Pets in America: A History

Book Description

Entertaining and informative, Pets in America is a portrait of Americans' relationships with the cats, dogs, birds, fishes, rodents, and other animals we call our own. More than 60 percent of U.S. households have pets, and America grows more pet-friendly every day. But as Katherine Grier demonstrates, the ways we talk about and treat our pets--as companions, as children, and as objects of beauty, status, or pleasure--have their origins long ago.

Grier begins with a natural history of animals as pets, then discusses the changing role of pets in family life, new standards of animal welfare, the problems presented by borderline cases such as livestock pets, and the marketing of both animals and pet products. She focuses particularly on the period between 1840 and 1940, when the emotional, behavioral, and commercial characteristics of contemporary pet keeping were established. The story is peppered with the warmth and humor of anecdotes from period diaries, letters, catalogs, and newspapers.

Filled with illustrations reflecting the whimsy, the devotion, and the commerce that have shaped centuries of American pet keeping, Pets in America ultimately shows how the history of pets has evolved alongside changing ideas about human nature, child development, and community life.

This book accompanies a museum exhibit, "Pets in America," which opens at the McKissick Museum in Columbia, South Carolina, in December 2005 and will travel to five other cities from May 2006 through May 2008.

Customer Reviews:

Pets in America: A History.......2007-08-28

Pets in America: A History, was purchased as a gift to a friend who is a pet-lover. She seemed delighted with the gift. I skimmed but did not read the book in detail.

Our "favorites".......2006-05-16

"Pets in America", an astonishingly comprehensive new book by Katherine C. Grier, relates the history of pets as we have known them from the earliest days of our nation. In doing so, she has given us a compelling look at the evolution of how different animals became popular pets, how we treat pets as a society and what their needs are compared to ours.

Grier begins by asking "what is a pet?" and then follows up with remarks about "why pets matter". She sets the stage for the reader to begin to view the animals we call "pets" (and what Americans in the nineteenth century called "favorites") in a different way than just furry little creatures that greet us upon our return home. One of the many surprises I found in reading "Pets in America" was that one hundred to one hundred fifty years ago the most popular pet to have was a caged bird. She explains part of the reason by saying that there was far less noise around then and songbirds added a cheerful level of volume that was most welcome in many homes.

While Grier's book understandably covers dogs, cats, birds and fish as the most common pets to find around the house, there is also a good deal of writing about livestock animals.....horses, swine, barnyard fowl and rabbits. There are many quotes from diarists of the 1800s and the most alluring ones come from children. Being much closer to "pets as dinner" she quotes a few girls who couldn't stand the thought of losing a newborn calf or lamb, knowing that it would end up on someone's dinner table....possibly their own. There's also a charming section on "the Bunnie States of America"....a club set up in 1898 by the children of an Albany, New York couple who had rules and regulations for their club, held meetings and wrote of the happenings of their beloved rabbits.

Grier takes an awful lot of time in the middle of the book describing the liberal goodness of the upper middle class and their views toward treating animals with kindness and respect. Although she presents her case effectively, it is the one place where "Pets in America" bogs down a little but she picks right up again with a chapter titled, "Pet keeping and its dilemmas". As animals moved closer to humans with their increased indoor contact, boundaries necessitated change. Understandably, at the same time, livestock became more foreign to many Americans with the advent of the automobile, as horses were decreasingly necessary for transportation. However, Grier describes in great detail what city life was like prior to that with pigs running through the streets, chickens cackling in many a backyard and the undeniable stench of horse manure. The seemy side of pet life....those who dealt in the selling, trading and butchering of pets is a terrific addition to the work. It's hard to believe, sometimes, that we are just a few generations removed from all of that.

The author finishes up with a look at the twentieth century arrival (on a large scale) of pet stores, pet food and other accoutrements such as "clothing" and bedding. There is not much about veterinary medicine in this book other to say that in earlier times, a pet's best caregiver (and often its only doctor) was its owner.

Many wonderful, early photographs and drawings accompany "Pets in America". It's a welcome addition to a fantastic book. I highly recommend "Pets in America" for its depth and incisiveness and I applaud Katherine Grier for combining a straightforward analysis with an outstanding narrative.

Animals: 1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc. (Dover Pictorial Archives)

Average customer rating:

Enjoyed the broad range of life illustrated for this volume
Well worth it.
Very Nice
One of the BEST books of its type
1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc.

