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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Don't read this book. Rosamund Young spends most of the book anthropomorphizing cows. She takes a few jabs at conventional farming (some is definitely deserved). She promotes homeopathy over medicine and questions vaccine testing regimens. Basically sprinkled throughout the amusing cow stories is unsupported anti-science rhetoric.
If you can get through the anthropomorphism, polemics and Alan Bennett's introduction there are some fascinating observations of a seemingly unique farm life.
I would have liked more of this and more explanation of how the farm worked. I was puzzled by the repeated assertion that the cows knew best and could manage themselves with the scant descriptions of the huge amount of work that goes into the farm. I found it odd that this was so undervalued as well as the avoidance of almost any description of death for meat production. Rosamund Young goes into repeated detail about the grief her animals feel others die of natural causes and I found this and other omissions of farm life disingenuous at best.
I came away with the sense this was a book to reassure a certain type of mawkishness about country living and while it's clear that the farm has had some amazing successes in animal welfare this is obscured by oozing sentimentality.
Read a Shepherd's life instead.
I would have liked more of this and more explanation of how the farm worked. I was puzzled by the repeated assertion that the cows knew best and could manage themselves with the scant descriptions of the huge amount of work that goes into the farm. I found it odd that this was so undervalued as well as the avoidance of almost any description of death for meat production. Rosamund Young goes into repeated detail about the grief her animals feel others die of natural causes and I found this and other omissions of farm life disingenuous at best.
I came away with the sense this was a book to reassure a certain type of mawkishness about country living and while it's clear that the farm has had some amazing successes in animal welfare this is obscured by oozing sentimentality.
Read a Shepherd's life instead.
Audio
Loved this, even though I'm frightened of cows. They're more relatable than I thought.
The author reads the audio book and it takes a while for her to warm up, so persist!
Loved this, even though I'm frightened of cows. They're more relatable than I thought.
The author reads the audio book and it takes a while for her to warm up, so persist!
This is a cute little book detailing one farmers observations of behaviour of her herd of cows. It talks about the importance of non-intensive farming methods and is filled with anecdotes about how cows (and pigs, hens and sheep) interact with each other and communicate with humans. Very twee quick read but leaves a few things to think about regarding choices made in the supermarket when buying food.
While a bit disturbed by the trust in homeopathy, it came later in a book I thoroughly enjoyed. It is also given support because of the individual approach to treatment, so while I don’t support claims that homeopathy ‘works’ in any meaningful way, I sympathise with why Young mentions it, and has faith in it.
The wider book, it is such a relaxing read, and in a very gentle way softens your heart to the welfare of animals. I have been, simultaneously, reading a book on African American history and I could not help but draw parallels between factory farming and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ description of slave plantations. I could not help but wonder, will people 150 years from now look at our treatment of farm animals as many of us today look back on the institution of slavery?
I read a couple of negative reviews of this book post-finishing and a common critique was how Young anthropomorphises her charges. I take the point, I remember that as a criticism from GCSE English of much in literature, but I think here that misses the point. Young is trying to show that we are not all so different after all, and anthropomorphisation of her farm animals is entirely appropriate for that (and as she argues, something many of us do with pets).
In summary, this is a great book if you want to go at a slower and more relaxed pace, develop your empathy, have some heartening conversations with friends, and reflect on some big questions without feeling like you’re being subjected to a polemic.
The wider book, it is such a relaxing read, and in a very gentle way softens your heart to the welfare of animals. I have been, simultaneously, reading a book on African American history and I could not help but draw parallels between factory farming and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ description of slave plantations. I could not help but wonder, will people 150 years from now look at our treatment of farm animals as many of us today look back on the institution of slavery?
I read a couple of negative reviews of this book post-finishing and a common critique was how Young anthropomorphises her charges. I take the point, I remember that as a criticism from GCSE English of much in literature, but I think here that misses the point. Young is trying to show that we are not all so different after all, and anthropomorphisation of her farm animals is entirely appropriate for that (and as she argues, something many of us do with pets).
In summary, this is a great book if you want to go at a slower and more relaxed pace, develop your empathy, have some heartening conversations with friends, and reflect on some big questions without feeling like you’re being subjected to a polemic.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Cute lil read I picked up from a street library! I already knew cows were very intelligent creatures but it was so fun to read all these anecdotes about their personalities and such.
Hmm too much anthropomorphism, too flowery. And then after all of that you find out they are selling the cows for beef anyway, which was a shock after reading the flowery anecdotes about communicating with cows and such. I guess I was looking for something that was a bit grittier, illustrating a typical farmer's life; I gather Young's farming experience is quite niche.
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced