Here are 100 books that Raising Hare fans have personally recommended if you like Raising Hare. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of All Creatures Great and Small

Bernd L. Bergmann Author Of Midrash Whispered By Stars

From my list on whispering ancient truths into the modern world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been drawn to the quiet mystery behind ordinary lives, the sense that something sacred hides in the margins. As a caregiver, teacher, and author, I’ve seen how small moments carry enormous weight. That’s why I created this book list: each title touched me deeply and helped shape my own writing, especially Midrash Whispered By Stars. I write to honor forgotten souls, overlooked stories, and the quiet transformations that happen when no one’s watching. These books aren’t just favorites, they’re part of the emotional and spiritual DNA behind everything I create.

Bernd's book list on whispering ancient truths into the modern world

Bernd L. Bergmann Why Bernd loves this book

I recommend this book because it was the first book I ever read, and it absolutely slayed me.

I wasn’t prepared for how human it was, how a simple story about a country vet could make me laugh out loud one moment and wipe my eyes the next. Something in Herriot’s world felt so real, so warm, so full of dignity, that I couldn’t stop; this book hooked me into reading the entire series.

Readers who love stories about ordinary people doing their best will feel right at home here. And it fits my theme because it shows how everyday lives carry a quiet, sacred depth, the same truth I explore in my own writing.

By James Herriot ,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked All Creatures Great and Small as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

A tie-in to the PBS Masterpiece series and Christmas special, available on streaming and home video.

All Creatures Great and Small is first volume in the multimillion copy bestselling series. Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.

For fifty years, generations of readers have flocked to Herriot's marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike…


If you love Raising Hare...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Book cover of Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

Davis Baird Author Of Natural Religion: A None's Journey of Religious Discovery

From my list on relationships between human and non-human animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

It has always seemed to me that humans underestimate the abilities—and particularly the conscious lives—of non-human animals. We, humans, are not apart from (and above) but live in a continuum of consciousness with the rest of life. All these books share stories of relationships between human and non-human animals. They make clear that we are connected to and part of all life on Earth. We are all in this together, and we better take good care of our shared natural living world.

Davis' book list on relationships between human and non-human animals

Davis Baird Why Davis loves this book

Godfrey-Smith is a philosopher, but also an avid diver.

This is an engaging and readable philosophical examination of the mind of a very different kind of creature, an octopus. He grounds his thoughts both in his many diving interactions with octopuses and in what we know of the evolution of life—and mind—on Earth. 

By Peter Godfrey-Smith ,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Other Minds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Brilliant' Guardian 'Fascinating and often delightful' The Times

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE

What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?

In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself - a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared.

Tracking the mind's fitful development from unruly clumps of seaborne cells to…


Book cover of 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

Charisse Cooke Author Of The Attachment Solution: How to develop secure, strong and lasting relationships

From my list on how to create a great relationship.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was fortunate enough to meet my husband over 17 years ago, and we have packed a lot of life in since then. Along with two kids and a dog, we’ve had our fair share of tough moments: financial challenges, bereavement, family issues, marital disagreement, and traumatic life events that taught me just as much as my two decades-long career as a relationship psychotherapist has. This, combined with working with individuals, couples, and partners in search of what love means and how to practically go about achieving it, has clarified for me just how much we all need tools and teachings when it comes to matters of the heart.

Charisse's book list on how to create a great relationship

Charisse Cooke Why Charisse loves this book

This book speaks to my soul. Wiest’s writing makes me feel enriched and nurtured as she talks about life and love in a magical, almost poetic way. Full of short and long essays, it’s easy to dip into this book for a grounding reminder, a calming voice, and a warm hug.

I sometimes read it in between my sessions with clients as it is so uplifting, even though it tackles serious subjects. I also adore that this was written when Wiest was a young woman (in her 20s), and it represents the hope and goodness we need in our increasingly hostile world. I feel inspired to be strong and gentle, mentally astute and emotionally awake, assertive and receptive, kind and firm, all at the same time.

By Brianna Wiest ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, the global bestseller and social media phenomenon, is a collection of author Brianna Wiest's most beloved pieces of writing. Her meditations include why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. Some of these pieces have never been seen; others have been read by millions of people around the world. Regardless, each will leave you thinking: this idea changed my life.


