, where they evolved into (among other things) foxes, and then spread back to North America, for instance - but there simply wasn't enough of that to satisfy me. Some of the things I learned - that foxes are believed to use the earth's magnetic fields in hunting, that certain species of plant germinate more readily, when their seeds pass through a fox's digestive track - were mentioned, but not really explored or explained. I found myself wanting to know why: why would a seed have a better rate of germination, after being eaten and excreted by a fox? Because of a particular chemical in the fox's stomach or intestines, perhaps working to soften the outer layer of the seed? Or is the reason not known? The amount and complexity of the scientific content in this book seemed very low, even to my non-scientist eyes, and I came away feeling that I wasn't much the wiser, when it came to the world of wild foxes. I was also very much confused by and then disappointed in the bibliographies here. This is a minor point, and can be laid at the door of the editor, rather than the author, but in the edition of this that I read, the bibliographies - there is one for each chapter - are mislabeled. Someone mistakenly labeled the bibliography for the Prologue as being for Chapter 1, throwing off the labeling for all of the subsequent bibliographies. It took me a bit to figure out what was going on, as I would periodically flip to the back and seek out the bibliography for the chapter I was reading, only to find references that were clearly meant for the chapter before. Between this error and the typos I noticed while reading, I came away with the impression that this book wasn't that rigorously edited.
Despite all of the foregoing criticism, I nevertheless enjoyed The Hidden World of the Fox. It wasn't what I was hoping for or expecting, but if one is in the mood for a chatty, anecdotal book about foxes, one that makes a persuasive argument for their many good qualities, and for the idea that humans should tolerate them, then this might be the title to pick up.
I wanted to like The Hidden World of the Fox far more than I did, but although I certainly enjoyed reading it, and agreed with the central message, I came away somewhat frustrated, thinking it had significant flaws. First, I should mention that almost all of my prior reading about foxes has been centered in the cultural, rather than the biological sphere. I wrote my masters dissertation on three centuries of Reynard retellings in the world of English-speaking children's literature. After all, it was Locke who opined, in his 1693 Some Thoughts Concerning Education , that other than Aesop's fables, Reynard was the only fit reading material for children then available, giving the subject matter a particular historical significance, when it comes to the development of children's literature in the Anglophone world. An immensely popular beast epic during the Middle Ages, the Reynard story was retold in the literature of many different European countries, and was so influential that it changed the French word for fox from goupil to renard. It is impossible to overstate how central the Reynard story was, in shaping how Europeans and their descendants around the world perceived the fox. Given that this is so, I was somewhat surprised to see no direct mention of Reynard and his tale in the chapter on the fox's history, although Aesop does appear. I found this rather odd, as Brand is clearly aware of the story and its significance, including one of Wilhelm von Kaulbach's famous Reynard etchings in her section of photos, and referencing Kenneth Varty's excellent Reynard the Fox: Social Engagement and Cultural Metamorphoses in the Beast Epic from the Middle Ages to the Present in her bibliography for the chapter (more on the problem with the bibliography below). I realize that this is a very specialized area of interest, and that Reynard is not as well-known as he once was, at least in the English-speaking world - his history is still considered a classic in the Netherlands, Germany and France - but it struck me as odd that Brand would devote an entire paragraph to Japanese kitsune, when none of her research or anecdotes concerned the foxes of that country, but would then neglect to discuss one of the most influential and long-lasting fox stories in the western cultural tradition, despite almost all of the fox research she presents coming from western countries.
