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Reviews
Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals by Catherine Johnson, Temple Grandin
sunbreak's review against another edition
4.0
This gave me lots to think about, and was a pretty good read too.
Attention people who love to babble about how much you love bacon: It may be trendy to like bacon, but check back in with me after you've read the pig chapter.
Attention people who love to babble about how much you love bacon: It may be trendy to like bacon, but check back in with me after you've read the pig chapter.
nphoenix09's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this book on CDs, it was a great book with lots of information but sounded like it would be a hard read. Enjoyed it though!
bluepazookie's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.5
There were a LOT of problems and misinformation in the dog section in particular. A lot of labels were used without behavioral definitions, Cesar Milan cited in a good light, etc. There were recommendations made that are not best practices and prospective pet owners were encouraged to only look for really narrow/limited behavior responses in sheltered pets in order to find a “good” one… The farm animal sections felt a little more relevant/informative due to the author’s experience, but their perspective is that they choose to continue to improve conditions within the walls of a slaughterhouse and in slaughterhouse design, rather than that of an animal rights perspective.
hufflepuffbiologybuff's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoying book to read, after reading this, I understood why different animals act the way that they do. I feel more compassionate toward animals and feel more connected to them.
gg1213's review against another edition
3.0
After a month passing from the time I actually finished the book to now, I'm finally doing my review over the non-fiction book "Animals Make Us Human".
This book was recommended to me a few years ago by a close friend, and I got around to purchasing it earlier this year/late last year.
Honestly, after being away from the blog for a few weeks, this is the perfect review to help me ease back into the routine, because there isn't too much to say. As the description reads, the book focuses on how to make sure animals have the best welfare possible- using Grandin's expertise and childhood anecdotes to make the story read less like a scientific-psychological study, and more like a guide of sorts.
The book is divided by animals grouping: dogs, cats, horses, poultry etc. So no matter what animals you encounter or are curious about, there will be information in the book for you.
The main problems I had with the book were these:
1)The price: even the paperback of this book is around $15 cover price (though I think it goes for a little less on amazon), and even the ebook is $10. Granted, it's probably possible to find this book on sale or in the library, but if not, that's a lot of money to spend on one book depending on who you are. The price may also seem a little too much considering the other "flaws" I found with the book.
2) The writing and content: the very reason you'll pick this book up could be a reason it's not amazing for you. It's non fiction and it's not a memoir or a compilation of stories- so there are plenty of times when the book becomes a little slow. Especially when you are no longer reading about animals you come into contact with on a regular basis (i.e. if you don't live on a farm, the chapters about cows, pigs, chickens...they may drag on for you). All the information is insightful and eye-opening, which will keep you interested, but it will still become a little dry if you aren't extremely interested in some of the animals discussed in the book.
All in all, I liked the book. Despite the slower parts, I'm glad I read it, but I would definitely recommend you be a general animal lover if you want to read it- if you only like dogs, or cats..then most of the book will be uninteresting to you and there are plenty of books written about singular animal species.
This book was recommended to me a few years ago by a close friend, and I got around to purchasing it earlier this year/late last year.
Honestly, after being away from the blog for a few weeks, this is the perfect review to help me ease back into the routine, because there isn't too much to say. As the description reads, the book focuses on how to make sure animals have the best welfare possible- using Grandin's expertise and childhood anecdotes to make the story read less like a scientific-psychological study, and more like a guide of sorts.
The book is divided by animals grouping: dogs, cats, horses, poultry etc. So no matter what animals you encounter or are curious about, there will be information in the book for you.
The main problems I had with the book were these:
1)The price: even the paperback of this book is around $15 cover price (though I think it goes for a little less on amazon), and even the ebook is $10. Granted, it's probably possible to find this book on sale or in the library, but if not, that's a lot of money to spend on one book depending on who you are. The price may also seem a little too much considering the other "flaws" I found with the book.
2) The writing and content: the very reason you'll pick this book up could be a reason it's not amazing for you. It's non fiction and it's not a memoir or a compilation of stories- so there are plenty of times when the book becomes a little slow. Especially when you are no longer reading about animals you come into contact with on a regular basis (i.e. if you don't live on a farm, the chapters about cows, pigs, chickens...they may drag on for you). All the information is insightful and eye-opening, which will keep you interested, but it will still become a little dry if you aren't extremely interested in some of the animals discussed in the book.
