A Cat's Tale: A Journey Through Feline History

by Dr. Paul Koudounaris and Paul Koudounaris

Book Overview

"Fun, fanciful, and even informative."
--People

The first comprehensive history of felines--from the laps of pagan gods to present-day status as meme stars--as revealed by a very learned tabby with a knack for hunting down facts

Since the dawn of civilization, felines have prowled alongside mankind as they expanded their territory and spread the myth of human greatness. And today, cats are peddled on social media as silly creatures here to amuse humans with their antics. But this is an absurd, self-centered fantasy. The true history of felines is one of heroism, love, tragedy, sacrifice, and gravitas. Not entirely convinced? Well, get ready, because Baba the Cat is here to set the record straight.

Spanning almost every continent and thousands--yes, thousands--of years, Baba's complex story of feline survival presents readers with a diverse cast of cats long forgotten: from her prehistoric feline ancestors and the ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bastet to the daring mariners at the height of oceanic discovery, key intellectuals in the Enlightenment period, revered heroes from World Wars I and II, and the infamous American tabbies. Baba, a talented model in addition to a scholar, goes beyond surface-level scratches, pairing her freshly unearthed research with a series of stunning costume portraits to bring history to life.

A paws-on journey through the feline hall of fame, with in-depth research and four-legged testaments that will make you rethink who defines history, A Cat's Tale is a one-of-a-kind chronicle that introduces readers to the illustrious ancestors of their closest companions and shows, once and for all, that cats know exactly what they're doing.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250217725
• ISBN13: 9781250217721
• Release Date: November 2020
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Charming Overview of Feline History

Delightful book, complete with full-color feline photographs to charm you. Provides a nice (but brief) overall summary of felines across time and geography. I would have enjoyed a book that was much more in-depth, and I have some questions about the accuracy of certain claims made, but in general I thought it was a nice starting point on the subject of cat history.