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A review by arieltf
Mercy for Animals: One Man's Quest to Inspire Compassion and Improve the Lives of Farm Animals by Nathan Runkle, Gene Stone
5.0
Amazing. I have never read such in-depth accounts of undercover slaughterhouse workers. It was only a fraction of the whole book, but it will absolutely stick with me.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.