If you love Chloe Dalton...

Book cover of Holy Terror

Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty,

Across America, a wave of brutal, inexplicable killings leaves hardened detectives and desperate federal agents grasping for answers.

But what appears to be vigilante terror is something far more ancient - an invisible war between the forces of light and the agents of darkness, playing out on the streets of…

Book cover of Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship

Davis Baird Author Of Natural Religion: A None's Journey of Religious Discovery

From my list on relationships between human and non-human animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

It has always seemed to me that humans underestimate the abilities—and particularly the conscious lives—of non-human animals. We, humans, are not apart from (and above) but live in a continuum of consciousness with the rest of life. All these books share stories of relationships between human and non-human animals. They make clear that we are connected to and part of all life on Earth. We are all in this together, and we better take good care of our shared natural living world.

Davis' book list on relationships between human and non-human animals

Davis Baird Why Davis loves this book

The author shares the details of a relationship she developed with a wild fox living near her home in the Montana mountains.

It is a beautiful evocation of the interface between the human and wild worlds. The fox would join her each afternoon, and she would read The Little Prince to him. They played games; she gave the fox eggs to eat, but he would hide them for her to find.

Fox’s tragic end emphasizes the challenges at the intersection of wildness and human civilization. 

By Catherine Raven ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Fox and I as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Instant New York Times Bestseller

Winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award * 2022 Nautilus Book Awards Gold Winner * Shortlisted for the John Burroughs Medal * Finalist for the Stubbendieck Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize * Shortlisted for a Reading the West Book Award

A Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the Year * 2021 Summer Reading Pick by BUZZFEED * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW * KIRKUS * TIME MAGAZINE * GOOD MORNING AMERICA * PEOPLE MAGAZINE * THE WASHINGTON POST

“The book everyone will be talking about … full of tenderness and understanding.”―The New York…


Book cover of The Corfu Trilogy

Beth Haslam Author Of Fat Dogs and French Estates: Beyond the Forest Fringe

From my list on superbly written animal tales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a lifelong animal lover who grew up on a country estate in North Wales and now lives in southwest France, where my husband and I care for a woodland domaine. 

Life at Le Palizac is anything but quiet: our forest is home to rambunctious wild boar, graceful deer, and a lively cast of smaller creatures. Our days are filled with forestry work and tending to an ever‑growing menagerie. As an author, I share stories from our wonderfully chaotic life whenever I can. We often end the day covered in dogs and cats, wondering where the hours went—and actually, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Beth's book list on superbly written animal tales

Beth Haslam Why Beth loves this book

A childhood dream.

As an animal lover, I was instantly drawn to this three‑part tale of Gerald Durrell’s blossoming passion for the creatures he collected on sun‑drenched Corfu.

Told with the humour and affection of his adult hindsight, Durrell’s adventures among toads, tortoises, bats, and every other creature he could coax home—all under the gaze of his wonderfully tolerant family—are funny, vivid, and utterly heartwarming.

It’s a book I return to with joy every time.

By Gerald Durrell ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Corfu Trilogy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*The classic trilogy set in sun-soaked Corfu that inspired ITV's acclaimed TV series The Durrells*

Three classic tales of childhood on an island paradise - My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods by Gerald Durrell - are available in a single edition for the first time in The Corfu Trilogy.

Just before the Second World War the Durrell family decamped to the glorious, sun-soaked island of Corfu where the youngest of the four children, ten-year-old Gerald, discovered his passion for animals: toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies, scorpions and octopuses. Through glorious…


Book cover of Living With My Sin

Beth Haslam Author Of Fat Dogs and French Estates: Beyond the Forest Fringe

From my list on superbly written animal tales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a lifelong animal lover who grew up on a country estate in North Wales and now lives in southwest France, where my husband and I care for a woodland domaine. 

Life at Le Palizac is anything but quiet: our forest is home to rambunctious wild boar, graceful deer, and a lively cast of smaller creatures. Our days are filled with forestry work and tending to an ever‑growing menagerie. As an author, I share stories from our wonderfully chaotic life whenever I can. We often end the day covered in dogs and cats, wondering where the hours went—and actually, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Beth's book list on superbly written animal tales

Beth Haslam Why Beth loves this book

Taking on an abused dog isn’t for the faint‑hearted, but that’s exactly what Val Poore did. In this memoir, she shares the traumas, joys, and hard‑won love that shaped her relationship with Sin, a deeply damaged soul.

