The Animal Review: The Genius, Mediocrity, and Breathtaking Stupidity That Is Nature

by Jacob Lentz, Steve Nash

Ever since our ancestors first set eyes on a woolly mammoth and agreed that it needed hunting, human beings have been making judgments about animals. The king cobra: That's an A-plus animal. The garden snail? D-minus. On a good day.
In Animal Review, Jacob Lentz and Steve Nash give authoritative listings and ratings of dozens of your favorite (and least-favorite) animals. Expanded from their popular blog, the entries mix fascinating animal facts with hilarious assessments, set off with brilliantly captioned photos and enlightening charts and graphs. It's a perfect gift for animal lovers of any age, with sophisticated but kid-friendly humor and tons of interesting information.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Science, Animals, Nature, Environment, Science Nature

144 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2010

Reviews

[karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

i have never been more let down by a book in my life.

which is, i suppose, something to be grateful for; some people get on streaks of books that they hate. at least this was only a casual at-home-reading book that didn't waste too much of my time.

but i still resent the time it did take.

this should have been the perfect companion book to f.u. penguin: another book giving animals the what-for, coasting on their looks and making us gurgle over their "feets" and their oversized manga eyes or the way they do "cute little human things with their hands." they reduce us, they weaken us with their soft fur and helpless appearance. i sat watching ducks paddle around in a pond last night, laughing over the way they were dodging turtles and eating bread from a kid's hand and i felt all warm inside. someone could have come up behind me and pushed me in the water and i would have been totally defenseless.

you see what they do to me.

this book was, i thought, a way to once again put those animals in their places; to rate them based on performance, usefulness, intelligence, whatever, to rank the animal kingdom in a way that would discount any emotional bias where they would be judged on a strictly scientific basis. but funny.

and this is why we must always read the author's credentials before we read our books. a writer for the jimmy kimmel show and an advertising writer. huh.



this man is many things, but funny ain't one of them.

not only does this book not hit the funny button, it also presents misinformation!

The alpaca is much smaller than the llama, coming in at about 125 pounds and around four feet tall at adulthood, whereas a llama may weigh as much as forty thousand pounds and be well over seven hundred feet tall.

wow. this is when i started hating the book (page 32). that is not even a remotely humorous sentence, and it undermines the fact RIGHT ON THE PRECEDING PAGE that i thought was cool, but now i don't know if it is even true:

As a defense mechanism, some species of ants explode their own heads in a shower of toxic chemicals.

now i actually have to do RESEARCH to find out if it is true. or read this other book, which i was planning on doing anyway.

i also don't understand the grading system. why does the hippo get a "d"?? it seems like everything the authors were (hilariously) claiming about the hippo makes it a "better" animal from an evolutionary standpoint, because it is a killer that people forget is a killer. cuteness camouflage. that, to me, makes it a more "successful" animal.

if you need a book to make you feel better about the way animals take us over and think they are sooooooo cute, read f.u. penguin. and that is what i give this book: a big f, followed by a u.

additionally, this is what i wish animals would do to the authors:









(spoilers: michelle, the octopus got an "a", montambo, the snail got a d-minus, fonso, the poison dart frog got an a-minus, greg, the pigeon got a b.)

come to my blog!

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time enjoying this book because the authors seem to be trying to hard to be funny at the expense of factual truth. While the book might be a good one to have for people to read in the bathroom, just as any joke book would belong there, I was disappointed by this item. One of the authors wrote for a late night television show and clearly tries to put that talent to use in this book but fails miserably. There are funny parts, true, but the book provides no insights into the animal kingdom as I had hoped it would. Rather, it uses wrong facts and observations about how society views the animals (pandas got a bad grade because they are cuddly and sit around all day in zoos) that make me want to call the authors up and ask if they did ANY research in making the book. OK I'm done with my rant.

I know there is an inherent social pressure to give good reviews for books one receives for free as a first read. But I just couldn't stomach glossing this one over.

