In 1872, a woman known only as "An Earnest Englishwoman" published a letter titled "Are Women Animals?" in which she protested against the fact that women were not treated as fully human. In fact, their status was worse than that of animals: regulations prohibiting cruelty against dogs, horses, and cattle were significantly more punitive than laws against cruelty to women. The Earnest Englishwoman's heartfelt cry was for women to "become–animal" in order to gain the status that they were denied on the grounds that they were not part of "mankind." In this fascinating account, Joanna Bourke addresses the profound question of what it means to be "human" rather than "animal." How are people excluded from political personhood? How does one become entitled to rights? The distinction between the two concepts is a blurred line, permanently under construction. If the Earnest Englishwoman had been capable of looking 100 years into the future, she might have wondered about the human status of chimeras, or the ethics of stem cell research. Political disclosures and scientific advances have been re–locating the human–animal border at an alarming speed. In this meticulously researched, illuminating book, Bourke explores the legacy of more than two centuries, and looks forward into what the future might hold for humans, women, and animals.

"Æsop in Rhyme, or, Old Friends in a New Dress" is a poetic rendition of the timeless fables attributed to Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller. This work, likely compiled by an anonymous author or using the pseudonym Aesop, presents the classic fables in a rhymed and poetic form, offering a fresh and engaging perspective on these age-old tales. In this collection, readers can expect to encounter familiar fables, each infused with poetic language and rhythmic verses. Aesop's fables are known for their moral lessons, anthropomorphic animal characters, and clever storytelling, and "Æsop in Rhyme" brings these elements to life through the artistry of rhyme. The rhymed format adds a lyrical quality to the fables, enhancing their appeal and making them accessible to a broader audience. Each fable, while retaining its moral essence, undergoes a transformation through the lens of poetic expression, providing a delightful and imaginative experience for readers.

This collection brings together scholars from disciplines including Children’s Literature, Classics, and History to develop fresh approaches to children’s culture and the uses of the past. It charts the significance of historical episodes and characters during the long nineteenth-century (1750-1914), a critical period in children's culture. Boys and girls across social classes often experienced different pasts simultaneously, for purposes of amusement and instruction. The book highlights an active and shifting market in history for children, and reveals how children were actively involved in consuming and repackaging the past: from playing with historically themed toys and games to performing in plays and pageants. Each chapter reconstructs encounters across different media, uncovering the cultural work done by particular pasts and exposing the key role of playfulness in the British historical imagination.