I absolutely adored this book. The lengths Val and her partner went to in their efforts to nurture Sin were nothing short of remarkable. I laughed, I wept, and I fell in love with Sin, too.

By Valerie Poore ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Living With My Sin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Val Poore first agreed to take on an abused rescue puppy, nothing prepared her and her partner, Koos, for the challenges they were going to meet in the coming years. This short memoir is a story of the love and loyalty they developed for Sindy (Sin) against considerable odds and frequent pessimism. It is Sindy's story, but at the same time it is that of many other damaged dogs.The ebook book is illustrated with a few photos to mark the different stages of her life, but there is also a link to a file with further photos at the…


If you love Raising Hare...

Book cover of The Amazing Afterlife of Animals: Messages and Signs From Our Pets On The Other Side

The Amazing Afterlife of Animals by Karen A. Anderson,

My book is for anyone grieving the loss of a beloved pet. If your heart feels shattered and you are searching for understanding, comfort, and connection, these chapters were written with you in mind.

I share uplifting and life-changing stories that help you move beyond the devastation of grief, including…

Book cover of The Elephant Whisperer

Beth Haslam Author Of Fat Dogs and French Estates: Beyond the Forest Fringe

From my list on superbly written animal tales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a lifelong animal lover who grew up on a country estate in North Wales and now lives in southwest France, where my husband and I care for a woodland domaine. 

Life at Le Palizac is anything but quiet: our forest is home to rambunctious wild boar, graceful deer, and a lively cast of smaller creatures. Our days are filled with forestry work and tending to an ever‑growing menagerie. As an author, I share stories from our wonderfully chaotic life whenever I can. We often end the day covered in dogs and cats, wondering where the hours went—and actually, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Beth's book list on superbly written animal tales

Beth Haslam Why Beth loves this book

This true account by Lawrence Anthony is profoundly poignant.

Having worked closely with wild boar in a conservation setting, I understand how daunting damaged wild animals can be, which made this story of a troubled elephant herd especially compelling.

I was struck by the dedication of Anthony and his team, the risks they took with unpredictable animals, and the extraordinary bond forged through patience and perseverance.

This is an unforgettable read.

By Lawrence Anthony , Graham Spence ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Elephant Whisperer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his reserve at Thula Thula, his commonsense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival - notorious escape artists, they would all be killed if Lawrence wouldn't take them. He agreed, but before arrangements for the move could be completed the animals broke out again and the matriarch and her baby were shot. The remaining elephants were traumatised and very angry. As soon as they arrived at Thula Thula they started planning their escape...As Lawrence battled to create a…


Book cover of Alfie and Me

Davis Baird Author Of Natural Religion: A None's Journey of Religious Discovery

From my list on relationships between human and non-human animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

It has always seemed to me that humans underestimate the abilities—and particularly the conscious lives—of non-human animals. We, humans, are not apart from (and above) but live in a continuum of consciousness with the rest of life. All these books share stories of relationships between human and non-human animals. They make clear that we are connected to and part of all life on Earth. We are all in this together, and we better take good care of our shared natural living world.

Davis' book list on relationships between human and non-human animals

Davis Baird Why Davis loves this book

The through line of this book follows Safina’s efforts to raise an abandoned owlet, not as a pet but a wild owl. He succeeded.

His owl, Alfie, mated with a wild owl and raised three heathy owlet “grandchildren.” Interwoven into this story is Safina’s thinking about life on earth and the importance of human connection to the rest of life. He is sharply critical of Plato’s elevation of the realm of ideas over the material world and the Christian uptake of Plato. He finds himself more in sympathy with indigenous views.

He writes, “Some see a Universe dead and meaningless. Some have faith in divine interventions. Neither appears true to me…I see no need to choose between believing in a material world and embracing a spiritual world. It seems more a matter of…understanding that relationships create meaning. Alone, we could never have become. We are everything but alone. Indeed, we…

By Carl Safina ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Alfie and Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they'd rescued, she'd be a temporary presence. But Alfie's feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. And soon Carl and Patricia began to realise that the healing was mutual.