[Bethany Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the Goodreads First reads program.
The Animal Review is very much a book of the information age. Reading this outgrowth of Jacob Lentz and Steve Nash's blog is as low-commitment as browsing a website. They divide the animal kingdom into four common sense categories (land, sky, water and other) and, after a brief discussion of positive and negative attributes, assign a letter grade.
Set this book on your bedside table, kitchen counter or anywhere else you can pick it up for a few moments' amusement and lay it down guilt-free. This is a low maintenance book. If you can't commit the full three minutes to reading an entry, flip open to any page, look at a graphic and read the hilarious caption. Bam! Instant funny in less time than it takes to switch on your laptop and log on.
There is no subsistute for nestling into a favorite armchair and escaping for a few hours into the intricate landscape of a great novel, but if you're pressed for time The Review offers a multitude of brief diversions.
I thoroughly enjoyed daytripping into their world: equal parts scientific insight and witty observation, with just a dash of oddball, juvenile zanyness. I was laughing so hard I barely noticed that I was learning something.

[Diane Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious romp through the animal kingdom! Very fun and engaging read, that was not only entertaining but also educational. I was inspired to research many animals further. For example...the sea cucumber. I had to learn more about how it ejects it's own organs through it's anus! The photos were charming and the prose delightful. My only regret was that it was too short...perhaps there will be a sequel?

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book -- I loved it! I was expecting a book filled with facts and figures and things like that. This book has those but it's written in such a way that it is fun to read, but it's not overwhelming. It is easy to read and has some subtle humor in it that keeps you smiling as you learn all these strange facts about these animals.

[Sandi]

This little volume came to me via the FirstReads program. It had me laughing out loud. It will probably take me quite a while to finish it. Both my son and my husband think they are more worthy of it than I am and it has found it's way to the man-library, aka the bathroom.

[Keri]

This book looks really funny.

[amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the funniest thing I have ever read. Take from that what you will.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excerpt:
The definitive, highly biased, and frequently accurate report card on evolution’s illustrious (and sometimes absurd) 3.5-billion-year career.



gift for animal lovers of all ages.



I won this book in a first reads and i have to say i fairly enjoyed it. It's certainly not a long book, nor one that requires constant attention. It's one where it's best place is on a coffee table or reading rack at an office where someone can pick it up and turn to any random page and start reading. Immensely humorous the authors that learning about various in a more entertaining way than most fact books about animals. It should be noted though that some basic knowledge of some animals featured in this book in needed. I say this because in their "Great White Shark" section they repeatedly state how much of a killer it is, how death by shark is the highest death rate, and that you'll know one person whose been killed by a shark in your life. These things are completely untrue and merely stated in a humorous notion. If you have ever watched "Shark Week" on "The Discovery Channel" you'd know you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than killed by a shark. Though notably short i found this book to be wholly entertaining and a keeper. My one critic is that the authors have not scored the rabbit. Being a bunny mommy of six i was hoping to find how they rate rabbits among the animal kingdom.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a give-away contest. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. And in fact I am loaning it out to friends right now. It is cleverly written by two authors who are experienced in writing comedy. While it is mainly a "fun" read, the authors throw in scientific fact as well. Even for someone who has vast knowledge on animals, there are some real surprises in store. I would recommend this book for any animal lover or any book lover for that matter. It is an easy read that will lighten up your day.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book free as a First-Reads. I didn't know what I was getting into, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was a light and amusing book that I enjoyed. I found myself giggling aloud (which is great because I don't often find anything laugh-out-loud funny). It was a fun combination of wit, sarcasm, and actual factual information. I was entertained, and I learned some fun new vocabulary words at the same time!

