Review by Choice Review
For most people living in the 21st century, lethal attack by large predatory cats would likely pose a very rare, even outlandish, threat. But Mathur (Univ. of Oxford) emphatically disagrees. She describes this scenario in the context of northern India, where such attacks are a relatively frequent cause of death despite evident neglect of official documentation. Against dismissive attitudes relegating the problem to only a tiny area affecting a small population, Mathur deftly informs readers of the facts. By linking these attacks to climate change, citing community perceptions of official actions or the lack thereof, she broadens the issue to shed light on the climate situation facing the entire world. Especially poignant is Mathur's explanation of how the attacks disproportionately affect certain local groups, with the most vulnerable populations being the most likely impacted. She draws connections between overpopulation and consequent crowding in cities and the unusual predatory behaviors of such "crooked" (i.e. predatory toward humans) cats. Mathur widens the scope of concern to include nearly everyone on the planet, emphasizing that impacts of climate change differ only in local manifestation. While Mathur focuses on personal experience of an unusual occurrence, her persuasive arguments, with supporting resources and notes, successfully connect the observed phenomena to issues of interest to many. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. --Michael Schaab, emeritus, Maine Maritime Academy
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
