Animals Books

Terrorists or Freedom Fighters is a revolutionary conglomeration of individual viewpoints regarding the Animal Liberation Front. The book is not only thorough in its historical coverage, it includes the voices of many individuals, female and male, academics and activists, young and old.

Before one can make a value judgement concerning the ALF, she/he should be required to read this book, which explians the mindset and the psychological reasoning that fuels such radical actions as economic sabotage. Wonderfully organized and put together.

After anyone reads this book they will look at radicals with logic, reason, and a compassionate heart. This book, more then any other animal rights book from Animal Liberation by Singer or The Case for Animal Rights by Regan, stands far above them all. While at the same time all of those books are outstanding and must be read. The anthology approach of gathering many people together to write on an important topic should be done on all critical topics, bravo Best and Nocella. I now know so much more about different viewpoints and a strong stance to debate the use of direct action.

In this day and age, and especially in this country, where the words "freedom" and "terrorism" have become inextricably linked, "Terrorist or Freedom Fighters, Reflections on the Liberation of Animals" is a sobering reminder of who it is that has never been free and never will be free as long as human ignorance and greed exists.

I probably like many thousands or even millions of people are aware of the atrocities committed on animals, but who always kept those thoughts buried because our culture believes that humans have dominion over the animals. Dominion maybe, but with that power comes an incredible responsibility to care for them and see that they are treated with respect and compassion.

Certainly the mere fact of being a meat eater or wearing any sort of leather clothing would have to invoke some sort of thought regarding the processes whereby animals are turned into a meal or clothing. It doesn't take much of an imagination to envision this action even for some of us with the least creative of imaginations.

The arrogance of the human race is on full view in "Terrorist or Freedom Fighters and editors Steven Best, PhD and Anthony J. Nocella, II assemble a who's who in the animal and environmental rights movements to provide a collection of essays that call attention to the need to liberate animals from the hands of those who would torture, maim, kill and pervert them for sake of human proliferation and superiority.

The reader is given a glimpse into the origins of the radicalized animal liberation movements in both the UK and the US. A group calling itself "Bands of Mercy" began in Britain in 1972. Formed by Ronnie Lee and Cliff Goodman the group took its name from a 19th century youth wing of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). Their mission was simple, to take direct action against the deadly practice of fox hunts calling it "active compassion." After being arrested and imprisoned in 1974, Lee and Goodman split up in 1976. Goodman decided to take the legal route to animal liberation but Lee knew better. It was time for a revolution. Together with the remnants of the "Bands of Mercy" and two dozen new recruits, Lee formed the "Animal Liberation Front"(ALF). It wasn't until six years later that America got its own "Animal Liberation Front," its first direct action being the liberation of over thirty cats from the labs of Howard University.

None of the essays are gratuitous in their depiction of the horrors committed on animals - but the few words that do describe how we as humans treat animals provide compelling evidence of why direct action by groups such as the ALF is necessary.

Other essays cover everything from why direct action is necessary or unnecessary, the use "consequent anger" from a review of methods employed by St. Thomas Aquinas, to the comparison of ALF to the Jewish resistance movement of World War II and Abolitionist movement during the 1800's.

Some essays are anonymous such as one from the Western Wildlife Unit of the ALF talking about "what a handful of warriors can do" and what they must do. Others are personal such as the essay by Rod Coronado an ALF member. Written with passion and emotion, Coronado gives an account of his direct actions and his subsequent encounters with the FBI.

Perhaps the most disturbing and for me, most depressing, is the last essay by Best himself entitled, "It's War! The Escalating Battle Between Activists and the Corporate-State Complex." It details for us what only few know or even want to know - how our liberties have been eroded for the sake of security, empiricism, jingoism and corporate interest. And I can see how we as Americans have bought into it. Best says, "a new civil war is unfolding-one between forces hell-bent on exploiting animals and the earth for profit whatever the toll, and the activists steeled to resist this omnicide tooth and nail." It was at this point in the book that I began wondering if the guys who took action in the Boston Tea Party were rolling in their graves.

Best describes the steps the government has taken in clamping down on anyone who even utters "a discouraging word" against it. Indeed it seems as though the skies in America are "cloudy all day." He defines the government's definition of terrorism and gives ample example as to why anyone with the slightest intention of standing up for the animals, or the planet or anything for that matter, needs to think twice and then think again. I for one was extremely appreciative of this chapter.

