The Book of the Cat - Hyland, Angus, Roberts, Caroline

'Thousands of years ago cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.' Anonymous Cats hold a revered place in our lives and this book shows them in all their regal glory. Indulge in this beautifully curated book and discover why cats have transfixed us throughout history. Cats have been revered by artists since ancient times for their beauty, grace, independence and air of mystery. Andy Warhol, Leonardo Da Vinci and David Hockney have been inspired by feline muses and they are not the only ones. Domesticated, but with a touch of the wild about them, they share our homes and endlessly fascinate us. The Book of the Cat is a cool and quirky collection of feline art and illustration by artists from around the world. Interspersed through the illustrations are short texts about the artists and their subjects as well as feline quotes from famous cat lovers. The text reveals anecdotes like Mark Twain's bedtime stories to his daughters, inspired by the 'Cat in a Ruff' painting that hung on their mantelpiece and Edward Lear's absolute devotion to his pussycat Foss - to the extent that they died within months of each other. Whether they are shown curled up in a chair, pursuing their prey or interacting (some more happily than others!) with the humans around them, the images show the character and charisma that draws us to cats. Beautifully designed and packaged, the book will appeal to cat lovers of all ages.