Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 69
 More Science Than Entertainment July 1, 2009
Misty Yellowstone (California)
Worth the read, but sometimes slow. Has some interesting information. Unfortunately, since nothing at the beginning of the book or on each page clues you in to the fact that there are notes supporting and providing more background to the statements in the book, you might miss the opportunity to connect some statements to the sources. So look at the notes in the back - listed by page number - along with reading the book.
 A good beginner exploration of emotions in animals May 27, 2009
Taylor Ellwood
This was a thought-provoking book about the emotional lives of animals and how much we take for granted by trying to assume that only humans can feel emotions. The authors provided a wide variety of anecdotes from their own experiences as well as the experiences of others. They show that animals can feel emotions and also interact in a variety of ways that go beyond traditional scientific reports on them. This book also raises some important questions about how we treat animals. My only complaint would be that at times the authors are very biased about how they feel, which consequently tones down some of what they attempt to convey to readers.
A great treatise for further research on animal feelings... April 18, 2009
Brian Hawkinson (San Jose, CA)
It seems to be an age old question to wonder whether animals have emotions. The everyday person believes, for the most part, that they do. The scientist, on the other hand, would say categorically no. Masson and McCarthy do a wonderful job in showing the possibility that animals may have and feel emotions as well.
We are treated to numerous examples of the full range of emotions that humans feel. Stories of elephants showing happiness at finding them, or gorillas able to express their feelings through sign language. Love in birds and justice in chimpanzees. Each example is very short with not much further explanation, but they do seem to be clear examples that illustrate beautifully the expression of emotions.
But this is the small downside as well, because this isn't really a scientific book explaining answers to theories, but is rather a treatise for the need of scientific research. I think for good reason it could be dangerous to assume that animals feel the same or similar emotions simply because we could be projecting our own feelings and emotions through our interpretation. Or simply put: anthropomorphism. The second to last chapter did just this as the authors theorized the possibility of animals worshiping the sun or, even worse, humans. When a lion eats young cubs, either their own or another litter's cubs, they theorized that the lioness "hates waste, or cleans up all messes her cubs make, as part of her love". Or even better that the mother lioness ate her dead cub because she wanted may have wanted "to feel closer to her dead offspring when it was a part of her again". Unfortunately, as the last few chapters of any book usually are, the chapter stands out and points directly at the very negative aspect of anthropomorphism and the negative ideas that can spawn from applying human feelings or logic on to animals.
Aside from the second to last chapter I think that Masson and McCarthy did a wonderful job in showing that there does need to be some sort of research done to further our understanding of animals. After all, why are humans so arrogant to believe that we are unique in feeling emotions? Why must we be the center of the universe and there be no intelligent life on earth except humans and that humans are the only intelligent life in the universe? We were certain that the earth was flat, that the sun revolved around the earth, and that the bible should be accepted as literal truth. All of those assumptions were wrong, so why not the notion that animals do not have feelings be wrong? I would recommend if for nothing else but to read about the wonderful lives of so many different animals.
4 stars.
Loved it ... .but too anthropomorphic October 23, 2008
Roberto Giannicola (Walnut Creek, CA United States)
Jeffrey Moussaieff's book offered a nice range of examples on various emotions. I enjoyed reading it, but I thought that some of the examples were questionable and displayed too much of an anthropomorphic view of animals.
I strongly believe that animals do have emotions. It wouldn't even be conceivable to me that they would just live without any emotions. Jeffrey goes a long way in proving that they do, using a variety of examples. However, I'm not sure about who the reader for this book is. Is it the people who already know that animals have emotions and love them so much that they wanted to read and learn more about it? Or is it the person who doesn't have a clue about it, nor cares to know? I would say the former.
He has great points and I enjoyed reading it. Some great stories and eye opening facts.
I would highly recommend it.
 Wasted potential May 6, 2008
L. Nelson
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I wanted a book with evidence of animal emotions, not some guy trying to make me feel guilty for not being a vegan. I already believe that animals have emotions, but I almost wanted to argue against it just because this book was so horrible. Find a book without so much bias, this author is a little crazy. Comparing hunting to rape? Come on now, that's stupid enough to be HIGHLY offensive. Masson is severely disconnected from reality, someone needs to go through the bibliography, pick out the relevant stuff and write a book with some value.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 69
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