The Book of Beasts
Reclaiming Animal Wisdom
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Publishing:6th Aug '26
£22.00
This title is due to be published on 6th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

'Beautifully written' RONALD HUTTON, author of The Witch
'An essential for any bestiary or folklore fan' LALLY MACBETH, author of The Lost Folk
A modern bestiary with an ancient heart: meet twelve emblematic animals and restore your relationship with the natural world.
The bear deities, Artio and Artaius, who’ll rise from sleep; the salmon of wisdom who gifts understanding of the universe’s past, present and future; the Lion Man carved 40,000 years ago. Join Elizabeth Sulis Kim as she travels across the globe and through time, from our deep past into the future, bringing together the animals which have captivated us for millennia.
Steeped in folklore, mythology, magic and religion, The Book of Beasts tells the story of our shapeshifting relationships with animals, from reverence to persecution, friendship to fear, awe to indifference. It asks us what we actually know about the creatures we share this world with – and offers us a different way of living together.
'Riveting, insightful and folkloric' REBECCA FERRIER, author of The Salt Bind
Wild and strange, and full to the brim with tales from the deep past, offering a meaningful connection to our ancestors. It is a reminder of what we came from and how we might move forwards into the future; a brighter future filled with beasts. An essential for any bestiary or folklore fan -- LALLY MACBETH, author of The Lost Folk
This beautifully written book considers the relationship between humans and animals through the whole of time and across the planet... [it is] ultimately an examination of the place of humans in the world, past and present -- RONALD HUTTON, author of The Witch
Immersive, enchanting, and exquisitely written,The Book of Beasts is a clarion call to rethink and rewild our relationship with animals. Prepare to be changed by this magical book -- KRISTEN J. SOLLEE, author of Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine
In this powerful and beautifully written book, Elizabeth Sulis Kim explores humanity’s relationship with animals across history and cultures. She weaves together archaeology, mythology, religion, ecology, and psychology to show how the stories we create about animals shape our understanding of humanity, and how changing those stories could help change our world -- MELANIE JOY, PhD, bestselling author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows
Dazzling in range and tender in purpose, The Book of Beasts is an invitation to remember our kinship with the living world. Elizabeth Sulis Kim asks urgent questions with a scholar's rigour and a storyteller's heart. It is both confounding and humbling to consider how often humans forget that we belong to nature too -- HOLLIE STARLING, editor of Bog People
The Book of Beasts is epic and wise, but also tender and sensitive. From prehistory to the present, through myth and magic to religion and literature, this captivating and highly-original book explores the immense importance of animals across diverse human cultures. With profound reflections about the power of beastly thinking, The Book of Beasts is essential reading for animal lovers everywhere -- THOMAS WATERS, author of Cursed Britain: A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times
Written with clarity and quiet force,The Book of Beasts dissolves the boundary between human and animal without sentimentality or simplification. Elizabeth Sulis Kim invites us into a more attentive, more ethical way of seeing – one that could change how we inhabit the world -- SHAHRUKH HUSAIN, author of A Restless Wind
Riveting, insightful and folkloric, this book is a gift for those who seek to deepen their relationship to the natural world... Within its pages, we become Elizabeth Sulis Kim’s familiar, uncovering animal truths, myths and legends at her side, each one revealed by her deft hand -- REBECCA FERRIER, author of The Salt Bind
Elizabeth Sulis Kim nudges us to re-enchant the world by recognising the magic and mystery of wild creatures, and through considering if perhaps our shared environment and humanity might be improved if animals were once again seen as sacred living symbols to respect and protect, rather than products on our supermarket shelves... highly captivating, deeply emotional and beautifully nuanced -- CHELSEA WOLFE
ISBN: 9781784745868
Dimensions: 240mm x 156mm x 40mm
Weight: 750g
352 pages