As part of his research into Le Roman du Lievre and Romance of the Rabbit, James Riordan began investigating the anatomy of hares and rabbits, cooking with them, considering their hides for the covers of books, and contemplating the similarities between translation and the processing of animals.

Initially this book was designed to emphasize the labor that goes into such processes, at the same time showing the desire of the translator and food producer to remove the traces of this labor from any finished product; the books cover being so delicate and simple, while the interior graphically depicts a much more laborious and much less delicate process.

Translating Le Roman du Lievre was printed in an edition of 50.