Framing Nature: fox
My forthcoming new book will include portrait essays of nine species. Together they tell the story of our relationship with the rest of nature.
I have again teamed up with the brilliant wildlife artist Richard Allen for my next book Framing Nature: conservation and culture. Over the next few weeks, as Richard creates a new linocut to head up each of twelve chapters, I’ll reveal more of the content and plans for publication.
The fox may seem an unexpected choice for a book about conservation. It is common, widespread and unthreatened. It is of great interest, though, to a cultural historian exploring the attitudes and values that govern our past and future relationship with the rest of the natural world. As a character in the story of the entwined lives of the human and non-human inhabitants of Britain, the fox is indispensable.
Framing Nature: conservation and culture
…while at any given time there would be a local vixen and her family; or earlier in the year a dog and vixen pair, who could be thought of as the owners of the territory, there were always other foxes around. They might be near neighbours, close relatives, wanderers, returning exiles, chancers, migrants in transit; they might appear once only, or stay a few days or many weeks. Without radio tracking and DNA analysis it is impossible to know the complexities of fox societies and clans, if such words are at all appropriate.
Framing Nature: conservation and culture by Laurence Rose will be published in the autumn. Pre-publication offer details will appear here later in the summer. For review copies, trade and general enquiries, please get in touch here.
