When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals

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When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 1,966 ratings · 172 reviews

This national bestseller exploring the complex emotional lives of animals was hailed as "a masterpiece" by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas and as "marvelous" by Jane Goodall.

The popularity of When Elephants Weep has swept the nation, as author Jeffrey Masson appeared on Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, and was profiled in People for his ground-breaking and fascinating study....more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published October 21st 1996 by Delta (first published 1994)

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Aug 08, 2007 Ethan Fixell rated it 1 of 5 stars

so disappointing. i had such high hopes. but all every page was like, "maybe animals have feelings. but we're not sure yet. i mean, cats seem to. but who knows? elephants look like they're crying sometimes. are they really? we may never find out."

trash.

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Apr 29, 2008 Colin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

While I agree with the principles in this book, that's all I agree with. There are several reasons.

First and most obvious to many who read it: he has a huge amount of anger towards scientists. I can appreciate this to a large extent, animals have been and are still used in experiments which are horrible. His anger has transcended the normal boundaries to become fanatical. The problem with this is twofold. On the one hand he often makes generalizations which are not always fair (his attacks on an...more While I agree with the principles in this book, that's all I agree with. There are several reasons.

First and most obvious to many who read it: he has a huge amount of anger towards scientists. I can appreciate this to a large extent, animals have been and are still used in experiments which are horrible. His anger has transcended the normal boundaries to become fanatical. The problem with this is twofold. On the one hand he often makes generalizations which are not always fair (his attacks on animal behaviorists are often off the mark), on the other hand it gets boring after a couple of chapters. He begins to sound like a parrot who knows how to say many things but insists on yelling "scientists are evil, scientists are evil" at all hours of the day.

Second, his arguments are mainly annecdotal. This is often necessary and the author does explain the difficulties in studying emotions otherwise. The problem is that such stories often have multiple interpretations. One example is a story he gives about a boy saved from a venemous snake by a mongoose. He gives this as proof of love- that the mongoose killed the snake because it loved the boy. That is certainly a possibility but is it the only one? After all mongooses kill snakes in the wild all the time. If he could offer proof that mongooses only do so in the presence of family that would be stronger but he doesn't. I don't know if such research exists for mongooses but there is compelling evidence in ground squirrels. Even then, saying it is from love is difficult. It could be (I think they feel love for their families) but it can't be proven. Culture can also play a role in how we read these events but Mr. Masson ignores all these uncomfortable questions.

Finally and most disturbingly, the author misrepresents at least two of his sources. I have read both the Bledsoe and schaller books which he refers to and he misrepresents their statements in the book to give more weight to his arguments. If he did it for them, what about his other sources?

The author attempted to deal with a opic previously inexplored in our culture and he should be commended for that. Unfortunately in most other ways this book fails. I previously recommended this book to friends with an interest in the topic (with the caveat to read it and still think for themselves) but now that Marc Bekoff has published "The Emotional Lives of Animals" I plan on reading that one and hope that I will be able to whole-heartedly recommend that one instead.(less)

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Nov 05, 2007 Carrie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: spare-yourself, animal-behavior

I was hoping this would be more like "Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior," with lots of interesting facts backed up with evidence. Instead, it reads like an essay arguing that ethologists are all wrong because they don't ascribe animals' actions to emotional causes. Granted, I didn't read the whole book, but the part I did read repeated itself over and over. I felt like I was being beaten by a dead, unhappy horse.

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Apr 13, 2010 Tippy Jackson rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: animalia

Repetitive. No science. Reads something like this-scientists suck because I think my pets have feelings and they really do because I can just tell and how can anyone say they don't? Also, other people think their pets have feelings. So there. Flawless argument. Horribly misinterprets or over interprets behaviors and actions. Everything right up to the looks dogs give and of course, from a look you can read their mind because it's not possible they could be thinking anything other than the anthro...more

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Apr 23, 2009 Danna rated it 4 of 5 stars

[Readers note: the author is a professor of Sanskrit and a trained Freudian analyst who has a passion for animals and exploring our relationships to animals from a philosophical point of view. He is not a practicing biologist, animal behaviorist, or any other -ist within the zoological/anthropological realm. I believe his intent is to help make this area of science more compelling, interesting, and accessible to the lay public. Best to read it with that understanding in mind.]