Alfie & Me is the story of the remarkable impact this little owl would have on their lives. The continuing bond of trust following her freedom-and her raising of her own wild brood-drew Carl and Patricia across the boundary into Alfie's world, allowing them a view of existence from…


Book cover of George

Davis Baird Author Of Natural Religion: A None's Journey of Religious Discovery

From my list on relationships between human and non-human animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

It has always seemed to me that humans underestimate the abilities—and particularly the conscious lives—of non-human animals. We, humans, are not apart from (and above) but live in a continuum of consciousness with the rest of life. All these books share stories of relationships between human and non-human animals. They make clear that we are connected to and part of all life on Earth. We are all in this together, and we better take good care of our shared natural living world.

Davis' book list on relationships between human and non-human animals

Davis Baird Why Davis loves this book

This book shares the story of a magpie, “George,” that Frieda Hughes rescued.

George lived in both his human world and the wild world beyond. George liked to play games with his human “friends.” In one such game, he would fly down and bounce off a human’s head—endearing to some, petrifying to others. He would also play hide-and-seek with various items.

After months living between human and wild worlds, George disappeared, emotionally wrenching and life-changing for Hughes.

By Frieda Hughes ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked George as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Poignant and funny...a passionate book about unconditional love and commitment.” —The Washington Post * “Captivating.” —Associated Press * “Rich with imagery...It's impossible not to be smitten.” —Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

From poet and painter Frieda Hughes, an intimate, charming, and humorous memoir recounting her experience rescuing and raising an abandoned baby magpie in the Welsh countryside.

When Frieda Hughes moved to a ramshackle estate in the wilds of Wales, she was expecting to take on a few projects: planting a garden, painting, writing her poetry column for The Times (London), and possibly even breathing new life into her ailing marriage. But…


If you love Chloe Dalton...

Book cover of Miami Beat

Miami Beat by Jorge E. Goyanes,

Jose Castillo is a cynical, wise-cracking Cuban-American who restores classic cars. He’s also a private eye whose sarcastic ways sometimes get him into trouble.

One day, in the process of installing a four-barrel carburetor on a 1965 Mustang, into his shop walks trouble—in the shape of a mysterious, beautiful woman…

Book cover of Aethelstan: The First King of England

MJ Porter Author Of Son of Mercia

From my list on that led to my obsession with Saxon England.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a writer of novels set in Saxon England. I studied the era at both undergraduate and graduate levels and never meant to become a historical fiction writer. But I developed a passion to tell the story of the last century of Early England through the eyes of the earls of Mercia, as opposed to the more well-known, Earl Godwin. I’m still writing that series but venture further back in time as well. I might have a bit of an obsession with the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. I’m fascinated by the whole near-enough six hundred years of Saxon England before the watershed moment of 1066, after which, quite frankly, everything went a bit downhill. 

MJ's book list on that led to my obsession with Saxon England

MJ Porter Why MJ loves this book

Aethelstan is an engrossing account of king Aethelstan, lauded as the first crowned king of ‘England,’ something his father, and more importantly, his grandfather, King Alfred, was unable to lay claim to. It’s a thorough examination of all that’s known about Aethelstan during his reign. It’s rare to get a book dedicated to any one single king before the reign of Æthelred II, who was Aethelstan’s great, great-nephew, and reigned thirty years later. The work shows just how much can be gleaned about historical figures during this period by experts in the field, who know how to unpick all the complicated details and present them to readers in an engaging format.

By Sarah Foot ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Aethelstan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"AEthelstan was perhaps the most important king of tenth-century England, but we know very little about him, and he has no modern biography. Sarah Foot triumphantly fills this gap, and adds to the richness of our understanding of the period in a way that few others have managed."-Chris Wickham, author of The Inheritance Of Rome

The powerful and innovative King AEthelstan reigned only briefly (924-939), yet his achievements during those eventful fifteen years changed the course of English history. He won spectacular military victories (most notably at Brunanburh), forged unprecedented political connections across Europe, and succeeded in creating the first…


Book cover of All Creatures Great and Small
Book cover of Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Book cover of 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

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