Rats!

Many tributes have been written about the centuries-long relationship between humans and dogs, and humans and cats. But there's another long-present member of the human household who doesn't get such positive press: the rat. Finally, it's getting the attention it deserves in Rat: how the world's most notorious rodent clawed its way to the top, by Jerry Langton. Carrier of plague, consumer of crops, omen of evil, the rat has also been a pet, a food source and a tool of scientific breakthrough. The history of rat-human interactions is long and truly fascinating, and Langton does an excellent job of keeping the narrative humming along. The book is packed with all sorts of little nuggets of information, and while it may not make you embrace the rat, it will definitely give you a respect for its powers of adaptation and tenacity. And if you're looking to do some more reading on unpopular, vermin-like animals, you could also try Pigeons : the fascinating saga of the world's most revered and reviled bird by Andrew D. Blechman.