This National Pet Day, we’re celebrating the furry friends that make our lives worth living. Our Animals in Context series offers a unique look at the complex relationships between humans and nonhuman animals, from the joys of pet ownership to the ecological consequences of human behavior. Whether you’re a cat person, a dog person, or somewhere in between, you’ll discover something new about your favorite animal.
Just Like Family
How Companion Animals Joined the Household
by Andrea Laurent-Simpson
Not all of our family members are human. With an insightful eye, Andrea Laurent-Simpson examines how and why pets have become an increasingly important part of our households.
The Creative Lives of Animals
by Carol Gigliotti
The Creative Lives of Animals offers readers intimate glimpses of creativity in the lives of animals, from elephants to ants. Celebrated by The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Publisher’s Weekly, this joyful title will lead you to look at your own pets differently.
When Animals Speak
Toward an Interspecies Democracy
by Eva Meijer
In this groundbreaking book, Eva Meijer highlights the importance of listening to animal voices, introducing ways to bridge the divide between the human and non-human world. Readers will understand why The New York Review of Books called Meijer’s work “ambitious” and “powerful.”
When Animals Die
Examining Justifications and Envisioning Justice
Edited by Katja M. Guenther and Julian Paul Keenan
No one wants to consider the death of a pet, but this poignant collection explores the difficult concept with hope and depth. While grappling with the reality of humans’ impact on the earth, the contributors illuminate an alternative future that does not entail the mutual destruction of human and other-than-human animals.
Six Classics of Queer Literature