Book Description
As more and more people adjust to the physical and emotional challenges of today's chaotic world, therapy dogs are proving their worth in diverse settings. No one knows this better than Kris Butler. Her workshops integrate the science of human health and education with the magic of hands-on interactions with appropriate dogs to teach health care providers, educators, volunteers, assessors, and dog trainers across the United States the most effective and ethical ways to include dogs in settings that enhance human healing, learning and self-awareness.
At last she's written a book in which she explores the complex professional and ethical issues that surround the environments in which therapy dogs work and volunteer. Therapy Dogs Today: Their Gifts, Our Obligation is an important book for anyone who handles, assesses, or trains visiting therapy dogs and it is essential for professional people who oversee therapy dog programs or include their own dogs in the their workplaces. The book includes a foreword by Maureen Fredrickson.
Customer Reviews:
Perfection.......2007-06-13
Book arrived quickly and in perfect condition.
A great practical guide for therapy dogs.......2005-08-09
Kris has provided us with great new insight and tips into our work with therapy dogs. The examples are wonderful - and in my mind one of the best parts is on her discussion of social proximity and how important it is to understand this in ALL of our visits. A job well done!!! A must read
Kate Nicoll, MSW, author Soul Friends: Finding healing with animals, founder Soul Friends, Inc.
Therapy Must Have Book.......2004-06-20
One of the best Therapy Dog books I have read! Kris Butler shares her wealth of experiences so we all can contribute, learn, and benefit from her knowledge.
The book covers everything from the dogs, patients, health care professionals to the organizations we work with. It also covers therapy certification organizations.
Being a small therapy dog owner and reading about their special needs and outlook of the world, really acknowledged their "special gifts and our obligation" to them as therapy dogs.
I would recommend this book to anyone considering therapy dog work or an experienced therapy dog team.
Therapy dog "must own" book!.......2004-04-21
This lady has managed to put together, in concise and interesting form, the practical "whys and where-fors" of being a certified therapy dog team in many different venues. This book is an absolute wealth of information, covering every aspect on the subject of therapy dogs. It should be on every animal professional's (as well as HUMAN health worker's!) shelf as a sourcebook. A publication such as this has been desperately needed for years. "Appaws" to you, Kris Butler! (-:
Healing dogs, and heeling dogs............2004-04-20
Kris Butler's new book should be required reading for everyone who has an interest in Animal-Assisted therapy, everyone who does AAT and everyone who benefits from AAT. And that's everyone!
Butler has clearly and thoughtfully identified the sites and systems for the therapy work we do with our dogs. Even more, she has anticipated and addressed each potential obstacle, concern or problem, providing therapy dog owners and program administrators with a positive and pro-active way to establish, deliver and assess therapy dog services across a range of institutional settings.
Dogs need training to do therapy work, and people and communities need training to understand the role of dogs in our lives, and how those roles (and our expectations) change across social settings, and across generations. This book discusses heeling dogs as healing dogs, and a bit about how to do both.
Kris Butler is wise to the ways of dogs and people, and she is deeply committed to contribution dogs make to the quality of our lives. As a dog trainer, community educator, and advisory board member for 'Paws Up' certified therapy dogs, I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who is already working in animal-assisted therapy, and anyone who ever thought their dog might bring some joy and comfort to kids or elders.
Book Description
Kim Sheridan grew up with animals as her constant companions. Each time she faced the death of a beloved pet, along with the pain came the same questions, to which she could find no answers. Then, mysterious things began to happen that she couldn’t explain, which led her on an incredible journey to uncover the truth. Along with her own extraordinary experiences, she compiled heartwarming and meaningful true stories of everyday people around the world, and discovered compelling evidence that forever erased her own doubts about an afterlife for animals.
This book provides enormous comfort and reassurance to anyone who has ever cherished a pet, and food for thought for anyone who has ever questioned the place of these beloved creatures in the larger scheme of things, both here on Earth and beyond.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLANT.......2007-10-03
Loosing a 'friend' is never easy....for some, as with myself....tramatic..it has been two months.....
but with Kim Sheridan.........and the stories.....it has helped, given me hope and some peace.
I DO NOT recommend Sylvia Browne's book 'Spirit of Animals"..it is a picture book with two minutes of reading time......and you do not feel any better for it.
This book gives you hope, peace, and that just maybe you and your friend will meet again on THIS side.............
Animals and the Afterlife.......2007-09-06
This book was so helpful in easing the pain of losing a beloved pet. Kim
Sheridan's writing is informative, compassionate and insightful. I would recommend this book to anyone who is grieving a companion animal.
Fantastic Book.......2007-09-05
Once I got started reading this book, it was hard to put down. After reading this book I have the comfort of knowing that the 2 pets I just recently lost are still close by. I was touched by the wonderful stories that were shared by other people. I would highly recommend this book.
Nice Read.......2007-08-24
Comforting book for anyone who has lost a beloved pet. I now even have a new outlook on the rat family. It is filled with many wonderful story the writer received from others who have lost there pets. Easy read, would recommend for anyone of any age.
an emtional warm blanket.......2007-03-18
kim's book has been answered prayers for myself and many family members and friends.i cannot imagine how she was able to pick and choose through so many broken hearts to help us. i shed tears while reading this book both from grief and joy and allowed myself a sense of peace and understanding of transition that i had not learned even after a lifetime of critical care nursing. i appreciate the authors' respect for all life, and the different ways it is celebrated,mourned and honoured throughout the world. i appreciate greatly the biblical referances and the beautiful quotations. even though i miss my family greatly, i rejoice in knowing they will meet me at the rainbow bridge....thankyou kim,bless you and your work...looking forward to the next book....hurry!!!
