A Catland Companion


Book Description




Catland


Book Description

How cat mania exploded in the early twentieth century, transforming cats from pests into beloved pets. In 1900, Britain and America were in the grip of a cat craze. An animal that had for centuries been seen as a household servant or urban nuisance had now become an object of pride and deep affection. From presidential and royal families who imported exotic breeds to working-class men competing for cash prizes for the fattest tabby, people became enthralled to the once-humble cat. Multiple industries sprung up to feed this new obsession, selling everything from veterinary services to leather bootees via dedicated cat magazines. Cats themselves were now traded for increasingly large sums of money, bolstered by elaborate pedigrees that claimed noble ancestry and promised aesthetic distinction. In Catland, Kathryn Hughes chronicles the cat craze of the early twentieth century through the life and career of Louis Wain. Wain's anthropomorphic drawings of cats in top hats falling in love, sipping champagne, golfing, driving cars, and piloting planes are some of the most instantly recognizable images from the era. His round-faced fluffy characters established the prototype for the modern cat, which cat "fanciers" were busily trying to achieve using their newfound knowledge of the latest scientific breeding techniques. Despite being a household name, Wain endured multiple bankruptcies and mental breakdowns, spending his last fifteen years in an asylum, drawing abstract and multicolored felines. But it was his ubiquitous anthropomorphic cats that helped usher the formerly reviled creatures into homes across Europe. Beautifully illustrated and based on new archival findings about Wain's life, the wider cat fancy, and the media frenzy it created, Catland chronicles the fascinating history of how the modern cat emerged.




Cat Lover's Daily Companion


Book Description

A unique, easy-to-use, and inspiring handbook filled with a year’s worth of insight, helpful tips, and practical advice into the feline-human relationship. Whether you’re a cat owner yourself or someone who just loves all things cat, this book will provide you with a lifetime’s worth of ways to enjoy and appreciate cats. The format—a year-long, day-minder-type book—is not meant to be read cover to cover; rather, the book can fall open on any given day and lend applicable information and inspiration. Cat Lover’s Daily Companion is also completely indexed so you’re able to easily search for specific content. Each day features essays, anecdotes, activities, and trivia that remind you why you love cats: Monday—Practical information, from welcoming a cat home to understanding its basic needs Tuesday—Engaging tales of cats in history and literature Wednesday—Feline health and wellness topics, from acupuncture to the zodiac Thursday—Household tips and ideas for cat-friendly home decor and crafts Friday—The world of cat breeds, from Abyssinian to York Chocolate Saturday and Sunday—Bonding, relationship building, and planning special occasions with your pet With Cat Lover’s Daily Companion, you’ll have a year’s worth of ideas, information, and activities to help you care for, understand, socialize, and honor your feline friend.




The Witch's Feast


Book Description

Discover the seductive art and ritual of magical cooking with this decadent recipe collection drawing on herbalism, kitchen witchcraft, and the occult The feast is a meeting place between family and friends, between humans and gods This enchanting collection of witchy dishes from Melissa Jayne Madara—witch, herbalist, chef and co-owner of Brooklyn’s popular occult bookstore Catland Books—is an indispensable companion to kitchen witchcraft. With this kitchen grimoire, explore 5 facets of the occult through food: traditional recipes, the wheel of the zodiac, devotional meals to the planets, seasonal feasts to celebrate solstices and equinoxes, and practical spell work. • Recreate a pagan feast of lamb roasted with milk and honey, with cheesecake baked in fig leaves for dessert • Celebrate a Gemini birthday with herbed fondue, followed by lemongrass pavlova • Align with the poetic pleasures of Venus with edible flower dumplings, or commune with Saturn over blackberry pulled pork sandwiches • Enjoy the vibrancy of the spring equinox with herb and allium quiche with a potato crust, radish salad with cherry blossom vinaigrette and jasmine tea shortbread • Share an evening of storytelling over mugwort and catnip divination tea, or embody an otherworldly spirit with ritual bread masks Packed with ancient knowledge, practical advice and witchcraft expertise, this book will help you develop your craft through culinary creativity and the divine indulgence of the senses and the soul.







A Catland Companion


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The Ladies' Companion


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Catland


Book Description




Louis Wain's Cats


Book Description

'Louis Wain invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world'. Broadcast in 1925 by H.G. Wells, these words characteristically foretold the future of the Wain cat which has, once more, become the century's most recognisable image in cat art. During their heyday, in the time before the First World War, Louis Wain's cats, dressed as humans, portrayed that stylish Edwardian world having fun: at restaurants and tea parties, going to the Race and the Seaside, celebrating at Christmas and Birthdays, and disporting themselves with exuberant games of tennis, bowls, cricket and football. This is a titillating world of cats at play, uninhibited and slightly dangerous, with most group activities likely to turn into mishap, mayhem and catastrophe. This is Wain's world, funny, edgy and animated: a whole cat world. The first comprehensive exhibition of Wain's work was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1972 and, since then, Louis Wain has steadily become more fashionable, and collected worldwide. This biography contains 300 plates of richness and variety, all of which are reproduced faithfully from the original artwork. This book is jointly published by Chris Beetles Ltd and Canongate Books.