In his debut book, “Penelope: A Love Story,” published by Crown, filmmaker and writer Paul Bochner chronicles an extraordinary relationship with a white-tailed deer that he befriended outside his home in New York’s Hudson Valley. Spanning 240 pages, the memoir details what the author describes as “one of the greatest loves I have ever known,” rooted in an unexpected encounter that began in June 2014.
Bochner first encountered the animal as a newborn fawn near his wooded property. A few weeks later, he observed that the young deer had sustained a severe leg injury and appeared to have been abandoned by its mother—a common survival strategy among wildlife to protect the herd from predators. Anticipating that the fragile fawn would not survive the winter, Bochner was surprised when a frail and emaciated deer reappeared outside his home in March 2015. He began placing pieces of apple on the ground and speaking soothingly, establishing a daily routine that would endure for years.
Describing himself as single and in his 60s when the deer entered his life—he has since married—Bochner restructured his daily existence around her twice-daily visits. He routinely woke at dawn, declined social engagements that interfered with evening feedings, and limited travel. When absences were unavoidable, he enlisted neighbors to supply food. Bochner noted that Penelope appeared to register these lapses, occasionally showing anger upon his return by withholding her presence or, on one occasion after a multi-day absence, aggressively biting his hand. Such reactions convinced the author that the wild animal possessed an inner life, emotional depth, and an understanding of cause and effect.
Over time, Penelope’s trust deepened significantly. She began taking food directly from Bochner’s hand, allowed him to stroke her fur, held his hand gently in her mouth before feedings, groomed him by licking his hands and arms, pressed her face against his, and eventually felt comfortable enough to enter his house. The memoir also features lighter moments, including an incident where Penelope introduced a young buck to the author during a morning feeding, which Bochner likened to meeting a date.
Bochner attributes his immediate affinity for the abandoned animal in part to his own childhood abandonment anxiety. While many suburban homeowners view deer as garden pests, Bochner welcomed them onto his property, reflecting that wildlife occupied the land long before humans arrived. He later celebrated when Penelope gave birth to her own fawns.
Beyond the intimate portrait of interspecies companionship, the author views his connection with Penelope as a testament to humanity’s capacity for unity. Observing that the bond transcended conventional boundaries between humans and wildlife, Bochner suggests that similar connections might be forged across human divides.
