Raising Hare: A Memoir

Dalton, a British speech writer and political consultant, debuts with a tender account of rescuing and rearing a wild hare in the English countryside. After discovering the animal frozen in fear on the side of the road in winter 2021, Dalton scooped it up and took it home with her. Despite some initial hesitation—who was she to interfere with nature, Dalton wondered—she nursed the animal back to health and gave it free run of her house and garden. Electing not to name the creature, Dalton simply observed its behavior, sometimes following it outside for long walks that reacquainted her with the flora and fauna in her backyard. The more freedom she gave the hare, the greater the trust between them grew. More than a year later, it gave birth to a litter of leverets in the author’s presence, much to her wonder and delight. Though she’s working with well-worn tropes, Dalton makes her tale refreshingly unsentimental, delivering sharp insights about the value of trust, freedom, and respect for the natural world. It’s a delight. (Mar.)