From Mickey to Jerry to Pinky, mice have played an important role in our childhood cartoons and tales. Often a heroic figure in culture and fiction – mice are the iconic symbol of Disney – they are also considered one of the human race’s greatest adversaries, responsible for disease and plague. Presenting a natural and cultural history of the mouse, this book explores the large role this diminutive animal plays in both the animal kingdom and human imagination.
          
Mice are accomplished survivors, having colonized six of the world’s continents and even travelled into space. As one of the earth’s smallest prey, the mouse represents courage, perseverance and adaptability. Examining the evolution, species, habitats and behaviours of mice, Georgie Carroll also surveys the depiction of mice in art, myth, literature and folklore, considering how they are held in divine regard in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Carroll also delves into the integral place mice hold within the modern scientific endeavour – that of the laboratory animal. Telling the story of this beguiling creature in rich detail, Mouse is an intriguing look at an animal we have worshipped, tested, slaughtered, loved and loathed.