Katherine C. Grier is professor of material culture studies, Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library and the University of Delaware, USA. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware, and Onancock, Virginia, with her husband, two cats, and two dogs.
[A] remarkably well-written, richly researched study.--Journal
of Social History
Lucidly written and well-researched. . . . It is hard to imagine
that Grier has left a stone unturned on a topic for which an
exhaustive paper trail does not exist by her own admission. . . .
[An] insightful and sensitive look at the two centuries that
brought us to where we are now.--Antiques
A fascinating look at the development, roles, and effects of pets
in American society. . . . Provide[s] a wealth of . . . dependable
information that any pet lover would appreciate.--Choice
An encyclopedic history. . . . [Pets in America is]
scholarly, thorough, informative and animal
friendly.--Publishers Weekly
A welcome addition to the field.--American Historical
Review
This work explores the history of animal-human bonding in the
context of a growing country with a diverse population. The
narrative is entwined with the development of veterinary medicine,
animal humane movements, and pet products. If the well-written
prose is not enough, the illustrations provide a telling accent. .
. . Although grounded in material evidence, the book introduces
larger issues--philosophies of caring and belief that, despite
enormous social and technological change, span
centuries.--Bloomsbury Review
Scholars of the history of human-animal relations have eagerly
anticipated this book, and the result exceeds
expectations.--Journal of American History
Although [Pets in America's] six chapters can be read
independently, they function best together as a sustained narrative
that uses broad subjects . . . to probe not just our changing
notions about animals but our changing definition of a good
society. And because Grier, as she modestly puts it, is 'interested
in stories, ' her inquiries can be very entertaining. . . . Grier
has a nice habit of tweaking a detail to make a larger point. . . .
With her characteristic blend of seriousness and whimsy, Grier
confesses to an interest in 'the tension between the apparent
desire of American pet owners to experience the 'animal' in our
pets . . . and our simultaneous and increasing desire to regulate
and control our pets.--New York Times Book Review
A good social and cultural history of pet keeping in America . . .
[A history] that will last us a while.-- Winterthur
Portfolio
Few scholars know more about the complex interactions between
people and the animals that share their lives than Kasey
Grier.--The Hunt
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