This book, no, this handbook, is a must read for anyone who has even the slightest intention of standing up and speaking out for the liberation of all animals. It is a primer for the cause of animal liberation and the direct action that is needed to meet that end.

When George W. Bush uttered those famous words, "you're either with us or against us" little did he realize that he was speaking on behalf of the ALF and other groups whose mission is one of compassion for all animals, to take direct action in liberating a species who knows all too well what it's like to be on the short end of the stick.

With more than 20 authors from around the world, this book examines, theorizes, and professes, an outstanding concept, animal liberation in action. From academics to activists finally a book about the Animal Liberation Front - ALF. The ALF is an international nonviolent underground organization that has been around since 1976. This book should be a recommended read for every environmental and philosophy class. It is well edited and organized. If you enjoy stories, theory, philosophy, animal advocacy, or revolutionary struggles, you must read this book.

this book is amazing. with essays from people of all sorts of standpoints it allows you to make your own decision about the Animal Liberation Front. I bought this book off of Amazon.com and i have read it at least four times, everytime i read it i enjoy it more than the last.

I bought this book based on the reviews of others. My daughter is 1½ and since we live abroad, I am trying to encourage her English skills and the book sounded funny.

She loves this book and can now count to three and say "hatching", although I am not quite sure how handy THAT word comes in...:-)
The book is always read at least three times and I enjoy it as much as she does - I can highly recommend this book.

My son is in second grade, does not like to read. Does not want to. This book "read itself". The repetitions were not tedious, and the story made him laugh out loud ---and me too.
He liked it so much, he made pictures of a little boy with a bird on his head, he put a bird beanie baby when he walked in to his classroom and told the teacher "there is a bird on my head"!
From this one, he was willing to read the other elephant and piggie, then more books.

This series (Elephant and Piggie) is great for reluctant early readers! This is not the funniest of the series so far, but all of them include elements that help my child engage: slapstick humor, dramatic and funny banter, easy language coupled with sophisticated content. Hard to find combination.

I really love Mo. He's awesome and has a way of connecting with both of my boys (ages 4 & 6), me, and the grandparents. The illustrations are great. It's perfect for my 4 year old. I would prefer more challenging reading for my 6 year old, but he loves it.

Enjoy!

I happen to be waiting for exrays for my elderly mother and I happened to pick up this book and decided to make time pass quickly,so I began to read aloud to my mother (84yrs. old). Well, we both laughed wholeheartedly with each turn of the page. Even bystanders enjoyed it. So young or old, Mo touches the child in all of us.The humor was simple and well illustrated.I wish I had grandchildren to read to but I am sure going to get the entire collection, just in case, and in the meantime I will read to my favorite audience, Mom. Thanks for the moment!

"There's an Alligator Under My Bed" was on my entering-kindergartner's summer reading list and I can certainly understand why. It is a wonderful story about a little boy who conquers his fears. In this case, a large alligator that has taken up residency under his bed.

Mercer Meyer's illustrations are very entertaining and not at all scary, and I am happy to say that the boy's problem is resolved by brains, not brawn.

My kids love it.

Storytime, as you can imaging, in a preschool can be a bit challenging to say the least. If we are have a crazy day, I just pull out "There's An Alligatior Under My Bed" and the classroom goes silent as a room full of preschoolers sit and listen quietly mesmerized by this story. What more can I say. I love this book!

Like so many of us when we were children, our young hero in _There's an Alligator Under My Bed_ has trouble getting into bed safely due to the dangers that lurk under his bed. Since his parents never see the creature, he decides he must deal with it himself.

With one or two sentences per page, this is a great book to read to your toddlers and preschoolers to start a discussion about bedtime fears.

Why didn't his parents ever see the alligator? Can alligators really live under beds?

My 3 year old son and 5 year old daughter love this book! It is a must read every night before bed. The illustration is wonderful and the story absolutely adorable!!!!

Alligator problems dont happen often, but when it did it just happen to be under a little kid's bed, he had no name in the story. I think this is a cute story about responsibility.
Instead of depending on his parent the little kid takes care of it on his own by thinking of a plan. The plan was wise enough, I thought it was humerous how it was some what possible. The little kid maid a trail to the garage and closed the door. What was really cute was the note he left, being concerned about his dad, saying: " Dear Dad There is an alligator in the garage if you need help wake me up."
Personally I thought the whole concept of the plan was lesson learning for a kid, ages maybe 4-8, about problem soving. In and all that was a interesting book.

