Our Kindred Creatures, a superb blend of science, cultural history and essayistic grace, returns us to a time when advocacy for animals became a moral imperative. As Mr. Wasik and Ms. Murphy remind us in their poignant conclusion, we are still indebted to the work of reformers like Henry Bergh.
Meticulously researched ... Wasik and Murphy’s book often makes for disturbing reading, so unflinchingly does it document humankind’s capacity for cruelty ... Although Wasik and Murphy share their subjects’ sympathies, they are admirably clear-eyed about their deficiencies, including some lamentable anti-science sentiments ... Aside from that brief afterword, though, Wasik and Murphy’s book is almost entirely a study of the past. Our Kindred Creatures would have benefited from a more thorough examination of how early animal-welfare campaigns still reverberate—or don’t—today.
Extensively researched ... Of obvious appeal to animal lovers, this engaging account will also resonate with readers who enjoy in-depth looks at the history and shaping of contemporary American values.
Wasik and Murphy explore all of these topics compassionately ... A well-researched account that strikes a nice balance between description and analysis.
