This was not exactly what I expected. Brand is an ecologist who specialises in mammals, particularly foxes, and I picked this up thinking that it would be a little more science heavy than it was. While there's certainly science in it, The Hidden World of the Fox is more a gentle, evenhanded exploration of human relationships with the nonhuman - this is something I'm interested in, so in this case "not what I expected" doesn't equal "disappointing". 

There are no foxes in my country, so my view of them is certainly idealised. Still, given my liking for animals in general, I tend to think that if I were living in a country like England, sharing space with foxes, I'd consider it a positive and welcome experience. Not everyone does think that, and how and why people choose to interact with the nonhuman in the ways that they do is worth exploring. Brand is clearly on the side of the foxes, and there's something almost meditative in the way that she talks about them and the world they (and we) inhabit together. It's a thoughtful, enjoyable piece of nature writing.