Day 802, Quasi-Quarantine: "Fox 8" Offers A Needed Parable For A New Age

This engrossing short story from one of my favorite authors, George Saunders, manages to pack a lot in its 49 pages. The book -- peppered with charming illustrations by Chelsea Cardinal -- shares an out-of-species perspective on human nature, observing the whims, marvels, and wanton cruelty of people.

"Fox 8" is a curious daydreamer who teaches himself English through eavesdropping on bedtime stories, then sets out to use this new skill to save his extended family, which has been imperiled by habitat destruction under the guise of development. 

"Why did the Curator do it so wrong, making the groop with the gratest skils the meenest?"

Fox 8's interactions with humans are fraught with kindness mixed with evil, and after he gets lost and finds a new group, he is forced to recognize that humans jeopardize the future of those he loves and must be considered the enemy.

George Saunders uses a clever and inviting approach to create a modern-day parable, and "Fox 8" offers the balanced and impactful format needed to view the world through a new lens -- whether human or fox.