Animals: 1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc. (Dover Pictorial Archives)

Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486237664

Book Description

Clear wood engravings present, in extremely lifelike poses, over 1,000 species of animals.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyed the broad range of life illustrated for this volume.......2007-10-12

Wow - the enormous numbers of animal life is astounding and the book clearly shows this. Unfortunately the images are quite dark and the book is very thick (you get your money's worth - image-wise), so scanning them for use in various artistic media is difficult. Therefore, I bought two of the books and plan to cut one of them up (that hurts to say for I treasure books of all types). This way I can control the scanning and modification using software to bring out details and highlight an image to my satisfaction. And finally, the classic images are impressive and I applaud the author for his selection of animals from all realms of life on earth.

Well worth it........2007-09-16

Used several of these drawings in projects. Books like this are great for those of us designers who aren't the best freehand drawers.

Very Nice.......2007-05-12

This is just packed full of brilliant illustrations of birds frogs fish girafee spiders butterflies you name it , throughly recommended for any one who loves botanical illustrations or engravings , really good source material for artists or designers.very nice book but rember it is a paper back not that that matters to me.

One of the BEST books of its type.......2006-11-04

I was first introduced to the beautiful book a few months ago when I was looking for an illustration of an insect for a class. I knew the moment I saw it that I had to have this book for future projects. If you're looking for illustrations that will make the person looking at your work take a second look or remember what you turned in for your project... this is the book for you!

1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc........2006-03-24

This book is great! I teach Middle School Art, and my students use this book as a reference for drawings, paintings and sculptures.

Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast: Common Birds, Crabs, Shells, Fish, and Other Entities of the Coastal Environment

Average customer rating:

Great book
Serviceable and Entertaining
Interesting guide...
Some SERIOUS problems in the plates, otherwise ok
Incredibly accurate with astonishing photos

Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast: Common Birds, Crabs, Shells, Fish, and Other Entities of the Coastal Environment
Peter Meyer
Manufacturer: Avian-Cetacean Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Tidelands | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Fish | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0962818607

Book Description

An entertaining, practical, reader-friendly guide to common plants, animals, and the physical environment of the NC/SC coast. Fully illustrated -- over 100 color photographs, plus additional diagrams and drawings with in-depth information on each subject. A beachcomber's handbook, a valuable companion for seaside explorers of all ages. Scientifically accurate, yet written in language the lay public can understand.

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-07-16

WE took this to the beach with us this year and my kids used it every day. WE had so much fun with it. The pictures in the book are great for identifying shells, fish, etc. at the SC and NC Coast. We found a lot of the things pictured in the book. Easy to understand descriptions! I recommend this book to anyone ... especially homeschooling families!!!

Serviceable and Entertaining.......2004-05-20

My goal in purchasing this book, which pulls together information about birds, shells, dune plants, and fish was to be able to pack one slim volume instead of the bag of field guides I usually took to the Outer Banks. After two trips to North Carolina in the last year, I have found that I still need to carry a couple of other references because this is not comprehensive in any one of its categories--and how could it be at 148 pages? However, Meyer's guide does manage to cover many of the specimens commonly found along the Carolina coast. Furthermore, it is written in a graceful voice that keeps you reading long after you've put a name to the beastie you found on the beach. It is not childish or simple at all, but it can be used by the entire family. It stirs wonder.

Interesting guide..........2003-03-07

Being a transplant from Michigan, I had little knowledge of coastal animals and plants. I purchased this book to satisfy my curiosity. I'm not knowledgeable enough as the other reviewer who found the inaccuracies in the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. The information is presented in a very interesting way and all the photographs are in color. I can't wait to spend more time on the coast and see some of the creatures myself. I'll definitely have this guide on hand. I also enjoyed the respect the author has for nature.

Some SERIOUS problems in the plates, otherwise ok.......2002-08-07

Overall an ok book for a beginner. If you come into this as a naturalist you will likely be disapointed. There are some other serious problems that I was able to spot straight out.

Plate 40. "Auger Shells" One of the 'augers' is not only NOT an auger and it's not even from the Carolinas at all. It's the Common Vertagus (a certh) from the Indo-Pacific (likely from the Philippines).

Plate 54. "Oyster Drills". Contains several Murexes in addition to the drills.

Plate 59. Sundials. The figured Sundial is not The American Sundial (Architectonica nobilis) but rather the Clear Sundial (Architectonica perspectiva) also from the Indo-Pacific.

