2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
heartwarming, May 18, 2010
This review is from: From Elephants to Mice: Animals Who Have Touched My Soul (Hardcover)
As in his previous book, "Saving Molly", once again Jim Mahoney gives us a unique peek into the lives of individual animals and animals in general. There are many thought-provoking questions regarding animals and how we relate to them, as well as how we use them. These are left for the reader to ponder. Thoroughly enjoyable. Hope there is a sequel to this one.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
From Elephants to Mice an elegant, heartfelt memoir, July 17, 2010
This review is from: From Elephants to Mice: Animals Who Have Touched My Soul (Hardcover)
In spite of the incendiary opinions which invariably arise when the subject of animal use in veterinary and medical research is broached, Dr. James Mahoney provides a thoughtful and sensitive perspective on a subject he knows all too well. Having spent the majority of his career in the field, veterinarian and researcher Mahoney shares his unflinching commentary on the needs of humanity, the rights of animals, and the inevitable conflicts that occur when the two mix. His career arc traces an evolution of conscience from that of a scientist to one of an advocate for all those without a voice, and it includes deep involvement in primate research, the ethics of captivity, and the complex relationships between humans and their pets.
There is no mistaking, however, where Mahoney's allegiances lie: the animals he sees day-in and day-out shape the very essence of his being. Along the way, their powerful spirits and personalities emerge, and give reason to the brave and even reckless decisions Mahoney makes in pursuit of doing the right thing for those entrusted to his care. From clashes with the Indian government over a tragically heroic elephant, to a dramatic showdown with American authorities over research chimps he attempts to smuggle across the country to sanctuary, Mahoney repeatedly challenges himself to become a better person by putting his evolving beliefs into action.
At times reminiscent of James Herriot's writings, From Elephants to Mice gives voice to the voiceless through an unlikely but likable hero. In the process, it asks important questions without being strident, without the vitriol so common to the subject, and it leaves the reader with a growing awareness and nascent humility in the face of the dignity of beasts. This book is as much a journey of spiritual maturation of one human soul as it is a treatise on ethics and morality, and the source of it all is nature, both captive and wild.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scarey and Touching and Sad and Inspiring and Heart-Breaking, June 2, 2010
This review is from: From Elephants to Mice: Animals Who Have Touched My Soul (Hardcover)
A touching memoir of one research veterinarians struggle between his love for animals and his career using animals for medical research.
Read more at Suite101: From Elephants to Mice by James Mahoney [...]
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