I fell right into t...more [Readers note: the author is a professor of Sanskrit and a trained Freudian analyst who has a passion for animals and exploring our relationships to animals from a philosophical point of view. He is not a practicing biologist, animal behaviorist, or any other -ist within the zoological/anthropological realm. I believe his intent is to help make this area of science more compelling, interesting, and accessible to the lay public. Best to read it with that understanding in mind.]

I fell right into this book from page one of the prologue. My inner dialog was so loud and persistent I had to take notes on paper to help myself focus more clearly on what I was reading; it felt good to be so actively interactive with a book! About halfway through chapter one, though, I realized I definitely wasn't part of the target audience. Back when I worked at the public library I became hooked on non-fiction, and I've always loved the life sciences in particular, so I'm already very familiar with the topic. Despite feeling like I was being beaten over the head with his strident arguments, I still found myself cheering Masson for writing such a passionate book, and I was happy to overlook some of his more specious generalizations knowing the intent was to convince folk who hadn't really thought about this topic before that it's one worth embracing and exploring more deeply. The thing I couldn't get away from, however, was my need to shout: "...in Western scientific traditions!" after each of his assertions that there is "..almost no investigation...in the modern scientific literature," or "...the worst of ethological sins - anthropomorphism." At least he did mention Jane Goodall and Frans de Waal, and again, de Waal's research was not really the point of this book. It did make me hungry to read " The Ape and the Sushi Master" again, where de Waal does explore the limitations of Western science and how Eastern scientists have a much more holistic approach that includes recognizing the sentience and emotional expressions of other animals.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Nina Bradley rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was frustrating to read. It was anecdote after anecdote and even though I agree with the author that animals do have emotions, I found myself disagreeing with his arguments. He likes to present a story of an animal behaving in such a way as to convince us that it is having some sort of emotional experience, of which I have no doubt. The problem is that he is pulling emotions out of his butt and saying "It could be this...or this... or this..." This is why science has little to say abou...more

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Dec 21, 2007 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: libraryread, pop-science

Masson explores "the sin of anthropomorphism" - attributing emotions (& behaviour in response to emotions) to animals, both in terms of his own observations and those of biologists and animal trainers & researchers, all the way back to Charles Darwin. He starts with a general discussion of the topic, then spends a chapter on one of about a dozen different emotional states; including fear, anger, love, joy and compassion.

He's definitely writing with an agenda; he's a vegetarian and very a...more

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Aug 19, 2012 T.H. Waters rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a point by point comprehensive examination of the argument made by the majority scientists that animals, both domesticated and wild (including dogs & cats), are simply not capable of emotion. Do animals experience fear, love, friendship, grief, sadness, joy, and so on? Are they capable of suffering? Before When Elephants Weep was writen, no one had yet offered an in-depth rebuttal that animals' lives are indeed filled with complex sensibility. The author, Jeffrey Moussaieff Mass...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Dale rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read by David Ackroyd
Duration: 3 hours, 5 minutes (abridged)

Strengths:

When Elephants Weep is full of moving anecdotes concerning animals and the possibility of them having emotions. It is a pleasant listen and usually not "over the top" in its preachiness. It was well read by narrator David Ackroyd. The authors make a compelling, if not scientifically rigorous argument for animal emotions.

Weaknesses:

The authors are continually preaching against scientists who do not believe that animals have emo...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Makes some good points, using lots of real-life examples, without the mistake of making animals out to be flower-children. Puts into words the annoying, infuriationg, ridiculous canon in the scientific realm that Animals Can't Have Emotions ("they've just evolved to act as if they do"?!) and it is anthropomorphic to say they do--comparing this to the not-so-long-ago scientific stand that animals (and, by the way, human infants!) can't feel pain as we do and it is anthropomorphic and stupid to sa...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you’ve ever looked for connections between the emotional lives of humans and animals, look no further than Jeffery Masson and Susan McCarthy’s When Elephants Weep. This insightful and delightful read gives an inside look to the emotional lives, experiences, and actions of species throughout the animal kingdom. From dancing squirrels to bashful gorillas to spiteful killer whales, Masson and coauthor Susan McCarthy discuss enlightening anecdotes and illuminating insights that offer powerful pr...more If you’ve ever looked for connections between the emotional lives of humans and animals, look no further than Jeffery Masson and Susan McCarthy’s When Elephants Weep. This insightful and delightful read gives an inside look to the emotional lives, experiences, and actions of species throughout the animal kingdom. From dancing squirrels to bashful gorillas to spiteful killer whales, Masson and coauthor Susan McCarthy discuss enlightening anecdotes and illuminating insights that offer powerful proof of the existence of animal emotion. Chapters on love, joy, anger, fear, shame, compassion, and loneliness cause us to step back and re-evaluate our personal treatment of animals, from hunting and eating them to scientific experimentation, and the effects that these methods have on their emotional lives. With a complete and compelling picture of the private lives of animals, When Elephants Weep assures that we will never look at animals the same way again.
This was a thought-provoking book about the emotional lives of animals and how much we take for granted by trying to assume that emotions are exclusively a human phenomenon. The authors use of anecdotes from personal experience and reports of others show that animals can feel emotions and also interact in a variety of ways that go beyond traditional scientific reports. This book draws a very personal reaction from the reader audience, as we take time to consider emotions in an empathetic gesture to animals. It raises awareness and useful information that can help the reader to better understand the similarities between animals and humans.
I found the book to be very insightful and touching. It challenged by own assumptions about the limited emotional life of animals and caused a rethinking of my own treatment of animals. Though we can express our emotions outwardly and more obviously, we tend to be rather naïve in thinking that animals cannot access such levels of emotional thought. I think the book was very well-written and informative, giving an inside look at an otherwise untouched subject.
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Jul 06, 2010 Andrew Sydlik rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction-science, nonfiction-philosophy, nonfiction-social-issues

- A mother giraffe fends off a lion for an hour to defend her child.
- A male chimpanzee dies shortly after his mother.
- Koko the gorilla cares for a “pet” kitten she names “All Ball.”
- A male falcon displays uncharacteristic behavior, including sounds that sound like cries of anguish, when his mate is killed.
- A gorilla who is given orange juice as a treat, gives it instead one day to a researcher who complains of a stomach ache. When she returns ten days later, the gorilla insists on the resear...more - A mother giraffe fends off a lion for an hour to defend her child.
- A male chimpanzee dies shortly after his mother.
- Koko the gorilla cares for a “pet” kitten she names “All Ball.”
- A male falcon displays uncharacteristic behavior, including sounds that sound like cries of anguish, when his mate is killed.
- A gorilla who is given orange juice as a treat, gives it instead one day to a researcher who complains of a stomach ache. When she returns ten days later, the gorilla insists on the researcher drinking her juice until reassured that the stomach ache is gone.
- And of course, the thing that gives this book its title: elephants have been seen to cry on numerous occasions.

Is this definitive proof that animals show emotions? Not necessarily, but they are characteristic of the examples given in this book, which is more of a challenge to our attitudes toward animals, and our reluctance to explore the whole question of emotion in animals. The authors point out that seals have been seen to shed tears while watching their children being clubbed to death, but since seals frequently shed tears, this isn’t conclusive proof of emotion. However, this doesn’t mean that the seals don’t feel sad. I’m sure there are more compelling examples in the book than the ones I have listed.

I think that the reader should keep in mind that, despite the enormous amount of data we have about other animals, there is still much mystery to their behavior and cognitive functions. These things, particularly emotion, are so little well-understood in humans, that our knowledge is woefully lacking when it comes to non-human animals. However, this book reinforces that point while also pointing to documentation that challenges the preconceptions that tend to be voiced in academia, especially in the biological sciences.

After looking at some negative reviews, I feel I ought to add in my thoughts of why I think some of the negative criticism is unfair.

The most overwhelming criticism I am seeing is that the authors criticize scientists to the point of hostility and denigration. It is true that the tone does border on the antagonistic when it comes to certain dismissals of animal emotion, or in cruelty to animals justified by science. However, I heartily enjoy science books and am, usually a defender of scientific pursuit in general, and I was not bothered by this. To me, there is a much needed confrontation of the dismissive attitudes of many scientists regarding animal emotion. The issue of the ethics of animal experimentation for scientific research is, I think, one of the most pressing and complex ethical issues facing scientists today; and one’s beliefs regarding animal emotion will figure significantly into one’s attitude toward animal experimentation. I don’t think a watered down tone is appropriate here; the authors are challenging intractable and, it is hard to put this in a way that won’t be considered an ad hominem attack, insensitive behavior.

