Today's pick is When Elephants Weep: the Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy. (you can find his author's site here) I was reading the newspaper one day many, many months ago, and I ran across a letter to the editor blasting people who believed that animals had feelings. I was shocked. It had never occurred to me that there were people out there who thought animals didn't have feelings! I know they do. I watched my dog mourn when her older 'brother' had to be 'put down'. It surprised me some because it was so intense. I held Freckles while he passed. When I got home, Brie sniffed me all over then she laid down and just howled - I have never heard a sound like that. She understood what had happened and she was sad.
Obviously, then, I was attracted to this book that discusses animals and how we can tell that they have emotions. (it doesn't hurt that there are elephants on the cover and I am totally in awe of elephants!) The pictures on the back cover will make you smile as well. In case you are missing it, I'll put it right out there: this book is non-fiction. It is a study of animals and the behaviour they exhibit that allows us to 'see' that they have feelings.
Inside the front cover there is a quote from Jane Goodall that will serve as my final word on this book:
This is not only an important book, it's marvelous! If animals could read they would be filled with joy and gratitude to the authors - as I am. It is scholarly vivid, and compelling. Please read it.
I can't read real animal stories... I get to emotional!! If an animal dies, that hits me more than a human... so weird, I know! Enjoy
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Happy Reading!
Lindsay @ Turning the Pages
This sounds so interesting but it sounds like something that might make me cry!
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