The History of Cats in 101 Objects

Book, 2017

Premise - It is exactly what the title says - The history of cats in 101 objects. Each page features a different object, either directly or indirectly related to cats, along with the history of the object and how it changed the history of cats. Objects are sorted into different themes.

Review - This is one of the most random books I have ever read. Of course I would receive this as a gift. This is absolutely something someone would see in the store and think "I know EXACTLY who to gift this to."

What is so random about it is not the concept - it's the objects that were chosen. Many are directly cat-related (i.e. the Tom and Jerry cartoon, or Fancy Feast cat food). But about half have almost nothing to do with cats, except for the fact that cats like them. Like, some of the objects were "A glass of water" and "bathroom sink" and "laundry basket." But the book would go into the whole history of, say, glass or basket weaving. I learned so many random, non-cat-related facts. Even more random was the order in which the objects were presented. There was absolutely no chronology and a barely recognizable thematic thread. You could be reading one page on the Great Sphinx of Giza and then literally flip the page to read about bathroom sinks. There is a whole page on the history of pants because cats like to climb them. There was ancient history, contemporary pop culture, and everything in between.

No regrets. Learned a lot. Saw a lot of cats. Easy, lighthearted reading. Thought it was hilarious. Would pick up again if I was bored. (84/100)


What to read for - Some of my favorite objects include the LICKI brush, "I can haz cheezburger", and the Leonardo da Vinci painting "Cats, Lions, and a Dragon"

If you liked this book, I'd recommend How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You!

Written by Media Lab Books
Published by Media Lab Books