[Jd032700 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this on Goodreads/Firstreads. It was a funny fast read and I laughed out loud several times. I found it very irreverent which I love. Enjoyed that I was able to read a little at a time. Really liked the book

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was truly one of the most amusing books I've read. I laughed out loud on repeated occasions. For those who thought this was a reference/learning book, it's no wonder you didn't like it (think: comedy before animal knowledge, not vice versa)! Would recommend to anyone with a sense of humor.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining, and educational! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Nick Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of fun, but nothing that wasn't on the blog.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one book whose concept has charmed me into wondering what was actually found within its pages but unable to ever find anyone who seemed to carry it that I could borrow it from. Fortunately that has changed and I didn't even have to buy the book to find out how much of a waste it would have been if I had bought it for myself.

Although the idea is interesting these two weren't the right ones to see it through for their comedy fell flat and the only laugh I got was from the startled look on my boyfriend's face when they actually mentioned a fact that I had told him before, which he must not have believed me when I told him. Otherwise the book was full of inside jokes trying to refer to popular culture so this book will definitely become obsolete in the near future and making a sad attempt to color animals' intelligence or beings of greatness depending on their own views of what seems to be cool. Basically this is one of those lists that you would find a few grade-school boys would make although the latter would do a lot better job at selection.

Otherwise the book does offer some actual fun facts and truths about animals but with the authors' exaggeration on some points, their bias thinking and attempted adding of humorous anthropomorphism there just isn't too much room to really want to add this book to one's nonfiction collection - even as a stepping stone. All in all it a was a sad flop that should have been relegated to digital format only instead of sacrificing poor trees to make its pages.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only humor in this book is at the expense of disabled people. There's nothing like seeing your diagnosis used as a punchline about a wildebeest to turn you off a book. I worked in zoological education for 5+ years, and it's not that hard to be silly about animals without falling into tired and false disability troupes. These kind of "jokes" aren't even low-hanging fruit. They're rotten-on-the-ground fruit.

[Robert Giesenhagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is real funny. Just missing the platypus, nature’s mistake.

[Jaymie De Frain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the jokes were funny but most felt like the writers were trying too hard. I would have enjoyed more true facts about the animals.

[Joe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry friends, I've let you down. I was thrilled to have received "The Animal Review" as part of the First Reads program. I think, that being able to get free books, and then sharing your thoughts with friends is an incredible way to promote literary enthusiasm. My shame then, is that it has taken me so long to warn you.
I found the vignettes, although neatly arrayed on a single page, next to a nice enough photo of the animal in question, just not funny. Or, even clever, really, it was like, “ok, let’s make fun of something about an animal, because we can write, and they can’t. Nyeaaaah, nyeaaah!!!
So, here’s my plan. I’m going to put this in that magazine thing in the bathroom. It’s a good size for that. People can read about one animal at a time, and I’ll put a little sticky note, and one of those miniature golf pencils, at the back of the book, for comments. I’ll revise this review, as those opinions become available to me.
Thank you, Goodreads, for a great way to get in touch with others out there, who really enjoy books, and talking about books. And thank you, friends, for not taking my failure to review, too personally. (I hope this doesn’t mean I won’t get any more First Reads.)

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for review via First Reads.

Just received my copy yesterday. I was a little apprehensive at first - "The Genius, Mediocrity and Breathtaking Stupidity That Is Nature" - but if the whole book is like the section on Pandas, it will be more like "the Breathtaking Stupidity of Humans"...and that is no big surprise.

The photos were wonderful: 5 stars
I actually learned a few things: 4 stars
Humor: 3 stars
As I have the sense of humor of a pre-adolescent boy, I admit I chuckled a few times, but I didn't find the book to be as funny as the author intended (and he tried REALLY hard). I can't really figure out who the target reader is for this book. The humor is very juvenile, but some of the subject matter is not (again, the panda section).
If I took the average of the stars I gave, this book would get 4 stars. However, I just can't give it more than 3.

[Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most humor, whether you like this book or not is a matter of taste. The 'reviews' of animals are varied enough that the joke never becomes completely repetitious, though in most cases the deadlier the animal, the higher the grade. Some metaphors are strained to the breaking point (locusts=teenage girls) which causes a review or two to devolve into non sequiturs. The actual facts that are camouflaged within the reviews keep it interesting, but of course, you would need an outside source to let you know fact from fiction in many cases. The book strongly reminded me of another book, and when I saw another review mentioning _1066 and All That_, I thought that might be it... In fact, I was reminded of Will Cuppy's _How to Attract the Wombat_, which covers some of the same ground in the same light style in its short essays. (Overlap includes the koala, the frog, the octopus, the snail, and the ladybug.)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a popular blog, The Animal Review is part FU Penguin (only with more facts) and part John Hodgman (only the facts are real). It's a snarky look at some of nature's largest, scariest, weirdest, you-name-it animals. Each animal's review features photos (with captions, of course) and fun facts (which aren't always related to the animal in question) and concludes with the animal's grade (A+ through F). Nowadays, it seems like everyone is turning a blog into a book, so I was a bit skeptical. And I wasn't wowed when I first started reading. But as I got farther along, it grew on me. And grew on me a bit more -- it's a quick, fun read. However, if you're easily offended by someone dissing your favorite animal, this may not be the book for you...

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book as a Goodreads giveaway and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Filled with snarky humor, it's a hilarious book. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud while reading it. While there is some factual information presented, it's not so much of an attempt to educate, but a tongue-in-cheek commentary on animal and human behavior. It's a short book, but I only allowed myself to read a few "grades" at a time, because I didn't want to finish it too quickly. I passed my copy to a friend in dire need of a chuckle. It originated as a series of blogs, which is readily apparent in the short reviews.

new words: ungulate, gorp, ecumenicalism, retromingent, aposematism

[melydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I'm just jaded, but I've found most animal humor books aren't particularly humorous. They're like Garfield, recycling the same old jokes and stereotypes. So you can imagine my delighted surprise when I laughed out loud on several occasions while reading this book. Each animal is graded using an admittedly biased (and often ridiculous) methodology, from the A+ King Cobra to the F-rated Alpaca. The ideas of vulture as college roommate, ants as teen girls, and Nature as moody art student are just so absurd and yet so well done that I couldn't help but giggle. This is one humor book I'd actually recommend. I think I might have to subscribe to the blog now too.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

People who liked F. U. Penguin (the book or the blog) will like this book. The authors take on the fauna of the world in a humorous, often derisive tone, giving each animal a letter grade. The King Cobra gets an A-plus, for example, because they're afraid to give it a less than perfect grade since it's gigantic and deadly poisonous. The wimpy, dorky-looking llama gets an F.

This book has very good photos and includes a surprising number of real and interesting facts about the animals featured. It wasn't as funny as I hoped it would be, though. I only chuckled a few times.

[Uriah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved this book as a first reads winner.

The first thing I have to say about this book is that it is hilarious. The descriptions of the animals, their traits and their habits was fun and engaging. I often found myself reading parts of it aloud to those around me. That said, it sometimes seemed to have political overtones and some of the grades felt disconnected from the descriptions that had been given. Minor quibbles.

Overall a very enjoyable read that manages to inform as well.

[Martin Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 instead of 4 stars because while some of the animals were HILARIOUS, the second two thirds kind of lagged a bit. I still recommend it for anyone wanting some good laughs mixed with truth and lies.

many people have complained about the disinformation that is given in this book, but I find it to be among the best material. It is very much in the style of John Hodgman's books and even in the vein of Stephen Colbert. Are the authors sometimes trying too hard to be funny? yes. Do they expect you to believe that the llama is 125 ft tall? no.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads' giveaway. Although entertaining, I was bit put off by the comedy at the expense of fact. There are plenty of interesting animal facts out there... why not integrate some of those instead of just making things up? The book was entertaining, but remember to read it with the spirit in which it was intended.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combines my love of learning about animals with my love of making fun of animals. It is seriously the funniest book I've read in a long time, and I've read copious amounts of Sedaris and Bryson.

My particular favorites are the chapters on Pandas, The King Cobra, Blue Whales, and Sea Cucumbers.

I'm still giggling a little bit just thinking about it.