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Why do so many of us choose to share our lives – and our homes – with at least one animal? Pets & their People (published to accompany an exhibition of the same name – see here – and written by its curator) traces our long story of interspecies coexistence, cooperation, and companionship, from the earliest evidence of domestication more than 10,000 years ago to the present day. Through the pages of this thought provoking book we travel across the globe and through vast sweeps of time. It draws together written sources and archaeological evidence, and explores such diverse themes as mythological associations and national symbols; working animals, wartime service, and the humanising effects of political pets; commercial exploitation and selective breeding; and how animals have inspired adverts, poetry, and children’s literature. We examine the importance of pets to households throughout history, and the myriad ways in which grieving owners have commemorated their loss. Along the way, we gain fascinating insights into what these enduring relationships tell us about ourselves.
REVIEW BY CH
Pets & their People
Charles Foster
Bodleian Library Publishing, £25
ISBN 978-1851246465