I must admit that my disappointment at the absence of Reynard in Brand's book is a highly personal reaction, driven by my own research interests, and is one that most other readers would probably not share. That said, as the chapter on the history of the fox comes at the beginning of the book, it set the tone for me, and put me on my guard, as I continued to read. I am not a scientist, and have little training in biology or natural history. I sought out The Hidden World of Foxes precisely because all of my prior reading on the subject had been cultural, and because I wanted to learn about biological foxes in the 'real' world. In that sense, the book was also a bit of a disappointment. I did learn a number of things that I hadn't known before, and that I found fascinating - the fact that ancient canids evolved in North America, spread to Eurasia, where they evolved into (among other things) foxes, and then spread back to North America, for instance - but there simply wasn't enough of that to satisfy me. Some of the things I learned - that foxes are believed to use the earth's magnetic fields in hunting, that certain species of plant germinate more readily, when their seeds pass through a fox's digestive track - were mentioned, but not really explored or explained. I found myself wanting to know why: why would a seed have a better rate of germination, after being eaten and excreted by a fox? Because of a particular chemical in the fox's stomach or intestines, perhaps working to soften the outer layer of the seed? Or is the reason not known? The amount and complexity of the scientific content in this book seemed very low, even to my non-scientist eyes, and I came away feeling that I wasn't much the wiser, when it came to the world of wild foxes. I was also very much confused by and then disappointed in the bibliographies here. This is a minor point, and can be laid at the door of the editor, rather than the author, but in the edition of this that I read, the bibliographies - there is one for each chapter - are mislabeled. Someone mistakenly labeled the bibliography for the Prologue as being for Chapter 1, throwing off the labeling for all of the subsequent bibliographies. It took me a bit to figure out what was going on, as I would periodically flip to the back and seek out the bibliography for the chapter I was reading, only to find references that were clearly meant for the chapter before. Between this error and the typos I noticed while reading, I came away with the impression that this book wasn't that rigorously edited.
Despite all of the foregoing criticism, I nevertheless enjoyed The Hidden World of the Fox. It wasn't what I was hoping for or expecting, but if one is in the mood for a chatty, anecdotal book about foxes, one that makes a persuasive argument for their many good qualities, and for the idea that humans should tolerate them, then this might be the title to pick up.
May 21, 2020
Somewhat strangely I got to the end of this book and felt I hadn’t learned that much about foxes. While it’s approximately 200 pages a lot of this was personal anecdotes, information about information collecting and foxes in the press. However some interesting bits of information dotted through. Just not quite as informative as I had hoped.
January 16, 2022
One great line in here “ it is a whimsy of the human race that we love wild animals that collapse towards extinction in our presence, and resent those that survive us.“
October 9, 2023
This slim volume managed to fit in a good deal of information about foxes and makes me want to learn more. I particularly enjoyed her anecdotes about her own foxy experiences.
September 24, 2019
This was a very charming read about our close neighbor, the fox. Brand's scope was wonderful, global in distance and far back historically in time. Her topics were far reaching as well and filled with numerous, very interesting factoids. This book is perfect for a layperson with an interest in our natural world but still with enough depth for a fox lover. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
March 1, 2020
I incorrectly assumed that this would be an in-depth look at the life of the fox, when in fact it is a plea for living peacefully with the foxes among us.
I am sure this book is important, especially in the UK where tensions run high when it comes to urban foxes, but I found my mind wandering. I am already a convert. Was not a must read for me.
I am sure this book is important, especially in the UK where tensions run high when it comes to urban foxes, but I found my mind wandering. I am already a convert. Was not a must read for me.
November 23, 2019
I love foxes, i remember the first time I heard one bark it was utterly shocking, having lived with them for thirty years I enjoyed this little book.
March 11, 2025
Over the past year or so, we have enjoyed backyard sightings of a beautiful and rather large red fox. This regal and elegant creature sits in a small copse of Leyland cypress trees staring at us as we stare at him through our kitchen windows. It's great fun! And this has prompted me to learn more about foxes, which is why I read this book by Adele Brand.
Backyard foxes are quite common as the species has adapted quite well to life in the suburbs and cities, scrounging for food that is not necessarily in their normal diets (berries, mice, voles, and insects), such as French fries and other discarded human tidbits. The world over—from Toronto to Melbourne to London to Chicago—foxes are exploring humanized landscapes, inhabiting some 83 countries in all.
