Kissed by a Fox

July 9, 2012
Through a tenderly woven collection of essays that blend personal reflections with spirituality, philosophy, animal behaviorism, evolution, geology and ecology, first-time author Stuckey explores the great rift between the living, breathing world and the modern culture bent on developing and destroying it. Stuckey, who has a Midwestern Mennonite background, and holds a Ph.D. in religious studies and feminist theory, uses her experiences with loss and illness to demonstrate the healing power of nature. On her path to solace, using her keen grasp on history, religion, and earth sciences, Stuckey pursues big-picture enlightenment through friendship and communication with creeks, trees, trails, and, most often, with animals. The narratives are well paced, using flashbacks wisely, and the language lyrical, possessing a poet’s cleverness of rhythm. If the reader is not moved to relocate to the wilderness or at least to plant a tree, it might have something to do with Stuckey’s consultation of a variety of New Age healers, one of whom teaches her how to communicate with animals via a telepathic exchange of pictures—such moments undermine the effectiveness of an otherwise entertaining and emotionally resonant book. Agent: Kristina Holmes, the Holmes Agency.

October 1, 2012
At a low point in her life, Stuckey was visited by a vision of the birch tree planted beside the house she grew up in, and soon after, she discovered that the tree was diseased and had to be cut down. She seamlessly blends memoir, philosophy, and meditation on our role in the natural world with extended discussion of previous authors' views on subjects as diverse as religion, economics, and biology, but she always comes back to our connection with nature. And by nature, she doesn't mean just animals, though both wild and domestic animals are woven into her narrative. Living near a small canyon with a creek in its depths provides as strong an anchor for her wandering soul as does the dog who sleeps on her bed at night. As we are guided through the years of Stuckey's journey to understanding her relationship with nature through her own explorations and other writers' works, we come to the realization of our own connections with the natural world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)