The substitution of shells from the other side of the world really shows sloppy work in this guide. The other major problem I have with the book is that it just isn't complete enough; it only shows a small fraction of the plants and animals that one finds on Carolina coasts. The naturalist who trys to depend on this book will likely be frustrated and will find that they need other guides. As an introduction for a beginner it is ok, short the above noted plate problems.

Incredibly accurate with astonishing photos.......1999-01-04

For the past four years I have had a place at the beach. Dr. Meyer's book has become our bible. Using it, shells, shorebirds and seaside flora are easily identified by my family, friends and renters. Being an amateur photographer, I am in total awe of the skill of the other physician who took the pictures.

4000 Animal, Bird and Fish Motifs: A Sourcebook

Average customer rating:

Organized and a great variety of images!
The Best of Its Genre

4000 Animal, Bird and Fish Motifs: A Sourcebook
Graham Leslie McCallum
Manufacturer: Batsford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0713489391

Book Description

With the same hallmarks of the author's successful 4,000 Flower and Plant Motifs, this unique source of zoomorphic motifs will thrill animal-loving crafters everywhere. The images in this sourcebook--presented in a variety of artistic styles and from a range of cultures--are organized around specific types of animal, as well as historical periods, for easy reference. All the high-quality and original illustrations are displayed so they can be enlarged, scanned, or photocopied for work in any creative pursuit, whether it's woodworking, embroidery, quilting, graphic design, or other fields. Finally, an introductory design class by the author shows readers how to get the most out of the artwork and make their projects come to vivid life.

Customer Reviews:

Organized and a great variety of images!.......2007-01-04

There is, indeed, an encyclopedic amount of creatures in this book, all arranged ark-like by kind; that is, fish are together, birds together, and etc. The images are in black and white making them very usable for a variety of arts and crafts. The images also come from many sources, both historical and geographic. This is a useful collection for artists and a great reference for those interested in the history of image. The only improvement I can think of is in terms of usability: a spiral binding would have been welcome. Recommended.

The Best of Its Genre.......2006-07-14

This is an excellent publication for craftspeople, artists and teachers of all artforms. The beautifully presented fauna motifs of all our major art "epochs" will not fail to inspire. I have recommended this book to other artist friends who have also purchased it.

Angelfish (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

Average customer rating:

Not everything about Angelfish, nor the Complete Owner's Manual.
I love this little book
A great book on keeping and breeding angelfish
Review of the review

Angelfish (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Robert J. Ph.D. Goldstein
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Fish & Aquariums | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0764116614

Product Description

These tropical reef-dwellers make beautiful additions to any tank, but many are aggressive to other species. Here is detailed advice on keeping active, healthy Angelfish. Barron's comprehensive Pet Owner's Manuals are heavily illustrated and filled with useful information. They instruct owners on how to care for their dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other animals. Books give advice on purchasing and acquiring, health care, feeding, and much more. Clear, straightforward texts are accompanied by high-quality full-color photos and anatomically accurate line art, as well as helpful tables and charts. Paperback / 96 Pages / 6 1/2 x 7 7/8 / 2001

Customer Reviews:

Not everything about Angelfish, nor the Complete Owner's Manual........2005-07-07

This book is totally not for those who aren't into breeding Angelfish. It is not in basic termonology in some areas. Very brief in areas you want more information on. If you want a book about Angelfish that is helpful to anyone wanting to know more than how to breed them and worth your time, look beyond this one.

I love this little book.......2005-03-17

The book is small, but very informative, and you feel you KNOW a lot about angelfish after reading it. I recommend this book highly to all angelfish lovers! A "must have"!

A great book on keeping and breeding angelfish.......2004-01-08

As a previous reviewer noted, the editorial review is incorrect -- this is a book about freshwater angelfish, not reef-dwelling saltwater angelfish. Whoever submitted the editorial review is a doofus, but that shouldn't be held against the book or its author.

For a small, inexpensive book Angelfish: Everything About... provides a tremendous amount of information.

The sections I found most valuable were those on selecting and purchasing angelfish (appropriate size and age, how to maximize chances of a breeding pair), genetic traits of fancy angelfish (veiltail, black, black lace, marble, new gold, commercial darks and marbles, non-allelic gold, smokey, chocolate, ghost, blushing, zebra, half-black, and pearly), breeding angelfish, and raising fry.