Book Description
The Best of James Herriot is one of the most extraordinary volumes ever devoted to the work and world of a contemporary writer. Within its covers are unforgettable episodes from the remarkable series of memoirs that began with All Creatures Great and Small-"the ones my family and I have laughed at over the years and the ones my readers have said they most enjoyed," as Herriot, himself, put it. Yet the book is far more than a simple anthology: Its gorgeous pages also include hundreds of line drawings and color photographs, capturing Herriot's Yorkshire in a worthy complement to the writer's words.The 1991 publication of Every Living Thing, rendered the original edition of this book incomplete. This fall will mark the publication of the complete, definitive edition with the addition of five of his best, more recent stories, as well as new art. Once again The Best of James Herriot becomes the quintessential Herriot volume-one of those invaluable books that will be loved as much in decades to come as it is today.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Book for all ages.......2007-01-16
A very bright and beautiful book, with nice pictures and side articles, which help you know more about animals described in the book. All stories are easy to read and full of sparkly humor and affection to animals and nature. Reading it you may easily find yourself laughing over things at one page, and crying at the next one. This book is equally great for both children and adults.
Many hours of pleasure await the reader of Jame Herriot.......2007-01-10
If you love animals and you haven't read James Herriot then you simply must! These stories are so full of humour, sadness, joy and lots of plain common sense and wisdom that you will love every minute of reading them. It is amazing to read that the author had such a long struggle to have his work published that he almost gave up. What a loss to the world that would have been! The story of his life is told by his son in the book "The Real James Herriot" - make sure you read that one also!
A Must Buy!.......2005-11-05
What can one add to the already vivid detail of the life of Alfred Wight? Fortunately nothing except the illustrations for those of us with little perception of what the farming community and the towns around Yorkshire were like in the 30's and 40's. The fact too, that it's in hardcover will ensure it's permanent place on your bookshelf of treasured writings.
The Best of James Herriot.......2005-10-16
Even though the book was used, it was in excellent condition. The pictures throughout help to make this book a very good purchase for the money. James Herriot is a wonderful storyteller and the reader finds himself/herself able to have the experience of almost being there in person.
Don't expect to laugh as much or long as usual.......2005-02-16
Knowing the unabridged version of one of Herriot's books, I was disappointed at not being able to laugh as much with these, shortened versions of the stories and abridged collection in general. But even if you have Herriot's unabridged volumes, this book is still worth buying for the illustrations and descriptions of his tools and world, not to mention the photos. If you buy it and it makes you go out and buy the whole collection, just give this copy as a gift; it's that worthy.
Book Description
In Horses Don’t Lie, Chris Irwin, one of the most successful horse whisperers in North America, shows us that horses have much to teach us about ourselves when we strive to understand their behavior. Based on more than twenty years of working with, training, and observing horses, Irwin explains why trust and honesty are essential elements in building relationships with horses, and why the sensitivity and awareness that characterize a horse’s perception of the world are qualities we can use to enrich our own lives. “A horse knows what you know,” Irwin reminds us, and in Horses Don’t Lie his message is clear: Horses have a great deal to teach us about how to communicate with empathy and patience—not only with them, but also with each other.
Customer Reviews:
Good Insight.......2007-05-29
This book presented good insight into the horse/human bond and the understanding that can occur between the two. It was helpful especially in the presentation of the point of view of the horse as a prey animal. The author is particularly aware of this viewpoint as he deals with horses and is able to make it clear to the reader. He is amazed, as we are when we read his accounts, of the unusual trust that the horse has in humans, since we are predators. I found that this point of view stuck with me as I worked with my horses after I read the book. I found myself more aware and grateful to my horses for their trust.
Learning More!.......2007-04-26
A friend and fellow horse lover loaned me this book. I found that as I read it I learned more about my equine partners. Being a trainer, horsemanship instructor for people and certified in equine assisted psychotherapy, I am always trying to learn more about horses, people and the interactions between them. I found this book helpful especially in understanding some of the confidence and fear issues that my clients have when it comes to working with their horses. It is not always easy to empathize with them when you have never experienced these same issues. This book gave me a deeper perspective and awareness when it comes to working with both horses and their owners.
I think every new horse owner should read this book before they buy a horse, because there is a lot more to horse ownership than getting the horse to do things physically so that you can ride them. There are plenty of books about the physical and mechanical aspects of training, however many leave out the mental and emotional stablility of the horse and rider. This book is a nice bridge to fill that gap, because it helps us understand how the horse thinks, and why he does what he does.
Thank you Chris for sharing your experiences and insight about the psychology of horses and how they can make us more aware of our own issues. I have quoted from this book in the equine psychology classes that I teach my students.
This an interesting read.......2005-01-31
I recieved this book as a gift and I didn't know what to expect. When I finally got around to reading it, I found it very interesting. I think it's important to know that it's not really a hands-on or practical book.
Easy read, interesting.......2004-09-24
While I'll agree that the book is not full of technical issues, it is an excellent book well worth your time in reading. I read both this one and "Horses never lie" and have found both to be excellent. Not only does it offer a heartwarming viewpoint, it also offers ideas and causes you to look a little deeper into your relationship with your horse. Great read!
Unhappy with content.......2004-09-23
I am glad I checked out from library versus paying money for this book. I kept reading hoping for substance but none existed. No concrete examples for everyday use.
