<p>"Rudner has some astonishing tales to tell." --Kirkus Reviews</p> <p> Ruth Rudner, author of the acclaimed A Chorus of Buffalo, offers an astonishing and beautiful meditation on how we relate to animals: sometimes loving, sometimes misguided, often exploitive, often with genuine concern. At the heart of these interactions is but one desire: a longing for connection. As Rudner says, "There is a wish to be involved in an animal's life, to identify with it, to somehow be seen by the animal or as the animal. To be loyal as an old dog, fast as a thoroughbred, agile as a cat."</p> <p> Capturing the powerful ways that animals interact with us spiritually, activate our imaginations, and tie us to our own ancient beginnings, Rudner finds meaning and appreciation for the way in which each animal exists fully in its own world--and how that world relates to ours. Whether or not we love animals or are unsure of them, Ask Now the Beasts is a clarion call for us to recognize our kinship with animals both wild and domestic, to always question our relationship with the other creatures who inhabit this planet in an ongoing essential quest to understand ourselves and our nature. </p><p> Ruth Rudner's web site: <a href="http://www.ruthrudner.com">www.ruthrudner.com</a></p>