The purpose of this book is to investigate how the red fox, which is a wild animal in the dog family with cat-like grace, has evolved and adapted to our modern world.
While the book at times reads more like a scientific paper than something written for the common reader, it is packed with fascinating facts, including:
• Why our backyard fox is perfectly content and not at all agitated when we have our stare-downs with him.
• How foxes hunt for rodents by orienting themselves to the north or south magnetic poles.
• Why our backyard fox looks so big and why this may be an optical illusion to the human brain.
• Females are fertile for only three days a year, and it occurs near a major world holiday.
• Why foxes are responsible for (inadvertently) planting rowan trees and wild cherry trees.
• Get ideas for at-home fox science projects that you can do with children.
This is a short and truly fascinating read, albeit it heavy on the science.
Backyard foxes are quite common as the species has adapted quite well to life in the suburbs and cities, scrounging for food that is not necessarily in their normal diets (berries, mice, voles, and insects), such as French fries and other discarded human tidbits. The world over—from Toronto to Melbourne to London to Chicago—foxes are exploring humanized landscapes, inhabiting some 83 countries in all.
The purpose of this book is to investigate how the red fox, which is a wild animal in the dog family with cat-like grace, has evolved and adapted to our modern world.
While the book at times reads more like a scientific paper than something written for the common reader, it is packed with fascinating facts, including:
• Why our backyard fox is perfectly content and not at all agitated when we have our stare-downs with him.
• How foxes hunt for rodents by orienting themselves to the north or south magnetic poles.
• Why our backyard fox looks so big and why this may be an optical illusion to the human brain.
• Females are fertile for only three days a year, and it occurs near a major world holiday.
• Why foxes are responsible for (inadvertently) planting rowan trees and wild cherry trees.
• Get ideas for at-home fox science projects that you can do with children.
This is a short and truly fascinating read, albeit it heavy on the science.
January 25, 2022
This was a fun book to read. Brand aims the book squarely at a lay audience and sets out to describe everything about the fox, from its evolutionary lineage, to its feeding and mating habits, to its tricky relationship with humans. She manages a prose style that is informative while also communicating the wonder these animals inspired in her through her years of professional study. She acknowledges the bonds that people mistakenly attempt to create with them but staunchly defends the right of these intelligent creatures to be wild and free. The book was a marvelous way to get to know these intriguing creatures while highlighting the respect that humans need to give all wildlife, not for what they can do for us but simply because of their right to live and thrive.
November 30, 2024
This is a non - fiction book about the secret world of foxes that reads like a fiction book ful of suspense. The writing style of Adele Brand is so compelling that you uderstand imediately her love and passion for this beautiful animal. The fox is a very secretive animal, but in fact thee see us more than we do see them. They are everywhere all over the world. The book is a mix of history, biology, genetics, anecdotes and because of that it reads very fluent. Foxes are one of my favorite animals and I thought that I knew much of them, but now I discovered that there were a lot of things that I didn't knew.
December 27, 2020
A light, concise read about the world(s) of the fox. Brand mixes history and mythology with contemporary data and descriptions of the species, its habits, nature, and physiology. It's clear that the author feels passionately about her subject, and it's admirable that she has distilled what must be a voluminous body of knowledge accrued over the course of a lifetime spent studying the creatures into a 200-page text which is easily accessible to any reader.
October 12, 2023
The Hidden World of the Fox. It looks so pretty with that cover. It has a title that invites you to read about the life of Foxes. And it does deliver...... for the first half. I love to read non-fiction nature books a lot and the first part of this book was absolutely gorgeous, well written, beautiful language, interesting storytelling.
And then Adele Brand starts a rant on homeopathy and that it's never proven to work (not just for foxes btw), but then she doesn't recover from it and the rant goes on and on and on and she's repeating herself over and over and over again. Even saying people are one-sided, but then what are you right now? I have this, I have that, I have, I have.... it goes on and on. This is such a shame, it could have been a fantastic book.
