The World and The Zoo, Paperback/Rob Roensch

When a recent grad takes a summer zoo internship, it's supposed to be a rebel detour before adulthood. But over the summer, the zoo and its humans deliver much more. A story of awakening exploring love, death, biology and privilege, rich with the genius of squirrels, the grace of otters, the gorillas' need for quiet and the bovine dreams of whitetail deer. Funny, meditative and deeply human, The World and The Zoo is a masterful short novel, carving a delicate path full of breathtaking details.