Raising Hare: A Memoir
4.6 | 6,517 ratings
Price: 13.78
Last update: 01-27-2026
Top reviews from the United States
- LCThe best natural history book I have read in decadesBeautifully, gracefully written, unsentimental, well researched but not technical, this is one of the best, if not THE best, natural history book I've read in many years. Although the author is changed by her experience with the hare, the book is not laden with descriptions of her personal life or problems. Nor is it burdened with lengthy descriptions of the harms inflicted on hares and other wildlife; these are briefly mentioned along with suggestions for preventing and ameliorating them. But these are not the focus of the book. The focus is the hare in all its natural beauty and mystery and dignity. A gorgeous and moving book.
- TerriWhat a Delightful Heartwarming ReadLoved loved loved! this book! One of the most satisfying reads I’ve enjoyed in years! This story unfolds with wit and charm…. taking the reader inside the author’s warm, cozy home and world — as well as her understandable personal deliberations about taking in this little leveret. A bonus is all the info about hares in general— very interesting. And, along with the author, becoming more aware of seasonal changes and routines of the natural world as the story unfolds is a needed reminder of the fragility of the balance between man and nature. Highly recommended this wonderful memoir!
- Mr MA moving tale of a the rescue and raising of a baby hare and the effect this had on the authors lifeThis book is definitely five star for its first part but some chapters of part two become quite hard going as it looks certain to have a sad or tragic ending.
In part one the author, who is a political policy advisor confined in her country cottage by the covid lockdown, rescues an abandoned baby hare and nutures it though to adulthood without it becoming a pet.
There are a few ups and downs due to sickness or injury to the growing baby hare but generally the story is upbeat and it is easy to sit down and find the chapters rapidly and pleasantly slipping past aided by the author’s breezy and informative style.
The typeface and general layout of the book contribute to making it an enjoyable and absorbing read.
The sketch maps on the end-papers of the book have a Tolkeinesque quality and greatly assist the reader in placing the events described.
Part two is much harder going.
The hare, now adult, leaves the cottage and its garden but eventually returns to give birth to several levrets who seem content to stay in its relative safety and even enter the house and chew the carpet and furnishings.
Somehow the author’s anxiety for this new generation of hares overwhelms what should be some of the happiest and most joyous parts of the book and it requires effort and perseverance to continue reading. It took several attempts and a month or so of absence to rejoin the narrative which otherwise would have been awarded a perfect 5-star rating.
One of the levrets, who is smaller and more endearing, then sadly dies for unknown reasons.
Its favourite hiding place in the cottage garden is marked on the maps.
But throughout the first half of part two there is an impending feeling that there will not be a happy ending and the destruction of the environment and death of several of its inhabitants - hares and birds, due to automated potato harvesting, puts the author into a very relective mood for all of the subsequent chapters.
On one of her walks she encounters a dead hare but she does not think it to be her hare and the text seems to suggest that her hare does make subsequent visits to the cottage and its garden.
But the book’s melancholy and reflective ending and the quotations at the start of the final chapters only serve to amplify the general feeling of gloom.
In a sense the book does end happily as the author develops a greater awareness, understanding and respect for hares and for the natural world and the reader is introduced to the intricacies of the life of a hare and will never again see one as being just a larger version of a rabbit. - happy camperDon't Miss This OneThis wonderful book with its amazing drawings will warm the heart of any animal lover. It is not only a respectful look at nature but also the blessing that nature can be to the human spirit. The prose itself is so delicious that one could eat it with a spoon and ask for more. More Braiding Sweet Grass rather than Watership Down, this is a marvelous read.
- TheRedMexso gently told.Lovely story. Well written. Thoughtful and caring of other life that we share this world with. Leads one to ponder how we could do things outside of ourselves
- Queen BunnyA must-read for every world-weary adultThis is one of the most beautiful and profoundly moving books I've read in many years (and I read a lot!). The author paints a vivid and unforgettable portrait of her rescue of a helpless wild creature and the relationship that develops between them - one of incredible, unexpected trust on one side and of unselfish dedication on the other. She is unstintingly honest in her recounting of her doubts, fears and perceived errors as well as in her descriptions of the sadly frightening and dangerous modern world these precious creatures inhabit..and is a wise and passionate voice of advocacy for nature. Ms. Dalton's generous love for the title hare and her descendants, her sense of wonder and her respect and appreciation for these mysterious animals shine through on every page. This wonderful book is a gift to all of us who are in need of the cleansing power of innocence. In sharing with us her own transformative experience, Ms. Dalton reminds us of the joy that is within our grasp if we just seek it in the simple beauty of nature.
- Charles L. Wilburnjust sweet, uplifting and lovely.I enjoyed the wonderful sentiments expressed in the story, and learned so much about this amazing and wonderful animal. Such an enjoyable read.
- Lucky DragonA Profoundly Moving BookI'm in awe of this author. Her sensitivity, intelligence and storytelling rank this story as one of the best things I've ever read. If you love animals, nature, and superb writing then please read this book. It will move you, I promise!