I know what you want to say girl, but this might not entirely be the way to bring a message across. (editors are blamed too, they could have brought more structure to the table.)
That said, I was certain it would be a 4 star book, but it went downhill so far that I wanted to give it just 1 and DNF it. I'm giving 2, because of the subject and I approve that it is a good cause to help the fox get a better reputation, and the writing of the first part. But I hope my next non-fiction about nature is way better than this.
And then Adele Brand starts a rant on homeopathy and that it's never proven to work (not just for foxes btw), but then she doesn't recover from it and the rant goes on and on and on and she's repeating herself over and over and over again. Even saying people are one-sided, but then what are you right now? I have this, I have that, I have, I have.... it goes on and on. This is such a shame, it could have been a fantastic book.
I know what you want to say girl, but this might not entirely be the way to bring a message across. (editors are blamed too, they could have brought more structure to the table.)
That said, I was certain it would be a 4 star book, but it went downhill so far that I wanted to give it just 1 and DNF it. I'm giving 2, because of the subject and I approve that it is a good cause to help the fox get a better reputation, and the writing of the first part. But I hope my next non-fiction about nature is way better than this.
March 8, 2021
A well-timed polemic (I guess?) and fascinating character study on one of the world's most familiar varmints, the fox. I say polemic because in the latter bits of the book, Brand goes out of her way to make clear that foxes pose no clear and present danger to the citizens of the world and, in fact, are more beneficial than you'd think. Apparently, foxes are reclaiming their lands that humans have ruined, e.g. London, and uppity idiots aren't having it. Whatever. Foxes are cool.
Brand gives you all the loving details you need, fox history, ecology, and behavior, and if she dwells a bit much on her native Vulpes vulpes it's for the above, well-justified reasons. I can't ever fault anyone for having a good intention.
This isn't a zoological study, mind. Brand works closely with foxes, has them in her background, and rescues them in her spare time, so this is a much more intimate look at those cute little rascals. You just wanna cuddle with them, but don't, for the love of Benji, don't! For as Brand warns, the cuter the Internet image of the fox, the wronger whatever is actually going on.
Brand gives you all the loving details you need, fox history, ecology, and behavior, and if she dwells a bit much on her native Vulpes vulpes it's for the above, well-justified reasons. I can't ever fault anyone for having a good intention.
This isn't a zoological study, mind. Brand works closely with foxes, has them in her background, and rescues them in her spare time, so this is a much more intimate look at those cute little rascals. You just wanna cuddle with them, but don't, for the love of Benji, don't! For as Brand warns, the cuter the Internet image of the fox, the wronger whatever is actually going on.
January 20, 2021
I was looking for a book that gave an in-depth look at foxes but, unfortunately, this wasn't the book. It was more of a book about the misconception people have about foxes and the myths and tales that surround them. Although it was slightly interesting on this subject, it just wasn't what I was looking for. It seems to be more for a book surrounding the issues with foxes in the UK and not so much for the US. There is so much to learn about these sly, beautiful creatures but you won't find it here.
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December 30, 2021In The Hidden World of the Fox Adele Brand takes on a rather charged subject as her starring role. At times considered pests, robbers, or dangerous lurkers waiting to attack - they equally hold the symbolism of wild nature in our domesticated environments, a little bit of urban magic that reminds us of fairytale woods and olden days countrysides. The fox carries the duality humans have forced upon them for hundreds of years with ambivalence - thanks to their incredible adaptability they have managed to change their living quarters and manners depending on what the situation calls for. Like crows and rats, they have learned to adapt to a life parallell to our own. Where there is food, there is a fox. When that source of food is gone, so the fox will move on to a new location. Because of their non-speciality in food or nesting, they manage to make do with whatever life offers them. At times it seems it is this very strength that humans find offensive. Adele Brand makes this point along the lines of the ’pest’ framing, how often it seems humans dislike other animals for their very ability to live on despite our attempts to control the nature we find ourselves in. It is perhaps the foxes disinterest in our manmade rules and boundaries that nags at the human obsession of power.