The second complaint I see is that the authors are dogmatic and unequivocally accept animals display emotions in situations that are ambiguous at best. While at times I did think that the authors were reading an emotional motive where there was none, I always stopped to reflect on the fact that 1) they almost always use tentative language—could, maybe, perhaps, etc., rather than giving statements such as “this is obviously an example of animal emotion, which the evil scientists have denied against all reason and compassion,” which is what many of the negative reviews seem to imply; 2) even in someone who is very sympathetic to this viewpoint such as myself, I find myself resisting the idea of emotion in animals, because truly acknowledging such would lead to a radical change in many societal attitudes and behaviors that we take for granted, even in those of us who think we are kind to animals. If we, as a society, were confident in the truth of the premise of this book, we would be beating down the doors of the slaughterhouses, animal testing labs, and circuses of the world.

There isn’t a large amount of literature on this subject, but some have recommended other books over this one that sound intriguing.

The value I see in this book is not solid, scientific proof of emotions in animals, but a much-needed challenge to our assumptions. In situations that may seem unclear, I think it’s perfectly justified to ask, “Did the animal feel emotion when doing that, or was it simply an unfeeling act of instinct?” The problem is, we are so inured to assuming the latter, that one may not even consider the possibility that both instinct and emotion are acting. One interesting example from the book: an elephant tries to rescue a baby rhino stuck in the mud, even when the mother rhino attacks the elephant, in defense of her baby. Rhinos have bad eyesight, so the mother did not realize the baby was stuck, even though it heard it and knew it was in trouble. Was the mother acting out of love in defending her child (even though it was misguided), or was this simply a biological imperative to protect one’s genes? Can’t both be true? And for the elephant, was its rescue attempt true altruism, trying to help a completely unrelated animal, even after being attacked by the mother? Or had the baby’s distress activated a “protect the child” instinct, even when not related (it seems that animals will often have protective and nurturing behavior towards children even of completely unrelated species)?

My only complaint is that the majority of the instances of possible animal emotions are in mammals. This is understandable given that other mammals are the most likely to behave like humans, and they do give some cases of birds, and even briefly touch on insects and arachnids, but I think that some more examples among reptiles, amphibians, and fish could have been given. But this is a small caveat, since data on those groups is probably much rarer.

The instances given, while often open to interpretation, do provide situations, of which at least some, cannot fail to startle the reader, and challenge some preconception about what animals (or at least that kind of animal) are capable. I would also think the authors make a good point in turning the charge of anthropomorphism on its head: is it necessarily anthropomorphic to ascribe emotions to non-human animals if these emotions, like physical characteristics, can be demonstrated to be shared with non-humans? Also, they do well in pointing out that allowing the possibility of emotions in animals does not only mean giving them emotions we want, saying that they are only loving and kind, or only cruel and aggressive; we should not also assume they have only primitive emotions, or can experience the same emotions human have, or in the same way. The authors make the case that clearly more investigation and open-mindedness is needed, and that emotion even among humans is not well understood, especially scientifically. After more reflection and investigation, we need to face our own attitudes and behavior towards animals and adjust them accordingly.(less)

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Jul 17, 2009 Dinah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, advocacy

This book has a fatal flaw, which I believe is the crux of its argument and usefulness: In the discussion of whether or not animals can be said to have feelings, Masson is forced to wrestle with the definition of emotion, its origin and symptoms and causes and ontology. Is emotion mutually exclusive to evolutionary function, as one would come to believe from the tone of scientific discourse? If a mother protects her cubs, can we assume she feels love for them? Why would we possibly assume otherw...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book fascinating, although at least in my own case there was a certain amount of 'preaching to the choir'. As Masson argues, any pet owner would argue that of course animals have feelings, of course their dog is excited about a walk, of course their cat is pleased to see them, or gets jealous or angry or sulks. Scientists, however, would argue that we are guilty of anthropomorphism, a cardinal sin of animal behaviourists, the sin of projecting onto animals the emotions that we ourse...more

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Jan 27, 2008 Marley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008, nonfiction

I have a feeling I'm not going to finish this one. The writing is dense and not that accessible... but maybe if I skip to the interesting anecdotal stuff about animal emotions? It starts with a justification of the book, the idea that animals have emotions that are at least somewhat comparable to human emotions and that this deserves study. But that goes on for too long.

Interesting anecdotes about animals; I enjoyed it.

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May 15, 2012 Teagan D rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, for-the-love-of-animals

This book was fantastic. I wouldn't say it changed the way I thought, but it definitely enriched and deepened my perception of and appreciation for the lives of animals. Although it was apparent that Jeffrey Masson was on a quest to transform the thinking of people working and living in the scientific realm (and therefore, at times, spoke in a way that was a bit above my intellectual level to fully grasp) I never felt lost or ignored as a reader. My interest in the world of animal studies and ob...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Lawrence rated it 1 of 5 stars

I am a lion hungry for a piece of meat, but I can't seem to get it across to Mr. Masson. I stood up on my hind legs and mewed and whined and begged, but no nice red meat. All of which is to say that I got to about page 55 and said to myself that this book was not worth the investment in time and energy.

The book is actually a polemic fueled by Mr. Masson's dislike about something or other in the scientific community and inflated by his speculations and rhetorical questions in the form of "If so,...more

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Oct 08, 2007 Natasha O'rourke rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this more than I did. It has some interesting tidbits and case studies, but the author is kind of all over the place and contradicts himself a lot. I believe animals have emotions, but I didn't feel like he made his case as compelling as he could have. But it's an interesting read.

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Jan 28, 2010 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This could easily be a five star book, as I believe it can change the life ofmany people who do not give enough credit to animals. However in my case I was already in agreement with the fact that animals do have emotions and feel just as much as we do, so it was not a life changing book per say.
However this book is very intelligent. It's well written, very scientific in its approach, and while at times can be a bit snarky, is justifiably so. This is not the feel good "let's read stories about a...more

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May 01, 2010 Carole Gropl rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a re-read. I first read this book when it came out in 1995. I enjoyed it the second time as well. I don't agree with some of the reviewers of this book who say the author does not make his point. No, he does not scientifically prove that animals have emotions and that these emotions, rather than pure instinct, influence their behavior. I don't think he was trying to do that. I believe he was trying to get people to see animals as sentient beings who feel - and I think he succeeds at that...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very interesting. I guess dog and cat emotions have been done over several times. The examples in the book were wild animals as observed by folks who have studied them and animals in controlled experiments. Certainly makes the case for more humane treatment of animals and may turn some readers into vegetarians. The scientific jargon describing animal reactions seems ridiculous to those of us who have cared for animals and shared their space. I particularly enjoyed the references to apes and chim...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Cory rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was truly a beautiful book. It expresses a deep desire to see equality with man and humans. It takes a subjective yet scientific approach to describing the interactions of animals, as well as humans. The connections animals have to their own species and to conspecifics is evident in every interaction. They along with Humanity are striving to be understood and survive. It has given me a different perspective on nature, humanity, animals and the constant interaction between them all. It is im...more

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May 07, 2012 Meghan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfic-science

Really surprised by the low ratings given to this book.

I found it insightful, seemingly (to my untrained eye) scientific, and a compelling argument for the emotions of animals.

I do think the authors worked hard not to seem to anthropomorphize the animals. It strikes a decent (not too mushy, not too sciency) balance that science people won't immediately criticize, and animal lovers won't immediately hate. Being the latter, I would have loved some gushing.. maybe. But I get it, and I think it was...more

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May 25, 2011 Jitske rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was extremely interesting and a good read that I would recommend to anyone interested in the animal kingdom. In "When Elephants Weep", the author (Jeffrey Moussaief Masson) and the co-author (Susan McCarthy) attempt to show the reader that animals, too, lead rich emotional lives. It is full of anecdotes and examples of research observations and striking animal behaviour around the world. It was a rather easy read, too, evidently written for a wide audience to get the message...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Florence rated it 4 of 5 stars

