THE FOX

by D.H. Lawrence

(033)

The Fox (1922) is a novella written during what might be referred to as Lawrence’s middle period, my favorite singular work of his, published hot on the heels of my favorite of his novels, the hardly-ever-discussed The Lost Girl (1920) and his masterful travel book Sea and Sardinia (1921).

The setting is Berkshire during the aftermath of WWI, during the influenza pandemic, making the basic mood rather relevant for our times. In a crumbling farmhouse in the country, two young women farmers work side by side to get by. A fox prowls the grounds, taunting them, evading all capture. The grandson of the previous farmer arrives one day, having no idea that his grandfather would not still be there. Influenza is said to be at the one Inn in town, and he’s got nowhere else to go. The idea if what the townsfolk would think of these two women hosting the young man comes up once, and is quickly dismissed. What ensues is a strange and beguiling romance meets psychological thriller? Maybe that’s taking it too far. When I think of this book I think of candlelight, simple meals of bread and jam, unrealized dreams, windswept hills, sounds in the night.

20s / 20s

20s / 20s is a series of classic slim volume works, published by Two Plum Press in the 2020s. Works featured in the series were originally published in the 1920s and have newly entered the public domain. 20s / 20s is an opportunity for the press to share favorite works by favorite authors of the past, and to uncover lost classics along the way. Placing these works side by side with the press’s contemporary titles is an intentional way to glance back 100 years and to feel the enduring magic of the small book.


About the publisher:

Two Plum Press produces slim volumes of literary works both contemporary and classic. Titles include works of poetry, essays, fiction, philosophy, visual art, travel and food writing. The books are produced entirely in industrial southeast Portland, Oregon.