While I'm not interested in angelfish genetics per se, the descriptions of the fancy traits are very helpful when browsing the sites of angel breeders like Angels Plus. It also explains why some fish are so much more expensive than others.

History, tank selection (for show or breeding), feeding (the section on live food is better and more comprehensive than most I've seen in general aquarium books), diseases and treatment, and water quality are all well covered. The book has an index, glossary, and dozens of color photographs.

Review of the review.......2003-09-19

I have not read this book, and based on the book description I would not buy it:
"Editorial Reviews
Book Description
These tropical reef-dwellers make beautiful additions to any tank, "

Book Description

DESCRIPTION: Dear Fish, Where you live is pretty cool. You should come visit us sometime. Plus, my mom makes good pies. Sincerely, Peter Alan What happens when the creatures of the sea take Peter Alan up on his offer? Something fishy, of course! Watch out for a bucking bull shark at the rodeo, the invasion of a slimy school of fish, and other playful pictorial puns hidden within the illustrations. Endpapers identify more than 30 species of fish that appear in the book!This is a fantastic flight of fancy that every child will savor!

Customer Reviews:

How I became a Pirate.......2007-08-12

I bought this book for my 5 year old grandson who just loves pirates and thought this book the "greatest". The illustrations are great and the text is fun!

A Caldecott Contender.......2007-01-09

I bought this book because my 3 year old nephew loves fish and spends a lot of time at the ocean. When it arrived I was amazed at the quality of the illustrations which most certainly could put this book up for a Caldecott Medal this year. Happily, my nephew was as enthralled with the pictures and the sweet story as I was. This is a book he'll enjoy for many years to come as will anyone who reads it to him. For the pictures alone, a new classic that belongs on every child who loves the beach's shelf.

Magical!.......2006-08-29

This book was spectacular from cover to cover! The illustrations are so rich and detailed, that it would be an ideal storytime read. Gall's narration is complex and elegant, and the pace is fast without being too fast. I review quiet a few picture books each month (60+), and very very few manage to have that illusive magical quality that we all remember from our favorite children's books. This book deserves to be a new children's classic, heartily recommended!

Award winner Chris Gall has written and illustrated Dear Fish, a fun and quirky tale. .......2006-06-26

Peter Allan is at the beach with his family and loves to explore the creatures in the tide pools. He extends an invitation to them by placing a note in a bottle and guess what-they actually come to visit! One after another, the stinky creatures crawl out of the sea into Peter Allan's bathroom, into his friend's Sally house, at the ball -park and even at the rodeo.

The tree house, which his dad is constructing, does not escape the invasion, his mom's head is crowned with an octopus at the beauty parlor and his school is invaded by a "school" of fish. Ultimately, Peter Allan has to thank the smelly lot for coming to "visit" the dry land and encourages all the creatures to return to the sea.

In a funny reversal of fortune, on their next visit to the beach, Peter Allan finds an invitation in a shell from the creatures addressed to him and his family, to come and visit them in the sea. Are they going to plunge into the sea? And how will they accomplish this feat?

The illustrations keep pace, memorably translating the adventurous text into contours, stimulating colors and haunting landscapes. Chris Gall's style is reminiscent of Fernand Leger's cubist "modern" robot like forms painted in color and emphasized in black lines. The subjects pulse with the dynamism of everyday life. His art translates into forceful juxtapositions of shape, color and line. Chris Gall masterly merges the cubist stasis with undulating volume.

The only criticism would be that his colors are a trifle dark for my taste. As an added plus, the inside flaps of the book contain many fish species that children will recognize and appreciate. No doubt, readers who frequent tidal pools at the beach will be "hooked" to this funny and quirky fish tale

Lily Azerad-Goldman, Artist and Reviewer for Bookpleasures

A compelling story of an invite too good to be true.......2006-06-13

When a boy writes a letter to the underwater fish inviting them to visit, he doesn't necessarily expect their enthusiasm; but the lure of mother's pies draws even the largest fish from the ocean and soon a very fishy problem is close at hand. The large fishy drawings are zany, fun embellishments to a compelling story of an invite too good to be true.