This book may not be the best choice for very young children, as it is rather long (it takes about 25 minutes to read aloud), and they might lose interest. I loved this book as a child, and was not disappointed to re-read it as an adult. This tale of mutual understanding and shared compassion and friendship is very satisfying. While bits of it may be a bit tense for some children, the ending is thoroughly uplifting. I highly recommend this book for children who like stories about animals, as well as for anyone who just wants to read a pleasant, well-illustrated story.

I read this book to my inner city 4th graders--the quiet and stillness in the room was magical. As soon as I finished they asked me to read it again. This is absolutely the best read aloud book I have shared with students in my 30+ years as an educator. Why oh why is it out of print?

I enjoyed this book, but I hate to do the homework.

I'm on a mission to collect all of the Warton & Morton books. When I was growing up, I had all of them, first on tape, and later in print. I wore out the whole series listening to and reading them so much. They're very entertaining and wholesome stories that are captivating to young minds. I can't wait to read them to my daughter when she gets a little older.

This is such a sweet, gentle, loving little book.

It's about two brother toads, Morton and Warton, one very stodgy, and the other more of an adventurer. Warton, the braver brother, decides to go out into the snow (toads are supposed to hibernate in winter) to visit his aunt. Almost instantly he is plucked up by an owl who wants to eat him, but decides to save him for a week, to have as a special treat on his birthday. It turns out the owl is lonely and friendless and little by little he is won over by Warton's conversation and small acts of kindness.

On television and in movies, and even in many books, children are constantly exposed to the idea that violence is the solution to almost every problem. I love the fact that in this work, intelligence, kindness, and compassion solve Warton's dilemma.

If you have a child who is just developing enough of an attention span to sit through a chapter book, it's hard to beat this little gem. It's very short, for one thing -- under seventy pages -- which makes it great for restless five or six year olds. And it has just enough danger in it to have small children on the edge of their seats without being too scary. It's cute and funny, and it's message is a great blessing.

It also has lots of sequels, which is a big plus when you're trying to get kids interested in reading more. Unfortunately most of the other Warton and Morton books are out of print, but any reasonable library should have them.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow nor gloom of night will keep this pack of hardy Arctic dogs from reaching their goal!

Togo was a beautiful male Siberian husky who was part of the team who got the serum through to Nome during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925. His part and those of the other dogs were eclipsed by one famous husky named Balto who led the team during the last 53 miles. Togo had quite a track record. He won many dog sled races and from the time he was 8 months old, showed his independent streak by hopping fences and holding his own as a musher with larger huskies and malamutes.

A strong, hardy dog with a curly tail, Togo plays an important role in history. During the outbreak of diptheria in January of 1925, a desperate plea was sent to the Governor in Juneau, declaring an emergency. A train was loaded with the necessary serum, but snow precluded it from getting through. In those days airplanes had open cockpits. Planes did not fly to Alaska then because inclement weather precluded air lift as pilots could not survive exposure to the extreme cold. The only way for the medicine to get through to Nome was via dog sled.

Enter Togo. The hardy husky, together with his canine team mates and musher Leonhard Seppala brave atrocious weather conditions for some 350 miles to get the medicine to Nome. Togo led his team for several days with no rest until a second musher picked up where this team left off.

The illustrations are masterpieces as well as this wonderful book. It is an important part of early U.S./Alaskan history and will be treasured by all ages. Readers will feel the freezing Arctic air as those huskies and malamutes brave long distances to get the serum to Nome. The dog sled teams got the medicine there several days before the deadline date. If not for these dogs, the epidemic would have claimed many casualties. Togo has rightfully earned his honored place in history and will be treasured for time immemorial.

This book makes me think of the 1979 classic, "Ain't No Stopping Us Now." Be sure to read this with other books about Balto and the incredible race against time during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925.

This book is thoroughly enjoyable and provides a well-told account of the amazing journey to provide life-saving vaccines. By only reasons for not giving it a full five stars were that I thought some of the illustrations might be a bit scary to younger children, and also I thought that the story ended rather abruptly -- it is good, but be prepared to answer youngsters questions such as "Did Togo get the people the medicine?" and "Why didn't Togo get to finish his race?" See also Big Enough Anna, by Pam Flowers, for a very different story that also involves sled dogs.