For some reason most scientists discount all evidence that animals are emotional beings, discarding the evidence as anthropomorphism. This author makes a convincing case that animals do, in fact, experience many emotional states that are similar to our own. This makes sense to me. After all, we are animals as well, are we not? I cringed and had to stop reading when some anecdotes involving animal experiments were described. It is just too easy to assign animals to a lower form of life and tell o...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Geri Dosalua rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books, finished-book

I listened to the audiobook (cassettes) and the copyright date was 1995. Adult, nonfiction book. Marvelous information about animal behavior. Not a recent book, but still current. Many renowned animal behaviorists are mentioned in the book, as are many famous animals in their own right, such as Koko the gorilla, Alex, the African Grey Parrot, Washoe the chimpanzee, etc. I am very glad I read this. Was not a fast-moving book, but one to relish. Good for trip in the car, where you could give your...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Kalie Lyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every pet owner will admit to committing anthropomorphism – ascribing human emotions to animals – on a daily basis; I know I sure do! We can see that our dog feels happy, that our cat feels playful, or that our turtle feels content; most people do not deny that non-human animals share some basic human emotions. However, in the scientific community, committing anthropomorphism is essentially looked upon as a sin.

In When Elephants Weep, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson challenges people – scientists, res...more Every pet owner will admit to committing anthropomorphism – ascribing human emotions to animals – on a daily basis; I know I sure do! We can see that our dog feels happy, that our cat feels playful, or that our turtle feels content; most people do not deny that non-human animals share some basic human emotions. However, in the scientific community, committing anthropomorphism is essentially looked upon as a sin.

In When Elephants Weep, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson challenges people – scientists, researchers, and non-scientists alike – to come to terms with the fact that animals do seem to have emotions. Focusing on the basic human emotions people are most able to relate to, such as joy, love, anger, fear, shame, etc., this book provides compelling examples of non-human animals portraying and experiencing emotions much like people do. Some of these anecdotes that Masson provides as he argues that animals do have emotions and feelings include: the love shown in animals who mate for life, the fear evident in the animals’ eyes during dangerous encounters, and the sorrow they feel when one of their kind passes away.

Included with the examples are scholarly explanations from biologists, ethologists, and animal behaviorists of the emotions animals have been seen portraying. Masson’s theory that animals do experience emotions is backed up by some of the leading people whom have dedicated their lives to studying animals. While he gives detailed examples, and convinces the reader of his point, he is not biased in any way. He also provides anecdotes and opinions from acclaimed scientists and researchers whom do not believe animals can feel emotions, and through this, he allows the reader to keep an open mind.

When Elephants Weep is one of those books that you continue to think about long after you have read it. Granted, I am an animal lover so my opinions toward this book may be a little biased. However, this is not just a book for those with passions for animals; this is also a book for those simply curious about emotions and how those emotions affect every living thing, and also for those wishing to dive into a world known little by humans.

Check out more of my reviews at: http://palmtreesbarefeet.wordpress.co...(less)

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Sep 13, 2010 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nature, non-fiction

This book examines evidence of emotions in animals. Masson constantly plays to his audience - animal lovers, so though he uses a rather vast array of documentation and philosophies to argue both sides of the argument, the reader is constantly told to think of their own experience. And, as a dog owner, it is hard to imagine anyone saying that a dog isn't ecstatic when you come home, or say yes to a long walk, or is seemingly heartbroken when you won't throw the tennis ball for the hundredth time....more

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Feb 28, 2010 Christian rated it 1 of 5 stars

I picked up this book expecting to find scientific evidence that animals are capable of demonstrating many of the same emotions humans do. What I got was a book that decided that because many dog and cat owners feel that their pets demonstrate emotion, therefore they do. Also, the author seemed mad at science and scientists that this kind of "evidence" hasn't been suitable for them in the past and spends a good portion of the book complaining about them.

Great book if you want no science and all...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Margo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, the author is preaching to the choir. I'm sure people who already are aware of animal emotions will read this, and those who aren't will ignore it. However, it even illustrates (briefly) the emotions of the 'not so cute' organisms out there, such as spiders. So hopefully, those who only care about the furry animals will give insects and arachnids a second thought before mindlessly exterminating or stomping on them just because of their mere existence on the planet.

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