All in all, I liked the book. Despite the slower parts, I'm glad I read it, but I would definitely recommend you be a general animal lover if you want to read it- if you only like dogs, or cats..then most of the book will be uninteresting to you and there are plenty of books written about singular animal species.
suzemo's review against another edition
3.0
The title of this book "Animals Make us Human" completely misrepresents the book. I was expecting something a little more philosophical, I guess with that kind of title. The subtitle - "Creating the Best Life for Animals" modifies it a bit, and if that were the title, alone, it would have been more representative of the book.
The other issue I had, was that the book was wildly inconsistent. Each part of the book was about a specific animal (Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cattle, Chickens). While the Dogs, Cats and Horses used case studies, behavioral studies, and ancestral behaviors to explain (and sometimes debunk) theories behind behaviors, the Cattle and Chicken chapters went into some of the horrors of slaughter houses and how Temple Grandin had worked in the industry to improve conditions and did not talk about behavior with nearly the depth that other chapters had.
While I think Temple Grandin is terrific, and I enjoyed huge swaths of the book, I just wish it had been edited to be a little more consistent - why talk about the horrors of chicken farming, but not puppy mills? Why focus on wolf behaviors and studies between wolves and dog behaviors but not discuss wild horse behavior vs domestic horses and different breeds? It wasn't a bad book, just a book in need of some editing for consistency's sake.
As for the author herself - she did a great job in each chapter, and I appreciate the viewpoint of a practical animal welfare proponent who wants to make the best lives for the animals under our care, and not a knee jerk, radical animal rights activist. Grandin is very even-keeled and thoughtful, with very sound evidence for her ideas and a genuine concern for the welfare of animals that is wonderful to read about.
The other issue I had, was that the book was wildly inconsistent. Each part of the book was about a specific animal (Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cattle, Chickens). While the Dogs, Cats and Horses used case studies, behavioral studies, and ancestral behaviors to explain (and sometimes debunk) theories behind behaviors, the Cattle and Chicken chapters went into some of the horrors of slaughter houses and how Temple Grandin had worked in the industry to improve conditions and did not talk about behavior with nearly the depth that other chapters had.
While I think Temple Grandin is terrific, and I enjoyed huge swaths of the book, I just wish it had been edited to be a little more consistent - why talk about the horrors of chicken farming, but not puppy mills? Why focus on wolf behaviors and studies between wolves and dog behaviors but not discuss wild horse behavior vs domestic horses and different breeds? It wasn't a bad book, just a book in need of some editing for consistency's sake.
As for the author herself - she did a great job in each chapter, and I appreciate the viewpoint of a practical animal welfare proponent who wants to make the best lives for the animals under our care, and not a knee jerk, radical animal rights activist. Grandin is very even-keeled and thoughtful, with very sound evidence for her ideas and a genuine concern for the welfare of animals that is wonderful to read about.
grosegreen's review against another edition
4.0
This book was incredibly interesting and informative. It really helped me to understand different species and methods for reading their well-being and giving them good lives. It’s so vital to have people doing this work in animal agriculture, and it is encouraging to read that it can be done right.
sarahlopod's review against another edition
4.0
I started Animals Make Us Human a few days ago and just finished it up! I enjoyed it a lot. It's always nice to gain some insight into what animals are thinking and how they work. The focus of this book specifically was to talk about the emotional welfare of various animals. There was a good mix of animals to learn about, from pets to animals in the slaughter industry to zoos. Grandin's point of view is unique and offers a lot to think about. She makes it clear that things aren't always as black-and-white as we think they may be. I felt like I learned a lot in reading this and would absolutely recommend it to others
hagbard_celine's review against another edition
2.0
Eh, it was ok. The author has obviously done extraordinary work for the welfare of farm animals. Lotta street cred.
But I'm, um, *skeptical* of her insistence on equating autistic minds with animal minds.
But I'm, um, *skeptical* of her insistence on equating autistic minds with animal minds.