Book Description
For anyone who has ever dreamed of being able to really talk to their dogs--and 'hear' what they have to sayBONES WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKYAkin to Monty Roberts's The Man Who Listens to Horses and going light-years beyond The Hidden Life of Dogs or any training manual, Suzanne Clothier takes a radical new direction in understanding our life with dogs...and our mutual love. Drawing on a lifetime of experience with dogs, this nationally renowned dog trainer brings us astonishing new lessons about our animals--and ourselves.Gently, with intelligence, humor, and unfailing patience, Suzanne Clothier guides us to truly comprehend another creature's mind and heart.You will discover how our dogs see the world from their uniquely canine perspective, how we can meet their deep need for leadership without using force or coercion, and how the "laws" of canine culture often put our dogs at odds with us and our very human world.Clothier's unparalleled insights into aggression in dogs can help prevent a tragedy, including the unnecessary destruction of a pet.In these pages, you will meet unforgettable dogs who will capture, and perhaps break, your heart. There is Badger--handsome, curious, and perhaps dangerous. Can his threatening behavior be changed? Though doomed by a congenital heart murmur, the winsome pup McKinley offers an unforgettable lesson in living. Then aging Vali brings us to the moment that all dog owners must someday face: the loss of a devoted companion. But what this old dog teaches us in her last days may change you forever.As in no other "dog book" or training manual, in BONES WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKYan extraordinary woman shows us how to find a deep connection with another being and to receive an incomparable gift: a profound, lifelong relationship with the dog you love.
Customer Reviews:
A good book for what it is, with caveats.......2007-07-12
This book describes, through subjective stories and sometimes rather overly sentimental and repetitious narrative, how to relate to a dog as a thinking, feeling being with a soul of his own, rather than as a furry domestic "object" to be systematically molded by force to man's will.
There's an upside and a downside to this approach. The upside is that Suzanne is clearly a person who deeply loves and cares for her animals, and she desires to inspire others to adopt a similar approach and thus obtain a closer connection with their dog on a deeper and more meaningful level. Based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews of the book here, she is largely successful in this effort. The downside is that this approach is difficult if not impossible to quantify, and as such the book is neither a manual of training nor technique, which Suzanne openly admits. If you have an interest in a specific "behavior problem", this isn't the book you're looking for. However, if you have an interest in the underlying issues and human-canine dynamics that may very well be the source of the "behavior problem", then you'll at least be well on the road to finding your answer here. And given the fact that many "behavior problems" in dogs actually arise because of our own incompetence or misunderstanding of dog psychology, many people (and dogs) would benefit tremendously by our learning to get in touch at some level with "the canine soul".
The one small criticism that I have about the book is that I think Suzanne is rather disingenuous and over-the-top in her blasting of Vicki Hearne. Given the opposite ends "A" and "B" on the scale of approaches to dog training -- with Suzanne at "A" and Vicki at "B", Suzanne's pendulum clearly swings too far to the left at times.
I say this because, all deference to doggie souls aside, they are *still* and will always be dogs. As such, their neurological systems are designed so that they learn MOST EFFECTIVELY through methods that utilize operant conditioning. As Jean Donaldson so appropriately points out in her excellent book "The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs", training methods based on operant conditioning are the widest window that is open to us in this regard and thus, the ones we should use.
This is not to say that one should not also listen to what Suzanne Clothier has to teach us. Because in the end, the absolute best that you can do for your dog is to understand him not only as a thinking, feeling being in his own right, but also how to teach him in ways that he'll best understand.
The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs
Outstanding perspective.......2007-06-08
This is not a cookbook on training a dog. It's not a list of dos and don'ts. Suzanne Clothier gives us insight and understanding and if we're paying attention, helps us to develop a way of interacting with our canine companions that is mutually beneficial. And I think that's the key - the book can give us the tools to develop our own way. Dogs are still dogs and are not humanized. It's worth reading again and again and it's definitely a superb gift.
Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs.......2007-03-16
This should be mandatory reading for anyone with a dog and recommended reading for anyone who has to relate to any living creature.
Changed My Dog's Life.......2007-02-10
I brought home a human- and dog-reactive (aggressive) adult border collie about a year and half ago. He came from an unknown background, had been in shelters on and off for 5 months, and was a mess. I had no idea what to do.
After about a month of wading through countless training books, all of whose philosophies seemed to tout some other "miracle system," I was fortunate enough to stumble onto this one. Clothier's take on my dog's reactions to a frightening world gave me the perspective I needed to help him, rather than frighten him more. Most enlightening was her section about "friendly" dogs who charge at other dogs "just to say hi." Once I could interpret the other dogs' behavior and body language through my own dog's eyes, I could finally help him. I realized that a charging dog - regardless of intention - looked like an attacking dog, at least to Buddy. Knowing this, I could step in, intercede, to protect my dog. This was crucial in giving him the faith that I could handle the tough situations we meet in our day to day walks. Trusting me, he let down his guard, and has become a dog who looks "normal" to those who meet him. We even get "Oh, he's sweet" comments from people on our walks now! He may never be as easy-going as a lab, but I'd say he's 90% of the way to "normal."
"Bones Would Rain from the Sky," along with "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell, should be on every dog owner's bookshelf. The more challenging your dog, the more you need to read these books. And once you've read these, you'll be able to filter out the mush in the other books.
hard to extract the meat of the topic from this book.......2007-01-03
It is no doubt that this author 'loves' animals. That is apparent. What also is apparent is that the author is not a writer. Many chapters started out with a 'subject' of discussion only to find by the end of the chapter the author touched on everything 'but' the subject leaving the reading saying "huh". She vicariously relives too much of her own experience losing her self in it to the point that she forgets what it was that she wanted the reader to gain thus losing the the essence of the point. There is a comparison to famed horse whisperer Monty Roberts, to whom I have personally worked. She is not a monty roberts. I beleive she is a caring individual with a lot of stories just not a writer. I do not recommend this book as a guide to training or understanding dogs.
Book Description
Most pet owners aren't aware of the dangers in animal vaccinations that have been discovered in recent years. In this compact, easy-to-understand volume, John Clifton explains the very real risks involved every time a dog or cat gets a shot. The major veterinary associations now agree that vaccinations can trigger all sorts of maladies, from allergies to cancer - but most pet caretakers (and many veterinarians, it seems) haven't gotten the word. This is an important book for every pet owner to read. In a conver- sational, direct, non-technical voice it guides the reader in formulating an intelligent approach to animal vaccinations. Clifton lays out all the major issues: whether to vaccinate or not, which shots to give and which to avoid, how to know if and when a shot should be repeated. And, importantly, the risks in over-vaccinating. Holistic as well as orthodox medical opinions are presented. Despite the title, readers are not advised flat out to abandon vaccinations. Rather, they are encouraged to learn about the risks and benefits - and "stop the shots" until they are fully informed.
Customer Reviews:
Enthusiastically recommended for animal owners and would-be owners.......2007-04-14
Despite its title, Stop the Shots!: Are Vaccinations Killing Our Pets? does not advocate stopping all pet vaccinations, and especially does not recommend stopping all vaccinations that protect from the most widespread and deadly infections like rabies, parvovirus and canine distemper for dogs, and panleukopenia and rhinotracheitis/calcivirus for cats. Yet award-finalist author and pet lover John Clifton logically and rationally argues against so-called conventional wisdom, such as vaccinating against diseases that pets will never be exposed to (like Lyme disease for a pet that does not live in or won't travel to an area infested with it) or the use of annual booster shots. Chapters discuss how vaccines work, the health detriments to over-vaccination such as increased risk of pet cancer or curtailment of the pet's immune system's ability to naturally fight off diseases, factors to keep in mind when deciding when the proper time is for a booster shot, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for animal owners and would-be owners as an informative aid to decide the right amount of vaccines to protect one's pet and keep it as healthy as possible.
A MUST READ.......2007-04-06
An easy to read,informative book that should be compulsory reading for all pet owners.
EXCELLENT.......2007-03-09
A must read!!! This book doesn't take sides, it just presents the facts. I recommend it to any pet owners wanting to make informed decisions concerning the health and well-being of their pets. I've already passed it on.
Easy style describes difficult situation........2007-03-07
This book is a MUST read!
I had the pleasure of being a vet tech for seven years under an "old school" veternarian who NEVER PUSHED UNNEEDED VACCINES. Unfortunatley, when he retired I was left to work for his two "new school" collegues who pushed vaccines, experimental medications/anesthetics, used brute force instead of psychology.
I was in the front line when injection-site sarcomas were being tracked by the AAHA (right rear rabies!)...I've seen animals "crash" after vaccines (especially cats and ferrets). I've also seen how "old" vets treated vaccines (prevention) and how "new" vets now treat vaccines ($$- it's a business). Sad. Very Sad.
READ THIS BOOK...while it's not a pedagogical text on immunology and vaccines, it is an easy read for the non-technical that has a great reference section and will provide the caring pet owner with food for thought.
If you own a pet you need this book!!.......2007-02-16
Now everything is starting to make sense!! Why my Schnauzer got cancer at the age of five and died. Why my friends Maltese die of Encephalitis at a very young age and why so many dogs I know of are getting Lupus, Kidney and Liver diseases!! Just to name a few! I have purchased several copies of this book and have handed them out to anyone who has shown an interest. This is an easy to read book and even the lamest of laymen can understand the very important points of this book. Just stop and think about it. How can a 7 in one vaccine given to a 6 week old baby pup improve it's immune system?!!! After reading this book I will NEVER vaccinate my pets again!! Now with that said this may not be the case for you and Mr. Clifton points that out. However I do feel we all for the most part over vaccinate our pets if we follow most Veterinarian advise. After reading this book you will know what's best for you and your pet. An absolute must read for every pet owner!!
Book Description
ETERNAL TREBLINKA: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust, by Charles Patterson, Ph.D., describes disturbing parallels between how the Nazis treated their victims and how modern society treats animals. The title is taken from the Yiddish writer and Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, himself a vegetarian: "In relation to them, all people are Nazis; for the animals it is an eternal Treblinka."
The first part of the book describes the emergence of humans as the master species and their domination of the rest of the inhabitants of the earth. The second part examines the industrialization of slaughter (of both animals and humans) that took place in modern times, while the last part of the book profiles Jewish and German animal advocates on both sides of the Holocaust.
The Foreword is by Lucy Kaplan, a former attorney for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who is the daughter of Holocaust survivors.
Customer Reviews:
Compelling read, although I find comparison to the holocaust trivializes it.......2007-09-01
author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family
from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
April 5, 2002
In the forward to "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust," animal rights activist and daughter of Holocaust survivors, Lucy Rosen Kaplan, states: "I came to understand that the oppression of nonhumans on this Earth eclipses even the ordeal survived by my parents."
Whether the comparison between the extermination of the Jews and our daily slaughter of millions of "food" animals evokes agreement or outrage, you will want to read this meticulously researched and compelling treatment of a painful and controversial subject. Charles Patterson, author of "Anti-Semitism: The Road to the Holocaust and Beyond," elaborates in "Eternal Treblinka" how American slaughterhouses became a model for the gas chambers of Nazi Germany and submits that the killing of animals for food, sport and research is no less an atrocity, a view that is sure to offend some.
The book takes its title from the Isaac Bashevis Singer story, "The Letter Writer," in which a Holocaust survivor speaks a poignant eulogy for a mouse he had befriended. "In relation to them, all people are Nazis; for the animals it is an eternal Treblinka."