Peter's ABC Book: Peter Learns About Animals, Birds, Fishes, and Insects

Average customer rating:

Peter's Alphabet
More than an ABC Book

Peter's ABC Book: Peter Learns About Animals, Birds, Fishes, and Insects
Robert Amft
Manufacturer: WhiteWalls
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0945323085

Book Description

The natural world is a magical maze in the eyes of a child—everything appears bigger and more colorful, and nothing is ordinary. With this in mind, Chicago artist and photographer Robert Amft designed an alphabet book for his son Peter. The result, beautifully published here, is a wholly unique children’s book chronicling Peter’s encounters with the everyday environment.

Originally conceived in the 1940s as a piece of art that could be published and sold by Amft’s wife if he was killed fighting in World War II, Amft invested the book as much with artistic skill and imagination as with love for his son. Amft’s arresting collages uniquely convey the complex and unpredictable ways that Peter, like so many young children, interacts with his surroundings. Alternately charming, unexpected, and mysterious, the images juxtapose and meld the natural and unnatural.

A richly illustrated book holding as many treasures for the attentive adult as for the inquisitive child, Peter’s ABC Book is a rare gift from a pivotal figure in American art.

Customer Reviews:

Peter's Alphabet.......2007-03-31

This book is a little treasure. It has the art work of a rather reknowned artist while integrating the art into the alphabet. The ideas are so clever -- not the usual A is for Apple. This book is something that should be in every child's library.

More than an ABC Book.......2007-01-15

What a unique alphabet book! The diversity of the creatures that Peter meets in what appears to be one day is amazing, and so well illustrated. A precursor to Photoshop.

Draw 50 Animal 'Toons: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Dogs, Cats, Birds, Fish, and Many, Many More

Average customer rating:

Draw 50 Animal 'Toons: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Dogs, Cats, Birds, Fish, and Many, Many More
Lee J. Ames
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 076790544X
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Average customer rating:

Going Fishing
Bruce McMillan
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0618472010

Book Description

In a tiny fishing village in Iceland, two boats are ready to take you and young Fridrik fishing. Grandfather Fridrik fishes with hooks for cod. Grandfather Haddi fishes with nets for lumpfish, a very ugly fish. Young Fridrik lives in the land of fish. There are fish on the money and fish on the stamps. The leading export is fish. Though one grandfather is a doctor and the other a school custodian, in the summer they are fishermen too. This summer they are passing on their Icelandic traditions to their grandson. You are welcome to join young Fridrik in the city of Reykjavk to begin your Icelandic fishing adventurebut don't forget your hat.

Average customer rating:

So engaging, my 3-year-old memorized it!
An upbeat story told with energy and gusto
I need this poem
Nice book with a light vegetarian message
there once was a puffin

There Once Was a Puffin
F. Jaques , Florence Page , and Shari Halpern
Manufacturer: North-South
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0735817707

Book Description

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island in the bright blue sea!
But the dear little Puffin is lonely on his island for he has no one to play with. Children will rejoice when the muffin-shaped Puffin, with a hat for every occasion, comes up with a simple-and simply delicious-solution to his problem. Bright, bold pictures of a singularly appealing puffin bring this classic nonsense verse to life for the youngest listener.

Customer Reviews:

So engaging, my 3-year-old memorized it!.......2006-06-20

The charming language and addictive rhythm captured my 3-year-old daughter's imagination. "Then along came the fishes and they said, 'If you wishes, you can have us for playmates, instead of for tea.'" Not only did she memorize it all on her own, she loves to play with the words, inserting various other food items for the pancakes which the puffin ultimately chooses instead of eating fish.

An upbeat story told with energy and gusto.......2003-10-06

Adroitly written by Florence Page Jaques with an "easy reader" text, and enhanced with the artwork of Shari Halpern, There Once Was A Puffin is a brightly illustrated picture book about a lonely puffin. At first he ate fish, but he had no one to play with - so he befriended the fish he once ate, and learned to eat pancakes instead. An upbeat story told with energy and gusto, There Once Was A Puffin is a welcome addition to any school or community library collection.

I need this poem.......2001-01-12

I love this book. My children are now in college but I can still recite most of the poem. I would love to have the words to the poem if anyone is willing to e-mail them to me. If this book was in stock I would buy several to have on hand as presents and keep at least one for myself.

Nice book with a light vegetarian message.......2000-06-15

This is nice book--the text, the pictures, and the light-hearted vegetarian message. I am so disappointed it is out of stock!

there once was a puffin.......2000-01-21

I am interested in this book, but want only the poem. Can you help me

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