Chers amis Hardcover – January 1, 1977 by Janet Belden Beyda
 
From inside the book:
Introduction
My dictionary defines anthropomorphism as the
attribution of human temperamental characteristics
to inanimate objects or to animals. At least, I assume
it does; at any rate, that's what anthropomorphism
means to me, and when I use a word, said the
caterpillar to Alice. .. . There is no point in going to
my dictionary to tind the word that means attribution
of animal characteristics to human beings because
my dictionary does not believe in antonyms
it does not make a great deal of difference. Since
the dawn of time, men have noticed their own
characteristics in animals (we presumptuously take
ther to be our characteristics, not theirs) and vice
versa. The latter comparison is scarcely deemed a
lattenng one (e.g., "You beast!") is obviously
intended as some sort of compliment. (There is an
old maxim."` wrote Mark Twain, 'that Man is the
noblest work of Gad. Now, who found that out?")
Ancient Egyptians stuck bird heads on the human
bodies of their gods, and. even-handed, gave to the
Sphinx's lion body a woman's head, For all I know,
or suspect, the Egyplians were not even first to
practice this artistically suggestive mismatching. As
evidenced by this book of photographs, they were
cerainly not the last. - Intro by Nicholas Meyer
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