At its best, the book painstakingly reveals how the mindset that some humans are animals justified slavery, the subjugation of women, the annihilation of the Native American population, the eugenics movement and finally the Holocaust itself.
By "domesticating" animals and assuming "dominion" over them, Patterson says, we desensitized ourselves to their suffering because they are "just animals." It was then an easy progression to regard some human beings as more valuable than others. "Thus, with animals already defined as `lower life' fated for exploitation and slaughter, the designation of `lesser' humans as animals paved the way for their subjugation and destruction."
The book is filled with sordid revelations about well-known icons. L. Frank Baum, who delighted the world with "The Wizard of Oz," was a staunch advocate for the extermination of Native Americans, as was William Dean Howells and Harvard professor Oliver Wendell Holmes (father of the Supreme Court justice).
Henry Ford was a virulent anti-Semite whose "The International Jew" sold 500,000 copies in the United States and was reprinted six times in Germany. Hitler kept a life-size portrait of Ford in his office, praised him in "Mein Kampf" and was quoted in the Detroit News as saying: "I regard Henry Ford as my inspiration." Patterson points out that Ford modeled his assembly line after the American slaughterhouses, a concept not lost on his admirer, Hitler.
In a chapter chillingly titled "Improving the Herd, From Animal Breeding to Genocide," Patterson traces the American eugenics movement, which applied the principles of animal husbandry -- "breeding the most desirable, and castrating and killing the rest" -- to the sterilization of criminals, the "feeble" and mentally ill, a handy paradigm for the "racial cleansing" of the emerging Third Reich. "The progression from sterilization to extermination has been a logical one for the Nazis."
Patterson notes that long before Hitler came to power, Jews had been vilified as animals. "Calling people animals is always an ominous sign because it sets them up for humiliation, exploitation and murder." Like animals, Jews were "herded" into crowded cattle cars, transported long distances without food or water, tattooed and "selected" for extermination and led through tubes to the "killing floor."
If Jews are rats, one need feel no guilt in degrading and exterminating them. If Jews are pigs, then the crematoria were mere "processing plants." Patterson quotes the artist Judy Chicago, who wonders "about the ethical distinction between processing pigs and doing the same thing to people defined as pigs."
Many would argue that to compare Nazi genocide to the slaughterhouse is to trivialize the Holocaust. I, for one, was appalled. To buttress his case, Patterson provides numerous "testimonials" from Holocaust survivors and their families as well as from Germans who became animal activists because of their experience, not in spite of it. While the stories are compelling, here Patterson is preaching to the choir.
The events of Sept. 11 and the continuing suicide bombings in Israel demonstrate that there are individuals today who do not value the sanctity of even their own lives, much less that of other humans. Patterson may experience difficulty, therefore, in convincing a nation of mindless hamburger eaters, now focused on survival, to turn its energies to the plight of the cow.
And yet, perhaps an extreme view must be taken to get attention.
In the book, animal activist Christa Blanke, a former Lutheran pastor, notes that "130 years ago, the church remained silent about the slave trade because they were only black people. Fifty years ago, the church remained silent because they were only Jews. Today, the church remains silent because they are only animals."
Essential reading for anyone interested in living an ethical life........2007-08-17
The author was brave enough to write this book. We ought to be brave enough to read it! I am a yoga teacher with a vast collection of books on health, yoga, spirituality and the humane treatment of animals. The practice of yoga is rooted in the principle of "ahimsa," nonviolence and reverence for all life. For yoga practitioners, for anyone seriously interested in living an ethical life, "Eternal Treblinka" is essential reading. Even if you have already read other classics in the field like "Slaughterhouse" by Gail Eisnitz and "Dominion" by Matthew Scully and the great works by Peter Singer and others, this book will illuminate and expand your consciousness.
--Suza Francina, vegan yoga teacher, author, "The New Yoga for People Over 50," "The New Yoga for Healthy Aging" and other books, former mayor, Ojai, California.
I wanted to take this book apart from the very beginning..........2006-08-17
A vegan roomie lent me this book, and I was reluctant to read it, but decided I would, just so that I could have the pleasure of finding the fallacies in it and have something to argue with her about.
Contrary to what another reviewer has written, this book does not EQUATE the suffering of animals with the Holocaust. It COMPARES them. Man is not a mere animal, and there is no "equality" there to speak of, and anyone who insists there is, or that there SHOULD be is just not someone that you can respect for their intelligence or ability to differentiate. But then the whole concept OF "equality" has been so hacked to death by politicization and greedy agendas over the years, it really is devoid of any meaning now.
What make this book amazing are the historical and anthropological aspects of the arguments it makes. The proposition that man has learned the qualities that are necessary to brutalize man using the necessary subjugation of animals as a model, over time, and as man transitioned from hunter-gatherer to agrarian societies is one that must not be dismissed, and should be taught to children. It had never occurred to me, and a big light went on when I realized the implications of this, from a sociological and psychological perspective.
I was VERY skeptical, but this IS a rational and compelling book, it makes sense, it isn't a whacky leftist tree-hugging PC work at all. If that's all people get out of it, well, that betrays their own childish and narrow polarizations. This book is so much more. It gives key insights into what we are as human beings, and what it is that we are actually DOING to ourselves. Really, it shows you how things are hooked together in the human psyche, what we have been, where we've gone, and where it is we may end-up.
It's disturbing too. Very. But not gratuitously so in any way. The author is morally and rationally compelled to inform and educate, and he does this with surprising clarity and tact, never coming off as preachy or judgmental, just very passionate and urgent and calm. I found myself respecting his more radical choices and frankly, forever changed. It changed me. To the core.
Give it a try, it's extremely interesting and informative at the least; at the most it is a call to change and question and transcend the past into a better, more HUMANE future.