Like any natural history on a particular animal, Adele Brand goes into the various strands related to her subject - nesting, breeding, species variations, habitats, social structures, population scope, and more. Every topic is carried with the ecologist’s thoughtful gaze - at how fox-human relationships work and change over time and place, how foxes fit into our larger ecosystems. She manages to capture the aforementioned duality of foxes as seen through human eyes; the bewitching and the threatening - the constructions we make of them informing our direct contact with the animal itself. In many ways, the book serves as a plea to find common-ground or better yet, ways we can co-exist on this earth generously and mindfully with these furry creatures.
Like any natural history on a particular animal, Adele Brand goes into the various strands related to her subject - nesting, breeding, species variations, habitats, social structures, population scope, and more. Every topic is carried with the ecologist’s thoughtful gaze - at how fox-human relationships work and change over time and place, how foxes fit into our larger ecosystems. She manages to capture the aforementioned duality of foxes as seen through human eyes; the bewitching and the threatening - the constructions we make of them informing our direct contact with the animal itself. In many ways, the book serves as a plea to find common-ground or better yet, ways we can co-exist on this earth generously and mindfully with these furry creatures.
January 19, 2021
What an utterly pointless book. It serves neither as factual reference nor as a compelling non-fiction narrative, but slithers through some crevice in between the two. It reads like a slightly batty aunt rambling from one anecdote to another. While the biography features a long list of references for each chapter, the level of bias and personal opinion makes it difficult to trust what is fact and what is just her opinion.
As an avid fox-lover interested in learning more about them, I was sorely disappointed by this book which was marketed as talking about the history, mythology, and cultural anthropology of the fox but merely brushed on each of those areas in a few sentences.
I’ve never been more bored reading about something I love. How disappointing that I’ve gotten more useful information and engaging writing from reading the Wikipedia article on foxes.
As an avid fox-lover interested in learning more about them, I was sorely disappointed by this book which was marketed as talking about the history, mythology, and cultural anthropology of the fox but merely brushed on each of those areas in a few sentences.
I’ve never been more bored reading about something I love. How disappointing that I’ve gotten more useful information and engaging writing from reading the Wikipedia article on foxes.
October 6, 2020
The Hidden World of the Fox brings light to a creature with worldwide recognition, but lesser known truths. The book is so well written that you won't realize you are reading nonfiction.
Brand is thorough in covering all aspects of the fox, from diving in to specific attributes and physical abilities to the complex social lives they can have. This thoroughness is not overbearing though. As the size of the book should attest, it is also briefer than some might want. I enjoyed it not being too cumbersome and that she specifically speaks to where humans and foxes overlap. She weaves in examples in the form of stories, which gives a richness to the learning experience. The information she provides builds out their world and gives us a means to connecting with them without necessarily needing to interfere in their lives.
The book concludes with an epilogue of a few more stories of foxes being fantastic, which is exactly what they are.
Brand is thorough in covering all aspects of the fox, from diving in to specific attributes and physical abilities to the complex social lives they can have. This thoroughness is not overbearing though. As the size of the book should attest, it is also briefer than some might want. I enjoyed it not being too cumbersome and that she specifically speaks to where humans and foxes overlap. She weaves in examples in the form of stories, which gives a richness to the learning experience. The information she provides builds out their world and gives us a means to connecting with them without necessarily needing to interfere in their lives.
The book concludes with an epilogue of a few more stories of foxes being fantastic, which is exactly what they are.
September 28, 2020
Occasionally dry but very accessible and lucidly written for the general public. HOWEVER, there are repeated mentions of various fox photos the author has taken which for some reason were not included, which is probably Some Sort of Cardinal Sin meriting No Stars Whatsoever.
The rules of the internet are very clear: the law of the pupper (kit?) tax has been violated and restitution should be made ASAP.