This is a wonderful true story about those who should should not be forgotten. "Togo" is a beautiful example of the blessings of sacrifice, love, devotion, and perseverence. Truely a story to touch your heart.

This is visually beautiful book that tells a beautiful story. This is a story of courage and strength. Togo's story needs to be told. I even purchased a copy for my son's elementary school library.

The book is beautiful. My son and I are following the Iditarod race electronically. In order to understand this race, we were looking into the original Great Serum Race and information about dog sledding. This is an eloquently told story based on facts that is fitting for an elementary student. The artwork is fantastic and helps pull you into the brutal winter conditions that is tied to the story.

Why are we the most violent and destructive species on this planet? In "An Unnatural Order", Jim Mason tells us. He opens with a clarification of the philosophy of 'dominionism' as expounded in most religions, and declares it as the principle at the root of human violence and warfare. He presents the case that there was a time when humans got along rather well with each other and the rest of nature. It was the time of the forager, mistakenly called the time of the hunter/gatherer by those looking through the filter of western philosophy and religion. For many thousands of years, Homo sapiens did not do much meat-eating or hunting, until widespread, organized hunting appears some 20,000 years ago. When foragers became hunters, and hunters became herdsmen, their view of nature changed from one of provider to one of enemy, and the notion of human supremacy was born. The non human animals, once seen as ancestors, neighbors, teachers and kin, began to be thought of as inferior, dangerous and evil, or simply commodities. With the advent of agriculture, and especially animal agriculture, ideas about a hierarchy of being, ownership of property, patriarchy, domination and exploitation begin to take over human culture. The idea of a male god, with man just below, and women, 'primitive' people and the other animals, below men, became the mindset of the "northern tribes." It was eventually sanctified by western religions and remains the dominant worldview today. Mason takes us on a journey through human history, unfettered by human ego, thoroughly explaining our dissociation from nature and animals, and the resulting losses, both pyschologically and spiritually. He probes deep, and finds the origins of warfare, racism, sexism, religionism and colonialism. He challenges the idea that agriculture was a great human achievement, arguing that it gave us repeating cycles of increased production and growth only at the expense of the environment and the animals that we enslaved. The result has not been success for all humans, but actually an increase in human starvation and suffering, caused by the human population explosion and the misuse of resources. Enslavement of non humans and then humans, followed by the introduction of organized warfare, are the results of the hunter / herder mentality that replaced the original cooperative, egalitarian nature of human culture. Mason, does not simply chronicle our mistakes, he seeks out causes, and offers solutions. He does not blame farmers for the disasters of agriculture, nor does he call for an end to religion. Instead he calls for a new approach to farming, and the return to the family farm, by the re-introduction of sustainable, humane farming methods. Likewise, he calls for a re-discovery of the suppressed voices of progressive theologians who have spoken out against dominionism for centuries. He asks us to re-evaluate our ideas of human supremacy and accept our proper role as a part of nature, not something above it. His approach is unique among most writers -- the preservationists, environmentalists or even the deep ecologists -- as he dares to ask "the animal question." When will we admit to the psychological lives of the other animals, and take this into consideration in our dealings with them? Do they exist just for us? Or are they part of our family, deserving every bit as much consideration as those of "our own kind."

In 1892, Henry Salt published the book Animals' Rights. While it was not totally ignored, it took nearly another century for the modern "Animal Rights" movement to begin, after the appearance of Peter Singer's Animal Liberation in 1975.

When reading An Unnatural Order it will be difficult to not get the impression that Jim Mason is a visionary, on par with Henry Salt. We are privileged to have Mason as a contemporary. Years from now people could easily look back on him as the spark that helped reverse the course of destruction humans were on at the end of the 20th Century. Unfortunately, as with the ideas in it-and like Salt's work-An Unnatural Order has been largely ignored. Like a great movie that no one has seen, the fault for this must lay with lack of promotion. This review is appearing several years after the book's publication. This is unfortunate. An Unnatural Order is an important book.

"This book is written in hope and celebration. My hope is that we have the strength to rid ourselves of the destructive strands in Western culture," Mason begins. These destructive strands manifest themselves in the "Nature Question." Grossly simplified, the Nature Question is the intellectual belief that somewhere in our evolutionary past our ancestors broke their bonds with the living earth and put Homo sapiens above all other life on the planet, resulting in our species having no sense of kinship with other life nor any sense of belonging. The earth is beneath us; we are alienated from nature.

Mason continues "It is now time to bring this question into popular discussion, and I hope this book is a start." The roots of our alienation are deep-and deeply explored. Thirty pages are devoted to identifying dominionism. A picture of the world before agriculture-the seed of dominionism-is painted. Using current research and extensive references, a vivid portrait results that is as believable as any anthropologist's.

An all-things-are-connected web is spun, touching animal-human history and relationships; the crossover to agriculture; misogyny and misothery (the author's invention for "an attitude of hatred and contempt for animals and nature"); racism, colonialism, and dominionism. The breadth of his discussion is extensive and not every reader will agree with all of Mason's personal viewpoints. It irrelevant. In the long run one will feel certain that the book hits the mark of verity.

The final chapter brings it all together and offers Mason's broad outline for what needs to be done to turn dominionism around. He shows how the awareness of our social and environmental problems is widely known, citing the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, quoting political leaders and scholars, and referencing a who's who list of environmental writers, who he concludes all have the same message: "Humanity needs fundamental changes in its relationship with nature."

Supplying the missing piece, Mason states: "All having laid down such strong rhetoric, however, the movers and shakers, with rare exceptions, stop dead in their tracks when they approach the Animal Question. The Animal Question is regarded as illegitimate, silly, peripheral." To address the Animal Question reduces ones credibility. Driving home the point, Mason ponders how Christopher Stone's landmark 1972 article "Should Trees Have Standing?" would have been received had he written "Should Chimpanzees Have Standing?" He concludes that the Animal Question "is the very heart" of the Nature Question. The two cannot be separated. In order to make any progress toward healing our dominionist worldview, this gap must be bridged.

In the last few years some headway seems to have been made in this area. For too long the wedge that existed between "animal" and "environmental" groups has done all harm and no good. Since An Unnatural Order's publicatiom, there has been a call for unity as well as a more serious acceptance of the "Animal Question." Peter Singer's 1993 book and continued efforts with The Great Ape Project; the publication of When Elephants Weep by Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy; and E magazine, which, beginning with its September/October 1995 issue, published a three-part series "to promote a dialogue between these two disparate communities," are just a few. Hopefully this is the start of serious progress.

In 1993, Jim Mason's An Unnatural Order appeared. While not totally ignored, there may never be a "modern dominionism" movement. If the message in his book is even remotely accurate, our culture cannot wait 80 years for some as-yet-unborn author to rediscover An Unnatural Order's message.

Joseph Connelly

This book influenced me more than any book I've read in the last several years. It profoundly changed the way I understand our culture's treatment of animals and our alienation from nature. As a biologist and a writer, I've spent my life thinking and writing about nature and animals. But Mason caused me to reflect differently on many of the experiences I had at universities, caused me to understand differently the detachment that many science professionals practice when studying their subject animals, even in relatively humane ways.

Mason examines the origins of the myths that sustain our need to dominate and control nature, and our separation from nature. Before I read this book, I regarded Americans' abuse of animals as a self-contained problem. Now I understand it to be just one facet of our estrangement from our own basic needs, and from nature, that has led not only to the grossest mistreatment of animals, but to racism and misogyny. Mason pulls it all together in a brilliant cohesive portrait of perhaps our most serious modern dilemma.

Buy a copy of this book for everyone you know!!!

Jim Mason is a intellectual visionary - ahead of his time.

Very rarely does a book come along, you read it and then think - wow this single book really could make a difference if enough people read it.

Unnatural Order analyzes the West's dominionist world view which exalts humans as overlords and the rightful owners of all other life on our planet.

Through very astute analyst, Mr. Mason explains how our society came up with this "might is right / bullying" attitude and how this same archaic and selfish mindset is not only adversely effecting every living thing on this planet but the very planet itself.

I would suggest that if you're a high school teacher and you really want to "make a difference" to some young minds buy a copy for each of your students to read and discuss. This is that powerful of a book.

Without being preachy, Mr. Mason has shown a keen insight into some very challenging problems we as a species are now facing and how we can address those challenges for a better future.

my son really enjoyed these books. I loved the fact that they were affrodable. I will get more books for sure.

My 8 year old daughter just loves these books. She discovered them in her school library and would check out as many as she could. She would sit and read these for up to 6 hours a day, which I would rather her be doing than spending that much time on her video games. Luckily her school does have the AR tests for them and I found out that they are 5th and 6th grade level books with an AR point value of 10-12 each! My daughter has now read all the books in this series that the school library has and had to find some other books to read now, but she is looking forward to the new releases of the Warriors books when they come out!

I bought a boxed set of these books for my daughter Andrea this Christmas. Not having read the books myself, I can only go by her opinion, but it appears these Cat-aclysmic stories are utterly fascinating. Andrea's second language is English, so Erin Hunter deserves kudos for having written in a style that is both accessible to a twelve-year-old and a non-native English-speaker. Considering the fact that Andrea is also something of a TV addict, I'm happy to see her taking off with these novels and hopefully building a foundation for a life of reading. My thanks to Ms. Hunter.

My daughter is 9 and in fourth grade but reads at a 6th grade level. She has always looked at reading like it was punishment. I've tried Harry Potter, other animal series books to no avail. She read the first in this series and was hooked. This is the first review I've written about any product on Amazon, but I am so excited that she WANTS to read that I had to tell some other parents that may be struggling to get their kids to read. The only downside is that I'm afraid she'll never read again if they stop making these books! Kudos to the Erin Hunter crew, thank you!

"Today is a good day to die, but tomorrow is better. Unless, those doing the dying are six foot, mutated chipmunks with blaster rifles. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I should start at the beginning. If you ask me, the end makes a fine beginning. Things come together and things fall apart, and the fur flies a little easier with the help of a Rolling Thunderä shotgun, as long as that fur isn't mine, and I'm the one pulling the trigger. Yep, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, but I ain't Mr. Rogers."

"But, I should introduce myself, you can call me Ishmael. Just kidding, bit of classical allusion there. Call me Hobo, warrior, poet, and one fine-looking feline, that's me. See, all cats are warriors, at least at heart, and that's why I'm the best one to introduce the series, Warriors."

Warriors is a book series first published in 2003 by Kate Cary and Cherith Baldry, under the pen name Erin Hunter, and introduced to me by cat and book lover Billy Waltz. The second series was written under the title Warriors: The New Prophecy. The third series, The Power of Three, and two more books, Firestar's Quest and Secrets of the Clans, are coming in 2007.

The series starts off with Into the Wild and a young "kitty pet"(house cat) name Rusty who yearns for adventure and has vivid dreams of the wilds. He meets a young feral cat, and this meeting leads to a chance to join a clan of wild cats called Thunderclan. He's renamed Firepaw and becomes an apprentice warrior. He finds himself in the middle of a tribal war with three other clans who coexist and compete for food and resources.

Allegiances are constantly shifting among the clans of warrior cats that roam the forest. With tensions so delicately balanced, former friends can become enemies overnight, and some cats are willing to kill to get what they want. Our young protagonist quickly moves from apprentice to warrior, to second-in-command, to leader of his clan. He must learn wisdom, deal with betrayal, and ultimately save his clan and the forest way of life.

The author has created an intriguing world with an intricate structure and mythology. There is intrigue, themes of loyalty, friendship and death, and an engaging young hero. The difficult life of a feral cat is described in some detail. (Oct. 16 is national feral cat day. Check out www.nationalferalcatday.org ) The cats, anthropomorphism aside, are true to their feline nature, which should delight cat and animal lovers alike. There is some violence. Some characters are killed through fighting and natural disasters, and there is treachery, betrayal and traitors, and even murder among the cats and clans, though it is crucial to the plot and not excessive.

Overall, I believe readers will find a fun-to-read series of books. Though not as elegantly written as Brian Jacques' Redwall series. The superb storytelling drew me into a realm so vivid that it could almost be real and I really came to care about the characters I found myself staying up late, with the old flashlight under the cover trick, to finish the books, and that Sand Storm sounds like a babe. Wonder what she's doing Saturday night? Hey, this cat is a fighter and a lover....

