THE subject of the latest book by Sheffield-based birder-author Joe Shute is . . . the rat.
To be published on Friday of this week, Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of The Rat provides a cultural and social history of Rattus norvegicus, 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, according to Joe, they remain the most misunderstood of all species.
Says he: "No animal has been so determinedly targeted by humans, and still managed to survive and thrive in our midst.
"No animal is so often derided as being vicious and cunning, but possesses such a rich and complex inner life."
In his extensive research, the author travelled the world from sub-Saharan Africa to the Rocky Mountains, visiting some of the most rodent-infested cities on earth both to unpick the myths about rats and to investigate the unexplored secrets of their own extraordinary lives.
In his fast-paced and entertaining narrative, Joe - a long-serving feature writer with The Daily Telegraph - examines the way in which rats have shaped human history and meets cutting-edge researchers who have begun harnessing the power of rat intelligence to achieve incredible results.
He explores the hidden world they inhabit beneath our feet as well as their role in natural ecosystems. And through ownership of two pet rats (to which, posthumously, the book is dedicated), he discovers the close emotional bonds they form with humans when given the chance.
Ultimately, this is a book which questions what the lives of rats reveal to us about our own, and whether there might be a better way to live alongside our ancient "enemies" in the modern age.
Stowaway is published tomorrow (April 11) at £18.99 in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing.
"Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of The Rat provides a cultural and social history of Rattus norvegicus, examining how one creature achieved total world domination and has inspired such love and loathing."
They stowed away on our journeys from Europe. We took them to places they never got to. Remote islands, where they (and us) have had profound effects.
I remember once being on a Tube train in London when a young woman pulled out two white pet rats from her bag. Fellow-passengers froze. Apart from me and a couple of others, they all changed carriage at the next station.