Customer Reviews

Speaking Out for Animals: True Stories About Real People Who Rescue Animals

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

What animal lover wouldn't like to hear true stories from Paul McCartney, Anita Roddick, and Maneka Gandhi? This is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the roles of animals in our lives. Or to quote Jane Goodall:

"...this collection of inspiring tales is so important. They are true tales about individuals who have dared to take positive action against cruelty to animals and won, individuals who have made a difference."

When you've read this book, you'll be inspired to make a difference yourself. Don't miss this opportunity!

I think Mark S. missed the point of this book. Showing abuse cases of a wide variety with happy endings not only exposes the abuse but shows there can be a favorable outcome. Too often, we are overwhelmed with the depth of animal abuse issues. This uplifting book shows the wisdom of movement leaders along with courageous stories of ordinary people making a difference in animal lives. I bought a copy for my parents who read it cover to cover and have a better understanding of the animal issues I am fighting for. Is it just a coincidence that they now are doing volunteer work at a shelter in their area?

As a long-time animal rights activist, I can say that this collection of self-righteous interviews and melodramatic anecdotes adds little to the literature on the subject. A more serious discussion of animal rights advocacy would focus less on celebrity banter and mawkish rhetoric, and more on the entrenched cultural attitudes and public policies that perpetuate, and subsidize, the victimization of animals. This book is about people, self-important people, not animals. Sadly, I expected more, especially from such a reputable source.

This book is filled with examples of animal liberation. The first of three sections is 'voices for animals' with interviews of famous people who've dedicated their lives to helping animals. People like Paul McCartney respond to thoughtful questions in their own words without distortion. I felt like I got to know these people much more intimately. The second section is called 'happy endings' with examples of various animals and their unique stories. If you've been overwhelmed by how many animals' lives are unhappy, it's refreshing to read about animals like a 1400 pound cow named Emily who jumps a fence and lives in the wild until finally finding a home with animal lovers. The third section titled 'unsung heroes' will gives you ideas how ordinary people make a significant difference and may inspire you to do the same if you haven't already.

It's important to surround yourself with like minded people. If you don't have a strong support system in place, this is a good book to have on your shelf.

Pamela Ziemann, Author, Giving Voice to Your Cause

On the whole, Speaking Out for Animals by Kim Stallwood is written in a hopeful and progressive style - certainly it's worth a read. But as I read the heartwarming stories, I definitely felt mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is good to hear happy endings. On the other hand, it is terrible to think that humans could be responsible for so much suffering and cruelty.

This book's greatest fault, in my opinion, is the first 24 pages. I found myself nearly in despair, thinking 209 more pages, what if it's all like this! Fortunately, it is not all that bad. After I got through the relatively short and somewhat dull interviews, I finally reached something good. The interview with Sergeant Sherry Schlueter was just the first of a series of ten interesting and varied stories. I especially enjoyed reading how animal rights are viewed abroad, in the interviews with Maneka Gandhi of India and Tatyana Pavlova in Russia.

To often, it seems, I hear terrible stories of animal suffering. All this bad news can become quite overwhelming. That's why I like section two of this book, all 31 of these stories are strictly happy endings. From Ginny, the dog who rescues cats to Butch and Sundance, two runaway meat pigs, this section will leave you feeling good.

Section three is titled "Unsung Heroes," and I also found it to be interesting and inspiring. Tony and Vicki Moore who fought against Spain's blood fiestas, the Buffalo Field Campaign fighting for the wild buffalo and eight-year-old Amanda Walker-Serrano, alerting others to the truth about circuses. These three stories are among 21 true tales of animal heroes. --Reviewed by Starlynn Clarke

I feel that, while their intentions are good, many of the people in this book have views so extreme that they defy common sense. I found Peter Singer's views on human-animal relations disturbing and troubling to say the least. Also, while I agree that animals are treated terribly here and all over the world, these people have no scientific basis upon which to state their views. They seem to rely on the hearsay of others who share their views. While I was reading this, it seemed to me that the entire book had been written for the purposes of fund-raising. Overall, the people described in this book, all taken together, seem to have developed a very detailed philosophical approach to the cause of animal rights. It's too bad that they don't do a better job of implementing it. There were numerous factual errors I found in this book. Whoever edited it doesn't seem to have done a very thorough job of fact checking or proof reading.