Abigail Tucker’s work has been featured in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World, named a Best Science Book of 2016 by Library Journal and Forbes, now translated into thirteen languages. A correspondent for Smithsonian magazine, she lives in New Haven, Connecticut, with her husband and four (equally amazing) children.
***A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER***
***AN INDIEBOUND BESTSELLER***
"In The Lion in the Living Room, three things come together with
exquisite, delightful effect: a natural history of cats, replete
with ecological issues as well as contemporary cultural memes;
evolutionary science as it pertains to the origins and consequences
of our fascination with felines; and an unusually deft way with
words by author Abigail Tucker. The net result is a deep and
illuminating perspective on our favorite household companion… One
hesitates to use the word genius, but Tucker’s book borders on that
quality."
—Huffington Post
"Whatever your personal feelings [are] about our
feline friends, this is a fascinating story about how cats not
only conquered the world but our hearts."
—Catster
"If you know a cat person who likes science, this is the book you
need right meow."
—Smithsonian.com, "The Best Books about Science of 2016"
"Fascinating… If you have relatives or friends who are mad about
cats—and the strong statistical probability is that you do—consider
putting this book under their Christmas tree."
—National Review
"With informative first-person excursions to different places and
topics, Tucker reviews all aspects of our favorite pet as well as
the spell it has cast on us."
—New York Times Book Review
"Eminently readable and gently funny, Tucker's blend of pop science
and social commentary will appeal to cat lovers as well as a broad
general audience with an interest in natural history."
—Library Journal, starred review
"A thoughtful look at the illogical human love of
felines."
—Publishers Weekly
"Dig deep into the history, biology, and science of house cats in
this charming, highly informative read that explains how cats came
to rule."
—B&N Reads
"[An] intriguing history… Read this entertaining book and you will
be convinced that house cats are 'the most transformative invaders
the world has ever seen.'"
—Kirkus Reviews
"Fascinating… Cat lovers, keep watching those cute cat videos
online, but back it up with this very serious look at what makes
Tabby tick."
—Booklist
"[A]n alluring, funny and informative romp through the
domestication and history of the cat."
—Shelf Awareness
"[Tucker] is an engaging writer and a sucker for the felines...her
brief, lighthearted book takes us on a fascinating journey...Will
this book change your opinion on cats? Probably not. Will you enjoy
reading it? Absolutely, particularly with your own tiny lion close
by."
—Seattle Times
"Fascinating...[Tucker's] book answers her own question, one that
all cat owners no doubt ask themselves: 'How exactly had these
crafty little creatures gotten their claws into me?'"
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
"If you own a cat (or a cat owns you) and you think you know it,
take a read through Tucker’s book to find a host of surprising
facts, history and characteristics of your inscrutable pet."
—Columbus Dispatch
"A lively read that pounces back and forth between evolutionary
science and popular culture, between a parasite spread by cats to
humans that has been linked to schizophrenia and cat cafes, where
people pay to be snubbed by the resident felines."
—Baltimore Sun
"Many best-selling science books are by scientists who have taught
themselves to write. Tucker is a writer who has informed herself on
the science, and her book is full of funny observations and
wordplay. She skips through academic landscapes that could be dull
in less clever hands and hops into the next chapter before anyone
can get bored."
—Glen Falls Post-Star
"By pulling us into the deep history of cats, Tucker demonstrates
her prowess as a researcher, but she also demonstrates her ability
to take concepts that would be clumsy or difficult to follow in the
hands of another author and make them palatable for the
layperson... Tucker has given us plenty to enjoy in this book
and we should look forward to whatever topic she next takes up as
that exploration will undoubtedly be as much an enjoyable read as
The Lion in the Living Room."
—Spectrum Culture Blog
"Funny and fascinating."
—Pet Connection
"Love cats? Instead of watching yet another YouTube video of an
adorable kitten, check out The Lion in the Living Room
(2016)—Smithsonian science correspondent Abigail Tucker’s in-depth
look at Felus catus."
