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Vendor
Liepman Literary Agency
Marc Koralnik
Original language
English

A CAT'S TALE

Paul Koudounaris

A Journey Through Feline History

A comprehensive history of felines and their impact on the world—from prehistoric origins to present-day status as beloved companions—told through the cats who lived it
For thousands of years, mankind has developed as a civilization built on the mythos that we are the most powerful beings on earth, domesticating other animals as household pets for mere entertainment. Yet this absurd fantasy could not be further from the truth, as your own cat would say if you gave him or her a chance. But no bother. Baba the Cat is here to finally set the record straight and expose the reality of feline greatness.

The true story of cats today spans tens of thousands of miles, and many thousands of years. From the prehistoric Felis (a large mammal from which all domestic cats have descended) to the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, key cats of the Enlightenment period, and infamous American tabbies, their complex history is compiled here in its totality for the first time. Along the way, Baba introduces us to some of history's most famous feline figures, with helpful (not to mention inspiring) photos of herself in period costume, which offer a startling new portrait of the ways in which the history of cats parallels that of our own.

Featuring an unforgettable narrative voice and in-depth research that carries readers across the globe, Paul Koudounaris's A Cat's Tale is a one-of-a-kind history that urges readers to reexamine the furry yet cunning creatures in our lives, forever altering how we understand the storied relationship between mankind and its feline counterparts.

Dr. Paul Koudounaris is an author and photographer, and one of the world's most popular historians of the eccentric, ephemeral, and macabre, with a PhD in Art History from UCLA, an international speaking career, 71,000 Instagram followers, and three previous books published with Thames and Hudson. Vice, LA Weekly, Brooklyn Daily, and The Las Vegas Review Journal have all covered Dr. Koudounaris's cat-related scholarship and photography, and his work has been featured in Buzzfeed, the BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Huffington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Hyperallergic, Bust, The Hairpin, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, and more. His previous books are Heavenly Bodies, The Empire of Death, and Memento Mori, all lavishly illustrated histories of catacombs, charnel houses, reliquaries, and other repositories for the dead. He is a member of the Order of the Good Death.
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Book

Published 2020-11-01 by Henry Holt

Comments

Golden Rose Books

"Baba acts not only as narrator but also Cindy Sherman-like impersonator, appearing throughout the book dressed as historic individuals and caricatures. Her voice and visage make Koudounaris' take on the subject truly singular, mimicking oral storytelling more than an academic treatise." Read more...

Paul Koudounaris was featured in the Behind the Book column in the Boston Globe, which complimented Baba's "dry wit and a flair for gorgeous poses."

"[A] charming, funny, and informative history of cats . . . full of fascinating historical anecdotes [and] hilarious color photos of Baba in various costumes and wings. . . . Even cat aficionados will learn something new—and have fun doing it."

LitHub ran an excerpt entitled "In Which A Cat Narrates Feline History in The Age of European Conquest." Read more...

Baba will be the cover model in the forthcoming issue of the Fortean Times, a British monthly magazine devoted to the "anomalous phenomena."

Amarin

BookPage named it a "Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2020" and noted that "A Cat's Tale chronicles the powerful and ancient influence of cats throughout (and upon) history. This is already a standout premise—but what elevates this book into the stratosphere of literary greatness are the dozens of portraits of Baba in elaborate historic regalia."