Sickening Death Factories.......2006-06-14
There are no more excuses; there is no more room for rationalization if we are to claim "honesty" and "compassion" for our species. The factory farming and slaughter of animals for "food" and other human purposes is a sickness of the soul and it is time to change in favor of logic and compassion. This brilliant book exposes the hypocrisies of being a meat-eater in this day and age and challenges us to admit the truth and to change for the better. If we don't open our minds and our hearts to the truth and instead get angry at the messenger, we only validate the worst fears for our species.
Please read this riveting book and pass it on!.......2006-02-07
"Eternal Treblinka" is a very sobering read. It should be required reading in all high schools and available in all libraries. Charles Patterson's excellent book offers a riveting comparison between our historical and continuing insensitive treatment of animals and the horrific treatment of Jews in the Holocaust.
Part I succinctly lays out important historical information about the influence that the domestication of animals has had on our society and the subsequent devastating impact which that has had, and continues to have, on all concerned: the animals themselves, the humans who feed upon the animals and, last but certainly not least, the entire planet itself.
Part II points out the frightening parallels in the practices and rationalizations utilized in the daily slaughtering of millions of animals in the United States and the slaughtering of millions of Jews and other innocents at the hands of the Germans in the Holocaust. I lack the words to describe the effectiveness of that comparison.
Part III then introduces us to people both Jewish and German whose experiences relating to the Holocaust led them to become advocates on behalf of the animals with the goal of bringing a cessation of animal exploitation in all its many forms. This leaves the reader with a glimmer of hope. But time is running out rapidly and unless our continuing support of this culture of violence against helpless, sentient animals ceases, we as a society, and, indeed, the planet itself are on a crash course with irreversible disaster.
Please read this book and then pass it on. The urgency of its message cannot be over-stressed.
Amazon.com
Water is a curious thing, observed the economist Adam Smith: although it is vital to life, it costs almost nothing, whereas diamonds, which are useless for survival, cost a fortune. In Water, Canadian journalist de Villiers says the resource is still undervalued, but it is becoming more precious. It's not that the world is running out of water, he adds, but that "it's running out in places where it's needed most."
De Villiers examines the checkered history of humankind's management of water--which, he hastens to remind us, is not a renewable resource in many parts of the world. One of them is the Nile River region, burdened by overpopulation. Another is the Sahara, where Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi is pressing an ambitious, and potentially environmentally disastrous, campaign to mine deep underground aquifers to make the desert green. Another is northern China, where the damaging effects of irrigation have destroyed once-mighty rivers, and the Aral Sea of Central Asia, which was killed within a human lifetime. And still another is the American Southwest, where crops more fitting to a jungle than a dry land are nursed. De Villiers travels to all these places, reporting on what he sees and delivering news that is rarely good.
De Villiers has a keen eye for detail and a solid command of the scientific literature on which his argument is based. He's also a fine storyteller, and his wide-ranging book makes a useful companion to Marc Reisner's classic Cadillac Desert and other works that call our attention to a globally abused--and vital--resource. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
In his award-winning book WATER, Marq de Villiers provides an eye-opening account of how we are using, misusing, and abusing our planet's most vital resource. Encompassing ecological, historical, and cultural perspectives, de Villiers reports from hot spots as diverse as China, Las Vegas, and the Middle East, where swelling populations and unchecked development have stressed fresh water supplies nearly beyond remedy. Political struggles for control of water rage around the globe, and rampant pollution daily poses dire ecological theats. With one eye on these looming crises and the other on the history of our dependence on our planet's most precious commodity, de Villiers has crafted a powerful narrative about the lifeblood of civilizations that will be "a wake-up call for concerned citizens, environmentalists, policymakers, and water drinkers everywhere" (Publishers Weekly).
Customer Reviews:
Good, but fails about Brazil.......2006-06-21
I'm an agronomist and I live in Brazil.I read this book, translated to the portuguese, here in Brazil.This book really has many usefull informations, about water suplly in the world.
China, Israel, Africa, USA, Mexico, India are some of the nations who are with water's problems and are focused in this book.
About Brazil this book is a failure.Brazil export far less paper and wood than Canada or USA, but we have far more forests than Canada or USA.And our forests grow far more fast than an american or canadian forest.And this book talks about ecomyths about Brazil.
In fact, this book sometimes reproduces, the ridiculous lies from "green eugenicists" or ecologists.
A real eye opener.......2005-05-03
This is an excellent overview of the water problems plaguing the globe at the moment, as Marq de Villiers travels far and wide to show just how precious a resource water really is. Most importantly, he does so in a very accessible style of writing that personalizes so many of the issues surrounding the rapid depletion of aquifers by drawing on childhood memories of his home farm in South Africa and first hand sources in the current geopolitical battles.
Of note is the Middle East and North Africa where the battle over water is entertwined with the ongoing political disputes. He notes how carefully Israel has managed its water resources yet is heavily reliant on sources in the West Bank to sustain its agricultural industry. Needless to say this has made the issue of Palestinian statehood that much more difficult. He also explores the thorny relationships along the Nile where downstream Egypt has threatened to go to war with the Sudan and Ethiopia over any divergence attempts with this great river. And, Kaddafi's attempts to create a massive underground river from aquifers deep below the Sahara to coastal Libya, in order to restore badly depleted sources.
But, even in seemingly water rich nations like the US and Canada, water battles persist, mostly to do with the contamination of rivers and aquifers that are the result of industrial waste and poor farming practices. More thorny are precious water rights in dry states like Wyoming and Montana that often end up in court and sometimes settled using frontier justice.
