Stowaway : The Disreputable Exploits of the Rat

A NEW SCIENTIST NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR‘Shows us that, ultimately, the history of rats is a history of ourselves.’ THE SUNDAY TIMES‘Fascinating and prejudice-busting reading.’ NEW SCIENTIST‘An intelligent and enlightening book’ MICHAEL MORPURGOA cultural and social history of the rat, examining how one creature achieved total world domination and has inspired such love and loathing. Rats are creatures which inspire fear and fascination in equal measure. Their lives are more closely entwined with humans than any other animal, but they remain the most misunderstood of all species. In Stowaway, Joe Shute explores our complex and contradictory relationship with the rat. He travels the world from sub-Saharan Africa to the Rocky Mountains and visits some of the most rodent-infested cities on earth to unpick the myths we tell ourselves about rats and investigate the unexplored secrets of their own extraordinary lives. Joe delves into the hidden world they inhabit beneath our feet, learns about their role in natural ecosystems and how they have shaped human history. He also discovers their incredible intelligence and the bonds they form with humans when given the chance. Stowaway questions what the lives of rats reveal about our own, and whether there might be a better way to live alongside this most misunderstood species.