Throughout history, animals have played various roles in human society, serving as allies, opponents, assistants, and even deities. Sadly, with the rampant extinction of numerous species, little focus has been given to a captivating inquiry: how does the absence of animals impact the human imagination?

In this collection of linked essays, Alison Hawthorne Deming asks and seeks to answer the question: what does the disappearance of animals mean for human imagination and existence? Moving from mammoth hunts to dying house cats, she explores profound questions about being an animal. What is inherent in animals that leads us to destruction, and what leads us toward peace? As human animals, how does art define us as a species, and how does it emerge primarily from our relationship with other species?

Paperback: 234 pages.