Fox 8: A Story

by George Saunders

Chelsea Cardinal (Illustrator)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lincoln in the Bardo, a darkly comic short story about the unintended consequences unleashed by our quest to tame the natural world—featuring gorgeous black-and-white illustrations by Chelsea Cardinal.

Fox 8 has always been known as the daydreamer in his pack, the one his fellow foxes regard with a knowing snort and a roll of the eyes. That is, until he develops a unique skill: He teaches himself to speak “Yuman” by hiding in the bushes outside a house and listening to children’s bedtime stories. The power of language fuels his abundant curiosity about people—even after “danjer” arrives in the form of a new shopping mall that cuts off his food supply, sending Fox 8 on a harrowing quest to help save his pack.

Told with his distinctive blend of humor and pathos, Fox 8 showcases the extraordinary imaginative talents of George Saunders, whom The New York Times called “the writer for our time.”

• ISBN10: 0812995325
• ISBN13: 9780812995329
• Publish Date: 9 April 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Random House
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 24
• Language: English

Reviews

[lovelybookshelf]

This is an imaginative, very short book (50 to 60 pages, depending on the format) about the loss of innocence and how we humans treat the world around us. It’s written as an open letter from the first-person perspective of a sweet, lovable fox called Fox 8. Fox 8 has a childlike trust that humans are good, but that trust is destroyed in one terrible moment.

How do you stay hopeful? Is it possible to keep cynicism at bay once you realize the world is more awful than you ever imagined? Can you move cautiously in the world without sequestering yourself away completely?

The audiobook runs only 37 minutes, and it was a treat to have Saunders narrating his own story. He’s a wonderful storyteller. The ending is especially powerful and heart-wrenching. There are layers to this seemingly simple parable, so it would be a great book club choice during a busy month—short read, plenty to talk about.