Rabbits: Their Fascinating, Diverse, Yet Unappreciated Lives

"This very informative and in-depth book about rabbits has some excellent and entertaining chapters on the rabbit in art, literature, myth, and popular culture, which I particularly enjoyed." —Libby Joy, The Beatrix Potter Society

I love rabbits and am so pleased that Mark Hawthorne has written a wonderful and informative book about these independent, resourceful, and extremely interesting animals who also display a wide range of personalities. I learned something on each and every page and am pleased that Mark could take the time to answer a few questions about his fascinating and unique new book, The Way of the Rabbit. Here's what he had to say.^1,2

Why did you write The Way of the Rabbit?

I have always loved rabbits, but it wasn’t until I adopted one that I began to understand them—how social, curious, intelligent, and playful they are. As popular as rabbits are, there are not many nonfiction books about them, and most of what has been written examines how they are exploited. After knowing a number of rabbits personally, I thought it was time for a book that celebrates their spirits and history.

Source: Mark Hawthorne, with permission.

How does your book relate to your background and general areas of interest?

I got involved in rabbit rescue shortly after I became an ethical vegan in 2001 because I wanted to do something more to help animals. So, I started fostering rabbits for a local group called SaveABunny, and I ended up bonding with and adopting every rabbit I fostered, plus a couple more.

And I still rescue rabbits who have been abandoned. My wife, Lauren, and I now live with a young rabbit we found dumped in a nearby neighborhood a couple of months ago. I poured all my admiration for and experience with rabbits into this book.

Who is your intended audience?

The Way of the Rabbit is for everyone who is fond of rabbits or is just curious about them, especially those of us who enjoy learning about their history and influence on the world but would rather not read about the cruelties they suffer. I’m hoping to raise awareness about these animals and show people how rewarding it is to have them in your home—as well as how we can help rabbits in the wild. Someone recently told me that she’s never lived with a rabbit, but after reading the book, she wants to adopt one. I love that.

What are some of the topics you weave into your book, and what are some of your major messages?

I call The Way of the Rabbit "an affectionate history of nature’s most surprising species” because of my affinity for rabbits and because, although I thought I knew rabbits, I learned so much from the biologists, paleontologists, veterinarians, archeologists, folklorists, and other experts I spoke with. For example, although rabbits are known for their fecundity, many of their populations are still threatened by human activity, like climate change, urban development, logging, and animal agriculture. Fortunately, conservationists around the world are working to help endangered and at-risk rabbit species, such as in Mexico, where biologists are trying to save the tiny volcano rabbit by educating the locals about how important the environment is.

Mark Hawthorne outside the Vienna State Opera with Ottmar Hörl’s sculpture of a pink hare, the artist’s homage to "Young Hare" by Albrecht Dürer.

Source: Lauren Ornelas, with permission.

In addition to conservation efforts, the book explores rabbits’ natural habitats; their role in literature and mythology; their impact on popular culture, art, and language; and how Oryctolagus cuniculus—the European rabbit—was domesticated and gradually became the many breeds of “pet” rabbits we see today.

Rabbits are so special and diverse. They are abundantly present and yet hidden from view. They can be companions in our homes, where we must learn how to care for them, and they live in nature, where their resourcefulness and remarkable biology help them survive. They can symbolize rebirth, magic, balance, and renewal, and yet they are sentient beings with complex inner lives.

How does your book differ from others that are concerned with some of the same general topics?

In addition to not covering exploitation, The Way of the Rabbit is the first book on rabbits, I believe, to discuss real rabbits from history—rabbits who saved the lives of humans, for instance, or who scored the winning soccer goal, or who became famous as companions of royalty or presidents. And it is the first book to demonstrate that a long-held theory about rabbit domestication—that French monks began taming them as food animals in about 600 CE—is incorrect.

Are you hopeful that things will change for the better as people learn to connect with rabbits (and other nonhumans) based on some of what you've written?

I believe that having hope is essential to being an animal advocate, so yes, I am hopeful. I think learning to connect is really the key. In the case of rabbits, it is not difficult to form that connection, but there is so much ignorance we need to overcome. For example, many well-meaning parents give rabbits to their kids for Easter, not realizing the care they require. Once the novelty wears off, a lot of parents dump the rabbit at a shelter or simply abandon them in a park, under the mistaken belief that a domesticated rabbit is the same as a wild rabbit.

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We can—and must—do better for all animals. I hope The Way of the Rabbit will help people see rabbits as extraordinary individuals.

What are some of your current projects?

I am working on a book that looks at human-animal relationships through the lens of eco-spirituality. It should be out in 2022.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell readers?

Rabbits make wonderful companions, but they are not like dogs and cats, so please educate yourself about them before bringing one—or more—home, and don’t keep them in a cage or hutch. You can learn a lot from groups such as the House Rabbit Society, SaveABunny, or The Rabbit Haven, for instance. And please adopt from your local shelter or rescue group!