The rules of the internet are very clear: the law of the pupper (kit?) tax has been violated and restitution should be made ASAP.
January 22, 2020
I love foxes. I love why and how and when. This book did not engage me in either of those two areas. I do not know why, but this book left me high and dry. That was also my take away. Very high-toned and dry.
October 29, 2019
Brief yet fascinating look at foxes by an expert of British foxes.
January 14, 2020
I always enjoy reading books about nature, especially when the main subject is all about the fox.
September 18, 2020
This book is like a homeopathic remedy - a tiny bit about the fox, the rest is unrated filler. I did enjoy the parts that were actually about foxes.
January 27, 2020
Foxes are called a complicated species. So, undoubtedly, are we.This is a very charming book, full of wonder and awe about the wildlife in our backyards, cities and towns everywhere in the world. Because foxes are everywhere and like humans easily adapt to an ever-changing world.
Foxes do pursue a nocturnal existence in regions where they are heavily persecuted, and, as is the case for many human-caused abberations to the natural world, we have grown accustomed to this atypical state of affairs and convinced ourselves that it is normal.If you are looking for a highly scientific account of a Fox's life, this ain't it. But Adele Brand knows how to weave science in her story without much effort and it never feels to heavy, but neither is it purely anecdotal. On the contrary, she is highly aware of the influence of media and the wrong assumptions they cause to exist in society - which so often happends when it is about nature - without a shred of science-based facts. Because for we, as humans, it seems to be very difficult not to look at animals and describe to them our own emotions and even facial expressions.
But no living creature stays young forever. And one day, they are driven to a pen in the grounds of a large property in Kent, a bit taller now with more of the wild in their amber eyes. After some nights there, the door is left ajar. The real world is theirs to explore.The prose is beautiful as well and I recommend this book to anyone who has wondered: "What does the fox say?"
November 23, 2024
The description sets up some expectations in the reader by celebrating the fact that the author has studied foxes on four continents. I expected to hear about some of these travels. The book, though, is practically all about Great Britain with a bit on Canada and an occasional mentioned of other places.
Second, being heavily British, there was a lot in the book that Brits might be familiar with but an American reader is not. My impression is that foxes are a more politically sensitive there than in the US and she mentions politicians talking about foxes, which I have NEVER heard an American politician do. That could be interesting, but she needs to tell more for international readers. Likewise the idea of fox rescue groups, which I had not heard of. Also a lot of terms and animals are just not familiar to us, and she assumes familiarity. For example, she says a fox was "loose-limbed like a deerhound." I had never heard of a deerhound, and neither had a veterinarian and dog-lover I asked.
Third, the writing was sometimes hard to follow. She seems to contradict herself. For example, this passage seems contradictory: "But perhaps the most fascinating result was that the 'good' qualities cited in foxes overwhelmingly influenced a person's overall opinion. Those who valued foxes for the utilitarian purposes-catching rts, for example-still tended to view them rather poorly. " My husband agreed when I read it to him.
Second, being heavily British, there was a lot in the book that Brits might be familiar with but an American reader is not. My impression is that foxes are a more politically sensitive there than in the US and she mentions politicians talking about foxes, which I have NEVER heard an American politician do. That could be interesting, but she needs to tell more for international readers. Likewise the idea of fox rescue groups, which I had not heard of. Also a lot of terms and animals are just not familiar to us, and she assumes familiarity. For example, she says a fox was "loose-limbed like a deerhound." I had never heard of a deerhound, and neither had a veterinarian and dog-lover I asked.
Third, the writing was sometimes hard to follow. She seems to contradict herself. For example, this passage seems contradictory: "But perhaps the most fascinating result was that the 'good' qualities cited in foxes overwhelmingly influenced a person's overall opinion. Those who valued foxes for the utilitarian purposes-catching rts, for example-still tended to view them rather poorly. " My husband agreed when I read it to him.
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