It is not very often that I get enraptured with a non-fiction
book, preferring to escape into English novels. However Urban Bestiary by Lyanda Lynn Haupt is absolutely wonderful. The author is a philosopher and a naturalist who feels that
we have been alienated from nature and that we need the
connection to the everyday world around us.


This book goes into the habits of coyotes, squirrels, chickens, raccoons, owls and deer. All are living in the
periphery of cities. I still hear the plaintive wail of
coyotes at my house and suspect they are living in the
surrounding creeks and fields.

One interesting fact about coyotes is that the males help
the females rear the pups but when crossed with a dog
this behavior is lost in the coydog.

One of the behaviors that I have seen is coyotes playing
with dogs. Our Doberman, Kelly, played with a coyote when
we lived on the farm. I could hardly believe my eyes but
she documents it in this book. Of course coyotes have to
live by their wits and will eat small dogs and cats.

This is a book to own because it contains such delightful,
readable and interesting facts about seen or unseen wild
life around us.