The Hounds and the Fury

This is one of a great series of books by Rita Mae Brown featuring master of the hounds, Jane Arnold, aka "Sister" and other members of the Jefferson Hunt Club. Sister is a most endearing character, smart, 73 years old, still riding to hunt several times a week, and running her farm in the between. She is a true friend to those she cares about, young and old. These books have given me a totally new perspective on fox hunting, at least as it is carried out in the United States. Sister not only makes sure the foxes don't go hungry in winter by supplementing their wild catch with kibble laced with vitamins and, periodically, worming medicine, but she knows and loves each of the hounds in her pack. And they all have voices! Delia, Dragon, Cora--each with a distinct personality--share their opinions of the humans who ride behind them and the wily foxes who run in front of them. We also hear from the horses, a couple of neighborhood owls, the foxes of course, Sister's household dogs and cat and...well, you get the picture. But Sister is the only human talking so that keeps the story centered. As in all her book series, she creates a rich and engaging picture of the South through the characters who live there and their relationships with one another. As mentioned in earlier posts, Brown also co-authors a series of books with her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, that feature two felines and a corgi as the protagonists and their owner, Mary Harristeen, as their nosy owner who is always getting in over her head. And if you want to read one of my top ten favorite books of all time, read Six of One by Brown. It is one of the few books that just makes me laugh out loud.