Book & Film Reviews
Book Review: Elephant
by Chelsea Olinger
Review of Elephant by Dan Wylie. 2009. London: Reaktion Books. 205 pages. Elephant by Dan Wylie is all about elephants, as the title would imply. Wylie's purpose of writing this book is to give readers a broad look into the history of elephants. He includes information on the physiology of elephants and the way elephants are represented across the world. Wylie also writes about the many uses of elephants and the conservation of elephants. He ends the book with a timeline of elephants from c. 60 million BC to 1989. Wylie was successful with giving his readers a broad look into elephant history. Thanks to the book I now understand more about elephant and human animal interactions and how most of the time it isn't a positive interaction for the elephants. The book also has me wishing I was in a better position to help with the conservation of elephants. |
Book Review: Just Like Family
By Morgan Round
Review of Just Like Family: How Companion Animals Joined the Household by Andrea Laurent-Simpson (2021). NYU Press. (298 Pages) This book is about a particular kind of family, the American "Multispecies" family. Andrea Laurent-Simpson illuminates the multispecies family, how common it is today, and how it is constantly growing, not to mention thriving in todays society in the United States. The author discusses the roll of dogs and cats in what she refers to the "multispecies family," where dogs and cats are identified and treated as legitimate members of the household. The Ultimate goal of Just Like Family was to demonstrate how the multispecies family has developed in the context of many different family structures within the United States. |
Book Review: Swamplife
By Amanda Peltier
Review of Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades
Laura A. Ogden, Copyright 2011 by Regent's of the University of Minnesota.(185 pages).
Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades (2011) by Laura A. Ogden, lays emphasis on a specific body of concepts regarding the impact that human activities and urbanization have had on plants and nonhuman animals within Florida's Everglades. The author illustrates the story through the perspective of the humans that dwell there, in order to shed light on the positive and negative effects of the human lifestyles on the natural habitats of nonhuman animals. This book allows you, the reader, to recognize the differences in the thoughts and treatment of the ecosystem in the Everglades by the different groups of people who share contrary cultures and social class backgrounds, from the Seminole Native American tribe to the wealthy businessmen who urbanized the Glades.
Review of Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades
Laura A. Ogden, Copyright 2011 by Regent's of the University of Minnesota.(185 pages).
Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades (2011) by Laura A. Ogden, lays emphasis on a specific body of concepts regarding the impact that human activities and urbanization have had on plants and nonhuman animals within Florida's Everglades. The author illustrates the story through the perspective of the humans that dwell there, in order to shed light on the positive and negative effects of the human lifestyles on the natural habitats of nonhuman animals. This book allows you, the reader, to recognize the differences in the thoughts and treatment of the ecosystem in the Everglades by the different groups of people who share contrary cultures and social class backgrounds, from the Seminole Native American tribe to the wealthy businessmen who urbanized the Glades.
Book Review: Companion Animals and Domestic Violence
By Cheryl "Africa" Albert
Review of Companion Animals and Domestic Violence Rescuing Me, Rescuing You (234 pages) by Nik Taylor and Heather Fraiser, Palgrave MacMillan (2019) This book is about the very real need for society to recognize animal abuse as domestic violence in order to fulfill the need to establish safe shelters and escape plans that include companion animals alongside their human victims/survivors. The intention of the authors Heather Fraiser and Nik Taylor is to provide a better understanding of human-animal relationships in relation to domestic domination, control, and violation. For the purpose of their study and this book, they focused on the relationship of nine women and their companion animals in an effort to include public support in having very important conversations about domestic violence and animal abuse. Their desire in doing this is to generate a new understanding that allows us to recognize animals as victims of domestic violence, alongside their human counterparts. |
Would You Like Lies with That? Fast Food Nation (2006): Film ReviewFast Food Nationis a movie adaptation of Eric Schlosser’s riveting novel, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, concerned with exploiting the fast food industry and the dark secrets they hold.
|
Of Dogs and Men (2016): Film ReviewOf Dogs and Men is a film that details the stories of several individuals who had their dogs’ lives taken at the hands of police. It presents a strong, intense message and is powerful and heartbreaking right from the first seconds.
|
Mission Blue (2014): Film ReviewThe film Mission Blue is a documentary focusing on the oceanographer Sylvia Earle and her many decades exploring life in the water. It then leads to her alarming discovery of the negative impact human life has had on the ocean in the span of her lifetime.
|
SHELTER DOGS (2003): Film Review
Shelter Dogs is a documentary about dogs who have been found, surrendered by their caretakers, or dropped off and are now living in a shelter. The documentary takes the viewer into the life of a shelter dog as they are fighting to stay alive and not be euthanized.
|
COWSPIRACY (2014): Film Review
Cowspiracy is a political, social, and cultural documentary about the environmental toll of the agribusiness on planet Earth. The film opens with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that states the following: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends”. This quote preludes the overall theme and message of the film—if people do not talk about the negative effects of the livestock industry now, we will regret it when it is already too late to save the planet.
|
THE WOUND AND THE GIFT (2014): Film Review
The producer and director Linda Hoaglund, along with many other writers, illustrators, editors, and even two feline advisors use beautiful illustrations to show viewers the intense beauty and intrinsic value present in the nonhuman animals that we take for granted every day. Rescuing them and giving them sanctuary not only helps them, it helps the people who care for them as well.
|
THE IVORY GAME (2016): Film review
With African elephants’ numbers steadily declining over the past 30 years, The Ivory Game highlights an issue that is long overdue for public attention. Documentaries as well made as this one are what helps push issues like ivory trafficking to the forefront of peoples minds. The film is beautiful, heartbreaking, action packed and holds your attention from beginning to end.
|
THE CHAMPIONS (2015): Film Review
While the national news covered Vick’s story and his rise back to fortune and fame after minimal jail time, Darcy Dennet tells the tale of the victims- the 53 pit bulls fighting for a second chance at life. The Champions focuses on the rehabilitation of the abused canines, particularly following the story of Mel, Cherry, Little Red, Handsome Dan, Johnny, and Slater.
|