Erika Ritter - writer

On the page

The Dog by the Cradle, The Serpent Beneath: Some Paradoxes of Human-Animal Relationships - to be published by Key Porter Books February 2009.

Available at your favourite bookstore or online from
chapters/indigo or amazon.ca and amazon.com

excerpt 1 (Dogs and Serpents) / excerpt 2 (Therapy Dogs)

The book’s title recalls one of the oldest and most compelling animal stories of all time: The sad saga of a devoted greyhound executed by his master for apparently attacking the man’s sleeping child Only after he’s killed his dog, does the master find the dead body of a serpent beneath the infant’s overturned cradle—evidence not only of the dog’s innocence, but also his courage in protecting the child from a venomous snake.

With this traditional tale as a starting point, Erika Ritter embarks on a journey—both in time and space--to the very heart of “Ark-ness” and follows the twisting trail of human-animal relationships from empathy to exploitation, from devotion to detestation, from comedy to cruelty, and beyond. Most importantly, Erika traces the essential contradictions in humanity’s relationships with our fellow creatures, from prehistoric worship of the cave-bear to the latest research on the intelligence of crows, to the future of animals’ legal rights.

As well, she probes the human-animal bond with experts in animal cognition, welfare advocates, philosophers and animal rights advocates. And she paints vivid pictures of research apes in retirement, a greyhound adoption convention, a public memorial for a fallen police horse and other unforgettable images of animals among us.

In a world where we increasingly identify our pets as family members, yet annually dispose of ever more strays, execute more livestock and sacrifice countless animals to research , there are paradoxes aplenty to investigate.At a time when animals are increasingly among us and yet continually below our radar, The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath offers observations both timely and timeless about Us and Them.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL:
“Ritter's new book, The Dog By the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath, is a far-reaching exploration of the paradox underlying our relationships with animals. Her devotion to gaining insight into that tortured relationship is quite amazing.” ...Full Review

QUILL AND QUIRE:
“While a large library of books about our relations with animals already exists, the writing in them tends to be either overly emotional or grimly detached. Ritter deftly avoids both extremes. The result is a passionate, thought-provoking addition to the canon.” ...Full Review

ELIZABETH STONE, DEAN OF THE ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, IN “OFF THE SHELF”:
“Drawing upon extensive research and interviews with experts spanning the globe, the author takes the reader on a wide-ranging trip through the complex world of human-animal relationships.”

THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS:
"With this wonderful book, her fourth foray into non-fiction and her second into the topic of human-animal relationships, Toronto's Erika Ritter confirms her reputation as a talented wordsmith and gifted cultural sage."...Full Review

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE
“(Ritter’s) informal exploration—weighty and whimsical—of the contradictory way we treat animals—as slaves, prey or companions—is well-researched and thought-provoking…”...Full Review

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Erika's Books in Print available at click on a cover below to go directly to the catalogue page	Welcome to “erikaritter.com”. On this website, you can learn about my professional life as a playwright, novelist, humorist, essayist, radio broadcaster, journalist, public speaker and stage performer, with plays and prose widely produced in Canada, the United States, Britain, Japan, Israel and elsewhere. But by way of introduction, I’d like to give you a quick snapshot of me as a person. I grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan in the 1950s and early 60s, wistful for worlds beyond. Early on, I developed an enormous love of books, movies and TV comedy and drama, an irrepressible imagination, and lots of ambition for a career in the arts. To this day, I continue to marvel at the good fortune that’s allowed me to survive—and occasionally, thrive—in arts-allied professions. For more about my personal view of writing, visit “This Writing Life”. Thanks for visiting my website. Best, Erika Ritter. ...more about Erika Featured Event April 20, 2009 – 8 p.m. “Creature Comforts”, an evening of readings about animals, as a benefit for Fred Victor Centre’s pet-friendly shelter. Hosted by Erika Ritter, with a cast of well-known readers and well-known animal stories. For an event poster, please click here For a list of performers and performance pieces, please click here For a gallery of photos by jovan matic from the Creature Comforts benefit event, please click here Coming Up
	Event Listings On the page NEWLY PUBLISHED The Dog by the Cradle, The Serpent Beneath: Some Paradoxes of Human-Animal Relationships - to be published by Key Porter Books February 2009. Available at your favourite bookstore or online from chapters/indigo or amazon.ca and amazon.com excerpt 1 (Dogs and Serpents) / excerpt 2 (Therapy Dogs) The book’s title recalls one of the oldest and most compelling animal stories of all time: The sad saga of a devoted greyhound executed by his master for apparently attacking the man’s sleeping child Only after he’s killed his dog, does the master find the dead body of a serpent beneath the infant’s overturned cradle—evidence not only of the dog’s innocence, but also his courage in protecting the child from a venomous snake. With this traditional tale as a starting point, Erika Ritter embarks on a journey—both in time and space--to the very heart of “Ark-ness” and follows the twisting trail of human-animal relationships from empathy to exploitation, from devotion to detestation, from comedy to cruelty, and beyond. Most importantly, Erika traces the essential contradictions in humanity’s relationships with our fellow creatures, from prehistoric worship of the cave-bear to the latest research on the intelligence of crows, to the future of animals’ legal rights. As well, she probes the human-animal bond with experts in animal cognition, welfare advocates, philosophers and animal rights advocates. And she paints vivid pictures of research apes in retirement, a greyhound adoption convention, a public memorial for a fallen police horse and other unforgettable images of animals among us. In a world where we increasingly identify our pets as family members, yet annually dispose of ever more strays, execute more livestock and sacrifice countless animals to research , there are paradoxes aplenty to investigate.At a time when animals are increasingly among us and yet continually below our radar, The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath offers observations both timely and timeless about Us and Them. WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE DOG BY THE CRADLE, THE SERPENT BENEATH…… *THE GLOBE AND MAIL: “Ritter's new book, The Dog By the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath, is a far-reaching exploration of the paradox underlying our relationships with animals. Her devotion to gaining insight into that tortured relationship is quite amazing.” ...Full Review QUILL AND QUIRE: “While a large library of books about our relations with animals already exists, the writing in them tends to be either overly emotional or grimly detached. Ritter deftly avoids both extremes. The result is a passionate, thought-provoking addition to the canon.” ...Full Review ELIZABETH STONE, DEAN OF THE ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, IN “OFF THE SHELF”: “Drawing upon extensive research and interviews with experts spanning the globe, the author takes the reader on a wide-ranging trip through the complex world of human-animal relationships.” THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS:* "With this wonderful book, her fourth foray into non-fiction and her second into the topic of human-animal relationships, Toronto's Erika Ritter confirms her reputation as a talented wordsmith and gifted cultural sage."...Full Review THE MONTREAL GAZETTE “(Ritter’s) informal exploration—weighty and whimsical—of the contradictory way we treat animals—as slaves, prey or companions—is well-researched and thought-provoking…”...Full Review - return to top -