In this collection of lovingly-crafted stories, I Heard a Fish Cry, Carolyn Light Bell portrays animals as witness, alter ego, adversary, and foil to illuminate human fallibility. These satirical, often playful, stories leave us questioning our own intelligence. Light Bell is far-reaching in her scope and is unafraid to take on the subtleties of class, animal rights, generational differences and sex. People in these stories advocate, fear, exploit, or defend a variety of creatures, including wolves, cats, dogs, birds, cougars, and bulls, dead or alive. Animals, in turn, reveal particular qualities in human behavior that leave us vulnerable. As the stories evolve, the reader discovers that within the heart and soul of every human being lies a deep, biological connection to all animals.