Cats in Books: A Celebration of Cat Illustration through the Ages (British Library - Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalog)

How many children cut their literary teeth on the clever vanishings of Macavity, the Mystery Cat (“Macavity’s not there!”)—all the while unknowingly repeating the rhymes of T. S. Eliot—one of the twentieth century’s most distinguished poet-critics? What about the other feline phenomena from the literary canon—Edward Gorey’s playful illustrations of cats from all walks of life (which revealed Gorey’s own predilection for these gentle beasts: he usually had at least six living with him at any given time), Sir John Tenniel’s beloved rendering of Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat, the charmed creatures of Kathleen Hale’s Orlando, the works of Beatrix Potter, and yes, even Edward Lear’s nineteenth-century Foss?

From Ancient Egypt onward, cat illustrators have endeavored to capture the character and charm of this notoriously elusive animal. Among the better-known artists whose work is reproduced and this engagingly representative volume are Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Arthur Rackham, and Aubrey Beardsley. Lavishly illustrated with some of the finest renderings of cats throughout the ages, Cats in Books covers not just the ironically familiar felines of modern literature, but also lesser known cats from works like the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Lutrell Psalter, and The Book of Kells. The perfect gift for the cat fancier and bibliophile alike, this volume and its delightful depictions of cats throughout the ages will fascinate readers who share a passion for all things involving the Felis Catus—or simply the longstanding relationship between the books in our hands and the charming creatures curled up on our laps.