For those not familiar with the looming water crisis, this book will be a real opener, for others it will provide valuable information regarding disputes from the Yellow River in China to the Colorado River, which has long since quit flowing to the Gulf of California. While de Villiers avoids being the doomsayer, he does make one exceedingly worried about the future of this most precious resource.
A Non-Fiction Page turner (!).......2005-03-21
This book is by far one of the most interesting, can't-put-it-down non-fictional books I've ever read. I know, I'm speaking in superlatives, but I can't say enough about this book.
I made my thesis topic water-related after I read Water. And yet Water reads like a novel, even though it's packed with information and statistics; de Villiers does an amazing job of making the scientific research information palatable to the average (non-science inclined) reader by weaving in his own experiences and stories.
You can feel his passion for this issue come through in his writing style. He integrates quotes very well and makes the subject come alive. For example, when writing about a severe chemical spill along the Rhine River, he quoted Bertram Muelle, saying: "The river ran red... Otherwise, it looked no different...But I knew that as I watched, its creatures were dying. It was the most terrible feeling. I was frozen, sickened..."He makes turns a very technical and scientific topic into a page-turner. A must-read! P.S. Pay attention to the Canada-US Great Lakes issue, along with the Rhine and Danube Rivers (the subject of my thesis!).
Lacks focus.......2004-04-03
This a fascinating book about a fascinating (and critical topic). But in appealling to the general reader, Mr. de Villiers inserts too much (for my taste) personal anecdote. A regrettable travelogue quality permeates the narrative.
This is unfortunate, because there is much of value here. In particular, the discussion about the sources and uses of the Jordan River, Isreali concern with controlling its water supply, and water problems of the immediate Arab neighorhood, opened my eyes to an aspect of the current intractable problems of the Middle East.
My advice is to read this with pleasure, but don't be afraid to skim if you find some portions of the narrative uninteresting.
Easy to Swallow, but with No Additives.......2002-09-12
This easy to read and conversational book can be used as an introduction to the fate of water supplies around the world and their impact on human societies. de Villiers takes us on a chapter-by-chapter dissertation first on the technical aspects of water issues, such as the mechanics of groundwater and dams. Then we proceed to selected examples of water crises around the globe, such as China's dilemma of having too much where it's not needed and too little where it is needed, or the hideous catastrophe of the Aral Sea in the former USSR.
The author takes an admirably middle-of-the-road stance here and usually lets the facts speak for themselves, with just a little bit of opinionating. But his opinions are still quite moderate and level-headed, as he doesn't align himself with either unyielding environmentalists or extreme free trade proponents, both of which he accurately condemns as having very narrow outlooks on the real world. Some of de Villiers' key observations concern the water wars that will probably start erupting in coming years in dry regions of the world. Two countries will probably spend more money in a single day of war than it takes to improve water supplies for both of them for decades to come. Also, de Villiers drives home the point that the worrisome decline of fresh water around the globe is not due to greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, or greens who refuse to let it be used. It's just the natural outcome of humans living like humans. Therefore real human cooperation across all societies is necessary to address the problem.
Unfortunately, the author's chapter-by-chapter approach serves only as an introduction to separate topics of interest, without very much substance behind each one. Also, this subject requires harder economics, politics, and sociology than de Villiers provides here. Therefore this book can best be used as an introduction to these issues before you dive into much more specific books like "Rivers of Empire" by Worster or "Cadillac Desert" by Reisner (focusing on the American West), or the works of the Worldwatch Institute for the international story.
Book Description
Two years ago author and horse trainer Linda Kohanov wrote The Tao of Equus — a daring multidisciplinary exploration of the powerful spiritual, emotional, and psychological connections between people and horses. Its provocative narrative, blending her story of prescient dreams and ancestral communication with a wide-ranging exploration of equine-facilitated therapy practices, created a worldwide demand for her workshops and lectures. She also received more than 1,000 letters from readers around the world describing their own strange and wonderful experiences with horses. In Riding Between the Worlds, Kohanov continues sharing the story of her own journey of healing and transformation and further develops the ideas introduced in The Tao of Equus, bolstering her groundbreaking theories with anecdotal evidence. Where her previous book laid the theoretical groundwork for expanding our emotional, mental, and spiritual view of horses, Riding Between the Worlds concentrates on the extraordinary stories that support this view.
Customer Reviews:
Who's the audience for this book?.......2007-10-17
I bought this book simply because Amazon advertised it to me and it had good reviews. It obviously makes a connection to certain type of people (presumably "extreme sensitives") but it didn't do much for me. I found it hard to work out who the author was actually writing for. She didn't provide insights to assist troubled people, so clearly you have to actually attend her therapy program to benefit from her knowledge. Nor did she detail what she does in her therapy with horses, so you are left wondering exactly what is happening in the round yard. I suppose if you are on the inside (ie part of the horse-assisted therapy community) this book will mean more to you than it did to me. I tried to have an open mind but sorry, I ended the book not feeling at all convinced that horses are somehow in tune with the real meaning of life just like yogis.
Riding Between Worlds.......2007-10-09
Though overall this book is too "new age" for my taste, I believe Ms. Kohanov probably does a tremendous amount of good pairing horses with people and solving inner or repressed emotional conflicts at her ranch in Tucson, and in the clinics she presents. I found the examples she sited very believable for both horse and person, and truly believe horses can heal emotional wounds. I very much agree "it is never JUST a horse!" Horses reveal our deepest secrets and conflicts, they sense these before we even can give them words. I liked, and I promptly employed, the technique of telling my horses things about my life that I believe make me similar to each one. The horse always listens, and the verbalization is good for both. This book adds understanding to our relationship with horses by making the reader more aware of what the horse "knows" or senses immediately about us, and thus makes us more open to the horse.
