A review by ruth24
The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young

3.0

In [b:The Secret Life of Cows|1427532|The Secret Life of Cows|Rosamund Young|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328694383l/1427532._SY75_.jpg|1418022], Rosamund Young gives insight into the relationships and emotional lives of the cows she raises on her family farm. Didn't think cows could have personalities, complex feelings, friendships and family drama? Neither did I! I don't know why it's so surprising - perhaps because we would feel guilty eating meat if we knew the animal it came from had friends or a quirky personality trait that would make us smile. Although this book definitely isn't about becoming vegetarian (the farm raises cows for both dairy and meat), Young does speak to the benefits of giving cows, and other animals bred for consumption, freedom of choice and movement and plenty of space and comfort. This thin little book opened my eyes to both farm life and animals' inner lives - something that's not always top of mind for me, living in a major city. I would recommend it to animal lovers and fans of [b:All Creatures Great and Small|32085|All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small, #1)|James Herriot|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1393644607l/32085._SX50_.jpg|69329306]. Bonus - it's short so you can definitely read it in a single day!