From Booklist
In a series of short essays, psychoanalyst and animal-loving author Masson (
When Elephants Weep, 1995;
Dogs Never Lie About Love, 1997) examines his 100 favorite animals--actually more than 100, as many accounts (pigeons, beetles) cover an entire group of animals. In impressionistic prose, Masson conveys snippets of information along with his own feelings and views about each animal. In taxonomically wide-ranging discourse, Masson looks at animals ranging from octopus to okapi, from spider to tuatara, from chicken to sturgeon. Typically, each essay touches on the aspects of the animal in question that Masson finds most fascinating, leading to musings on emotions and ethics engendered by each species. An essay on jellyfish discusses the dangers of their venom and the wonders of their eyes, revealing that the more we know, the less anthropocentric we become. Although Masson's emotional writing style is not for everyone, his breathless passion for the other lives that share our planet is infectious, and the short-essay format makes for interesting, bite-size reading.
Nancy BentCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
Praise for Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
When Elephants Weep
“This is not only an important book, it is marvelous! If animals could read they would be filled with joy and gratitude to the author–it is scholarly, vivid, and compelling.”
–Dr. Jane Goodall
The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats
“Fascinating . . . a book full of uncommon insight.”
–O: The Oprah Magazine
Dogs Never Lie About Love
“Compelling . . . a veritable valentine to man’s best friend.”
–Los Angeles Times Book Review
The Pig Who Sang to the Moon
“An intellectual feast . . . a banquet of ideas and ideals.”
–The Washington Post
Raising the Peaceable Kingdom
“Thought-provoking [and] totally delightful . . . will captivate any animal lover.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch