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

If you are interested in the environment and whales and support the fact that what the Japanese are doing by slaughtering whales is WRONG then you MUST read this book, I thought it was great !!!

It is only toward the end of _The Whale Warriors: The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the Planet's Largest Mammals_ (Free Press) that author Peter Heller describes the atrocities being committed against whales by the Japanese whaling fleets. He doesn't see them himself, but describes a video that was shot aboard one of the whalers showing the effects of explosive harpoons and the drawn out electrocution of a pregnant whale. "There is no more barbaric method of slaughter on earth, in any meat industry," Heller writes. "This prolonged butchery and torture are reserved for the most intelligent, most social order of beings." You don't have to be an ecology freak or tree hugger to be disgusted by the slaughter, carried out by Japanese whalers in the guise of doing scientific research (and then, oh, by the way, selling the "autopsied" whales for meat). It doesn't matter that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society does seem to consist mostly ecology freaks, vegans, and starry-eyed whale enthusiasts. They are doing what they can to stop the whale hunts, and this book is Heller's riveting account of Sea Shepherd's voyage at the end of 2005 to confront the whale hunters on their own grounds.

Sea Shepherd has its own ship, the _Farley Mowatt_, an ancient 200-ton former freighter, painted black and flying the Jolly Roger. By at least some definitions, the crew are pirates, and their work is certainly not subtle, including ramming, using propeller foulers to entangle the props and immobilize the ship, and stink bombs. They get away with it because no one wants to take them to court where they can publicize the evils of whaling. The captain of the _Farley_ and its 43 volunteer crewmembers is the bearish Paul Watson, an original founder of Greenpeace from which he is now estranged. As Heller pictures him, he is an anti-Ahab, monomaniacally pursuing those who are pursuing whales, brilliant in leadership and expression, but also quite possibly crazy. "I did not think he was exactly insane," Heller writes. His fast-moving account of the 51 days of pursuit includes portraits of remarkable crew members, many of whom are completely inexperienced as sailors. It isn't all grim on board; there is a great deal of silliness, poker games, much drinking, bad music, snowboarding on icebergs, and even a New Year's Day dip in the icy water. The descriptions of the _Farley_ at sea, encrusted with ice and taking dangerous rolls are indeed scary. The eventual chase and the climatic confrontation with the whalers is full of adrenaline, while the ship's muted success fits fully the ambiguities described herein.

Paul Watson's tactics may be controversial, but readers will be cheering for him by the end of this book. The reason is that Sea Shepherd might be pirates, but they still have the moral high ground against whalers. On this very voyage, they were pursuing Japanese whalers who were bent on killing whales which everyone knows are endangered, and taking them out of waters within an internationally established whale sanctuary. You don't have to agree with Watson's methods, but everyone must agree that current international conservation laws are not being enforced, and that the world is turning a blind eye to violations because of reluctance to upset trading partners. Heller's brilliant account of a harrowing voyage might report the quixotic follies of the ship _Farley Mowatt_, but it is an angry and bitter education into the destructive follies of whaling.

There has never been a book that has spoken to me like this one. It takes you through so many emotions - pain, frustration, anticipation, laughter, hope. Even if you cannot completely agree with Captain Paul Watson's actions, you can appreciate his passion. You turn the pages eagerly, waiting for a climax and even when it comes it leaves you wanting more. And that is the point - this is a story that will never end as long as there is the unnecessary murder of the oceans most peaceful mammals and a man like Captain Paul Watson ready to protect them.

As author Peter Heller says on his web site, no writer of fiction could hope to invent the wild truth on display in this tale of adventure on the high seas. Heller joined Captain Paul Watson and his 44 crew members aboard the Farley Mowat to find and stop the Japanese whaling fleet in 2005.

Heller's balance of objectivity and subjectivity provides for a very engaging and exciting read. This book is perfect for reading aloud, which is how we have been approaching it. Heller's prose style creates a you-are-there feeling. Mingled with regular visits to the Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace web sites for real-time blog updates, the reader can really feel like they are on the journey. This is an ongoing battle between those who see whales as intelligent, sensitive, and aware; and those who see them only as a "resource" to be harvested to the fullest extent. It is being played out right now in the southern ocean, so this book has an immediacy and relevance beyond the story it tells of 2005.

