Summary

Pages 27 – 55. Narration describes how Henry, even in the new life he has built for himself, remains connected to his book, through mail from readers forwarded to him by his publishers. He writes responses to almost all of them, making a point of acknowledging his gratitude for the expressions of appreciation that came from people who enjoyed his creation. While he tends to avoid answering personal questions, he does enjoy answering questions about his book – specifically, about how and why he chose to write about animals rather than humans. In writing about people, their professions and their lives, he says, he is dealing with people’s preconceptions about their fellow human beings: there are few, if any, such preconceptions about animals, particularly about wild animals, the sort he prefers to write about.

One day, a piece of mail arrives that seems more substantial than the...