A Ride You Won't Forget.......2007-09-18
When I saw the beautiful cover of this book, and the intriguing title, I couldn't wait to read it. It promised mysteries and a wild ride into the unknown. Actually, the riding is transformative. The author overcomes a destructive marriage to find her way back to life through her interactions with some very wonderful, talented, compassionate and truly honest animals. A lifetime of fascination with, and interaction with horses leads her into an astonishing field of work, using members of her herd as therapy animals, in the treatment of trauma victims and people with emotional problems.
There is so much to this book that resonates, for anyone who has ever ridden a horse, or wanted to, or just enjoys watching them. Some of the stories are just inspirational. There is a wonderful section in which her beloved mare, Rasa, prematurely foals, and a community of helpers keep the young horse warm with body heat and take turns milking his dam so he can nurse. What a fantastic story.
Some of the horses are stories themselves. There's Noche, the abused horse, who is tender and kind with abuse victims. There is Merlin, a disturbed stallion, who finds love. There is Rasa, a powerful empath and spiritual guide.
I kept waiting for the book to turn New Age-y, but it's not preachy at all. This is one woman's journey that touches and heals. I won't look at horses the same way again.
Better than her first book.......2007-01-11
Linda's second book is easier to read and has more examples of horse-human interaction. I have recommended it even to my non-horsey friends. It has definitely changed my own approach to my equine friends.
A very important book for anyone who loves horses. Empath energy........2007-01-06
This book changed how I relate to my horse, even after a lifetime of being around horses. One of the best horse books I've ever read, yet it goes far beyond just relating to horses. Give this book to all your best friends.
Book Description
Dogs are our best friends for a number of reasons. Chief among them is their passion for the joys and simplicities of life that we humans so rarely achieve. What Dogs Teach Us is a colorful and charming little guide to life's lessons from the unassuming viewpoint of our canine companions. We can all become better friends to one another by applying this inherent wisdom and canine nature to our own lives and circumstances.
Customer Reviews:
Thoughts to live by........2007-01-09
I found this book at a very low point in my life. I picked this book up at my vet's office and read it while a procedure was being done on my very ill puppy. It lifted my spirits, and gave me some much needed hope. Both my puppy and I are doing much better!
You too can have a well behaved happy dog!.......2006-07-09
This book is an excellent introduction to the world of dogs and how they impact on our lives. As a pet therapy partner with my dog, Coco, I recommend this book to everyone who is involved with their pets and what to have some real insight into their animals' behavior and needs.
K-9 simplicity.......2001-12-06
A delightful pictorial of how dogs of all ages and breeds can teach us the basic and simple lessons in life. Each picture is accompanied by a telling phrase that gets the message across. The table of contents includes such subjects as Health, Self Esteem, and Day-to-Day living. In the end the author sums it up with a smiling golden lab with a lolling yet perfect pink tongue, below him is the inscription, "Life is, on the whole, pretty doggone good". That just about says it all.
I found myself enjoying the pictures as well as the wisdom imparted. It is a book I am able to pick up again and again. My favorites being the chocolate lab puppies. This is a cute book for the dog lover in your family. Kelsana 12/05/01
A beautiful and heartwarming little book.......2001-07-15
Excellent photography combines with pithy phrases to create a collection of wisdoms shared by anyone who has lost his or her heart to a dog. Just over 100 pages are devoted to sections "On Health," "On Self-Esteem," "On Interacting With Others," "On Self-Improvement," and "On Day-to-Day Living." And what words of wisdom these are! Those who DON'T own dogs would do well to pull this book out now and then to gain some perspective on the things that really are important in life, scaled down to essential simplicity. A ridiculous little dog with fangs bared is captioned, "If you are mean, people will try to avoid you." Break out this book when the mean, fang-baring people of the world get you down.
An excellent gift for the dog lover friend or family member.......1999-10-27
This picture and saying book captures the heart and soul of all dogs everywhere, from the most carefree puppy to the most loyal senior canine citizen. It reminds us to not take life so seriously in our hectic world, and enjoy the basic and mundane of life, for that is where joy is truly found. It reminds us of the most common courtesies often forgotten in this man-eat-man world. All life's lessons can be learned from a dog, and they are in here, in some of the most poignant, beautiful, and joyful pictures I have yet seen of our beloved dogs. Worth it as a gift for yourself, your friends, your family.
Books:
- Thirteen Moons: A Novel
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations...One School at a Time
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Trail of Tears
- Turbulent Years: The 60s (Our American Century)
- Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West
- Victims of Progress
- WACK!: Art and the Feminist Revolution
- Warriors Don't Cry: Searing Memoir of Battle to Integrate Little Rock
- Where We Lived: Discovering the Places We Once Called Home
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- Indigo Ocean Dreams: 4 Children's Stories Designed to Decrease Stress, Anger and Anxiety while Incre
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- Buddha, Volume 1: Kapilavastu
- Come Look with Me: Enjoying Art with Children
- History: Fiction or Science
- Cria Casera De Lombrices : Manual Practico Para Su Aprovechamiento Ecologico : Raising Worms At Home
- A User's Guide to the View Camera, Third Edition
- AutoCAD for Architectural Drawing Using AutoCAD 2000
- Sacrifice of the Generals: Soviet Senior Officer Losses, 1939-1953
General
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Help Others
The Canine Good Citizen: Every Dog Can Be One, Second Edition
Therapy Dogs: Compassionate Modalities Book with DVD
Therapy Pets: The Animal-Human Healing Partnership
Pet Assisted Therapy: A Loving Intervention and an Emerging Profession--Leading to a Friendlier, Healthier, and More Peaceful World