It would be enough if this were a great adventure well told, but The Whale Warriors is more than that. It is a decent introduction to the current state of the ocean. The information is woven so neatly into the story that the blend of plot, commentary and factual information is nearly seamless.

Kudos to Peter Heller for taking on a controversial and emotional subject, and telling the story in a form accessible to everyone.

The Whale Warriors is an exciting page turner about the 2006 whaling campaign in Antartica. It is chock full of harrowing information about the state of our seas (scientists predict the entire ocean will collapse by 2048!) to amazing insight into marine mammals (dolphins will refer to themselves and the dolphin they are communicating with by name AND also refer to a third dolphin by name during a dolphin-conversation).

The book delves into the interesting and diverse cast of characters aboard the Farley Morat. Who would give up everything (family, a livelihood) to risk their lives at the edges of the earth for a whale? You'd be surprised.

This book is both exhilarating and heart-breaking. An adventure worth taking that will change, forever, the way you look at the ocean.

thanks for a book like this i have a therapy dog myself i trained for me and then i followed his lead when he showed he wanted and needed and was so good at helping others
i have only read excepts of the book but will buy it my dad is dying of parkinson disease 1000 miles away i am a daddy girl so this time is hard anyway since i have no way to see him
your book helps so much
turns out my dads dog-has saved my dad a few times himself by going to get mom everytime dad falls or needs things
i know if i could get up to dad i could train the dog to do more
the dog is a cocker spaniel raised from 2 weeks old by my mom,but seems to glue itself to dad as dad got sicker
as i always said dogs know more then we think they do and do so much for people
what a gift god gave with allowing us a small time with his critters
[...]

I am grateful to Lynne Hugo for her heartwarming and insightful book. She encouraged me to continue to visit nursing homes and Alzheimer patients with my toy poodle, Lucy, even though she is not trained to perfection. Lucy brings joy to residents and care providers. God has presented me with the opportunity to share my dog and I am proud to serve Him in this way.

I can see why this book won a national writing prize. What a sheer pleasure to read. It's thoughtful, deeply considered and the language sparkles as the author deals with terribly difficult issues but helps us through them by injecting literally hilarious episodes at just the right moments. Marley and Me has nothing funnier than sections of this book. My dog and I are Delta Society volunteers, and I, too, have aging parents. Much of this helped me think about my own life as well as my parents' situations, and I'm really grateful that a friend recommended this book. Now I'm passing the favor on and giving this my most enthusiastic endorsement.

An enjoyable book! I was moved emotionally by the connections of the dog therapy team, the residents they visited, and the nature around them. Nice symbolism showing how human life events parallel changes in nature.

I throughly enjoyed reading "Where the Trail Grows Faint: A Year in the Life of a Therapy Dog Team" by Lynne Hugo. Lynne Hugo is masterful at blending the story of Hannah, her beautiful chocolate lab therapy dog, with the lives of the people who are in the nursing home, along with the lives of her own aging parents. Ms. Hugo has a beautiful way with words; her prose creates atmosphere and feeling....so much so that at the conclusion of the book, I immediately went to visit my own aging mother-in-law, who is in an assisted living facility. This book was clearly written from the heart!

I was a little disappointed. THis book doesn't keep my almost-two-year olds attention as well as I thought. He prefers his Sandra Boyton books much better. I do love the colorful pictures though. Maybe in a year or so he'll be more interested.

I love this book. It's a great "find-the-hidden-things" kind of book that kids love, and it teaches vocabulary in a fun way. Kids can learn the names of many different kinds of animals, as well as the descriptive words that illustrate them (e.g. who has horns, who is backward, who is sleeping, etc.) Finding the hidden descriptors is not super obvious even to adults, so it also teaches them to look closely at details when finding things.

I recommend this book to anyone with young kids - the kids love it and it's a great teaching tool as well!

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

Awesome, awesome book. Great for memory skill building, great for noticing detail, fun for interacting together. This is a book we all look forward to at our house! Love, love it. Wish there were more books like it. Love the illustrations too, and the clean modern design. Just awesome, you won't regret buying this one- the sooner the better!

Always looking for new and imaginitive books for my 2-year-old. Was pleased to find this one. The "guessing games" get more difficult as you turn the page, with fewer clues as to the animal's species being revealed. Eventually the child must call upon memory recollection to guess the animals. Wonderfully challenging for a preschooler, or any child learning their animals.