Pests and Pets - Andy Warner
An anecdotal history of the animals associated with humans, organized into three broad categories: Creatures We Find Cute, Creatures We Find Useful, and Creatures That Find Us Useful (the pests). The emphasis is on the history of domestication of each animal, if applicable, but there are many fascinating bits of trivia along the way, from how a memoir about a baby raccoon led to Japan's raccoon population to how a hamster breeding pyramid scheme was sold to kids out of comic books. The tone is airy but erudite, with some clever running jokes and advanced vocabulary. Absolutely delightful and indispensable for anyone who's interested in animals. [5]
