Barbara J. King

I'm a wife, mom, animal lover, cat rescuer, ape-watcher, anthropologist, avid reader of novels and non-fiction, and of course writer! I love my work and how close it brings me to other species, ranging from gorillas and baboons to cats and turtles.

In recent years I've brought together my love of animals and my love of anthropology in writing books about what it means to be human. My recent book BEING WITH ANIMALS tells stories of emotions and behaviors expressed by apes, monkeys, elephants, whales, cats, and dogs to explore why we humans so readily care so deeply for other creatures. It spans the art caves of ancient France, the past-and-present reindeer cultures of Siberia, and our own present-day love of pets.

At home, my husband Charlie, daughter Sarah (see photo where she is pictured with me!) and I care for a large number of homeless/abandoned cats: 7 in the house, 11 in a spacious pen in our yard, 2 strays that hang around with us, and 7 at a nearby colony. The joy we get from interacting with animals at home, in national parks throughout the US, and indeed anywhere we travel is a huge part of our lives.

Please visit my website http://www.barbarajking.com to listen to some of my radio interviews or to read back entries in my FRIDAY ANIMAL BLOG (new ones will be available each week at the blog link here on Amazon). I'd also love to hear your own animal stories through the contact page there.