—Mental Floss
"This surprising and funny deep dive into the history, biology and
science behind house cats—and how they seized our hearts and the
internet—is a must-read for any cat lady or lad."
—Read it Forward
“While the title of this book suggests a bit of a fluffy story, I
was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s more of a story
about evolution… This book explores how cats went from creatures we
feared and conquered to animals that we cuddle and bring into our
homes. It makes you think about what’s really going on inside your
own cat’s head — because the house cat is still an animal built to
kill.”
—Erica Murphy, SEO Editor, The Cut (NYMag.com)
"For the scientist who wants the purrrfect book this winter, look
for The Lion in the Living Room by Abigail Tucker, a book
about how cats came to own us as they do."
—BOOKWORM SEZ, LLC
"Employing pop culture references and a touch of humor alongside
impressive scientific and historical research, Lion is
engaging for the lay (wo)man and cat lovers alike."
—Riveter
"A delightful and warmhearted romp through the history of the
world's most puzzling creature: The domesticated cat. A must-read
for anyone who has ever owned—or been owned—by felis catus."
—Virginia Morell, bestselling author of ANIMAL WISE: How We Know
Animals Think and Feel
"A fresh look at the sphinx-like creature that defies the normal
rules of domestication. Abigail Tucker does a humorous,
intelligent, and insightful investigation into the genius of cats.
A truly wonderful book—and a must read for anyone with a lion in
their living room."
—Dr. Brian Hare, bestselling author of THE GENIUS OF DOGS, and
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University
"Abigail Tucker provides a clear and detailed view of the facts
surrounding the furry felines that share our world. She
engages her reader, whether she is discussing the history of the
possible ways that cats entered our lives to sounding a warning
about the types of selective breeding programs that could endanger
the health and well-being of feline companion animals. After
reading this book, no one will ever look at a cat the same
way."
—Irene Pepperberg, bestselling author of ALEX AND ME: How a
Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal
Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
"By turns funny and disturbing, The Lion in the Living
Room is full of surprises. Like all the best nonfiction, it
will make you think twice about the world around you."
—Elizabeth Kolbert, bestselling author of THE SIXTH
EXTINCTION: An Unnatural History
"From mummification to catification, from cat cafes to feline
etiquette manuals to the earliest cat shows at the Crystal Palace,
Abigail Tucker's enlightening Lion in the Living Room explores the
deep history of the connection between cats of all sizes and colors
and the humans who adore them."
—Wendy Williams, bestselling author of THE HORSE: The Epic History
of Our Noble Companion
"The Lion in the Living Room is a remarkable and hilarious
journey that tracks cats from solitary, prehistoric carnivores to
undisputed world champions of Internet memes. (Sorry, dogs and
human babies.) Tucker has written a big-hearted book that’s also a
deep science dive into our most inscrutable furry companions. You
can't help but LOL."
—David Epstein, bestselling author of THE SPORTS GENE: Inside
the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance
"Science fiction writers fantasize about aliens taking over our
world. Too late. House cats have already occupied our homes
and our hearts and hunted their way through ecosystems
everywhere. The Lion in the Living Room delivers a rich and
balanced account of feline world dominion, from their role as
agents of species extinction to their 'I Can Haz
Cheeseburger' triumph on the Internet. You will never
look at the beast in your living room the same way again."
—Richard Conniff, author of HOUSE OF LOST WORLDS: Dinosaurs,
Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth
"I recommend this book for cat lovers, cat haters, and anyone
curious to learn how these inscrutable creatures crept out of the
Fertile Crescent and clawed their way into our hearts. I’ll never
look at my own fluffy little killing machine in quite the same way
again."
—Mara Grunbaum, author of WTF, EVOLUTION?!: A Theory of
Unintelligible Design
"This book confirmed something I always knew about cats: they're
the ones in charge of our relationship. And that's not the
toxoplasmosis talking."
—Jim Tews, author of FELINES OF NEW YORK: A Glimpse into
the Lives of New York's Feline Inhabitants
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