The Ten Trusts: What We Must Do to Care for The Animals We Love – Jane Goodall's Inspirational Spiritual Lessons on Hope and Harmony with Nature

by Jane Goodall, Marc Bekoff

Now in paperback–the ten things we must do to ensure a safe and peaceful world, from legendary environmentalist Jane Goodall and brilliant animal behaviorist, Marc Bekoff.

Combining her life's work living among the chimpanzees with her spiritual perspective on the relationship between humans and animals, legendary behavioral scientist Jane Goodall sets forth ten trusts that we as humans have as custodians of the planet:

1. Respect all life

2. Live as part of the Animal Kingdom

3. Educate our children to respect animals

4. Treat animals as you would like to be treated

5. Be a steward

6. Value the sounds of nature and help preserve them

7. Do not harm life in order to learn about it

8. Have the courage of your convictions

9. Act knowing that your actions make a difference

10. Act knowing that you are not alone.

Filled with inspirational stories, The Ten Trusts provides lessons Jane Goodall has learned from a lifetime of experience, with the warmth and emotion her readers have come to expect from her. Marc Bekoff, cofounder of the Roots and Shoots program with Jane, also contributes his profound insights and research, which Jane has come to rely on. Together, they share their hope and vision for humanity and all the earth's creatures, distilled into ten eloquent spiritual lessons. Within these ten trusts, Goodall reveals how we can gain true enlightenment by living in harmony with the animal kingdom and honoring the interconnection between all species.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Environment, Biology, Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2002

About the author

For the Australian academic and mystery writer, see Professor Jane R. Goodall.

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace was a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world every single day.

Dr. Goodall was best known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, transformative research that continues to this day as the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. Dr. Goodall was the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation, advocacy, animal welfare, research, and youth empowerment organization, including her global Roots & Shoots program.

Dr. Goodall had worked extensively on climate action, human rights, conservation, and animal welfare issues for decades, and was a central voice in the work to advance environmental progress.

Reviews

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must reader for every animal lover and advocate of animal rights. Not only will we have a clearer grasp of the animal world in reading it, but it will probably make us all more human as well.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quitting this book just into the second chapter. I can't take these continuous descriptions of horrid animal abuse. I understand that her point is to make people aware of what animals go through, but I am well aware. I can't take reading about it.

[Jpj · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the books that inspired me to become a vegetarian. Loved it!

[Kate Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodall, along with co-author Marc Bekoff, begins by relating true stories of clever and caring animal behavior, such as extrasensory (to us)perception, astounding migration over great distances, saving the lives of humans or individuals of other species. She follows this up with a review of issues relating to animal cruelty: medical research and student dissection, circuses and zoos, fur, meat-eating, poaching and deliberate habitat destruction, and much more. The authors' tone is friendly, not designed to overwhelm with too much detail of abuse, and filled with encouragement that whatever kindness--no matter how small--an individual can do for an animal matters. Even giving up meat for one day a week makes a difference. Stories of individual activists, some of whom are average folks, others clearly saint-like, give examples of what can be done.
Because it is non-threatening and hopeful, and doesn't assume any prior knowledge of the issues, this book would be ideal for someone not yet aware of commonplace animal cruelty and how we can all make better choices.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book which addresses various aspects of animal welfare, animal rights and what can be done to assist in providing a better life for the animals of the world. Written by two well known activists, this is an easy read even if the subject matter isnt always comfortable.

Having read quite a few books of this type I find I am looking for something new in this area. I recommend this book to those who are newish to animal rights, or people looking for specific stories and experiences as related by two authorities in this field. For those of us who have read extensively in this area I'm not sure what it adds, except the chance to read another book by the delightful Jane Goodall.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodall and Bekoff share loads of good stories on the abuses animals face and the people who hope to help them. The authors never get self-righteous in condemning the sins of others. For these authors, suffering is a tragedy for all concerned, and the greatest joy in life is bringing some care to other creatures. It's written with simple language, but also packs a lot of specific information on cases of cruelty to our animal neighbors, and what can be done.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good book for someone interested in and just getting started learning about animal welfare.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an interesting read for those who are into wildlife conservation and animals rights. It was a bit much for me though. The horrific stories of animal
Abuse and exploitation seemed to emphasize what, to me, seemed like the overall theme: human beings are sh*t. We wreck stuff, and kill animals. We are cruel and thoughtless. It wasn’t until the last chapter of the book that they began talking about anything positive, what we can do to change the plight of these poor animals. I skimmed through much of it, it seemed pretty repetitive. I have the utmost respect for Jane and her work, I am just not into her writing.

[Bonnye Reed]

BookBub

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

El libro es ameno y fácil de leer, pero creo que es de "iniciación". En consonancia con la premisa de Jane Goodall de que lo que cambia la perspectiva de la gente son las historias, recoge una colección de anécdotas, cambios y sucesos de diferentes ámbitos poniéndolos al mismo nivel. A mí, que lo que me interesa más es la reflexión ética y la etología, se me queda un poco corto.
Aparte tiene un tono espiritual que creo que para mucha gente puede estar bien pero personalmente me sobra.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book which broke my heart into pieces...We keep on wanting more and more, more and more, nothing satisfies us...And the ones who suffer the most because of our sins, are the innocent ones among us, the animals, who did not want more. I used "who" intentionally because otherwise it would be just speciesism.

"A great deal of harm is being done to the environment, and thus to animals, in the name of “progress,” for the economic benefit of those who are already wealthy and have more than they need, but continue to demand more".

Of course as Jane says between us and animals is not a difference in kind but of degree. Unfortunetaly we are still not taking the right measures to reduce polution...that means we will all die...I am quite ill, so I can't have children so ill, my grandchildren will be fine because they will be non-existent. In my misfortune there is a lot of fortune. Maybe in the future it will really be like in Atwood's MAddAddam trilogy, people will be very evil and Earth's resources will come to an end, it will be hot and sterile everywhere or like in Handmaid's Tale. Hm...it wouldn't surprise me anymore because I see that the people who are making money from pollution are not stopping...they are greedy, or maybe money gives them power and power is like a drug you can't live without after some time...Who knows. All that I know is that we are all dying. And the animals are the first driven to extinction and they have no fault in all of this... I don't know if Jesus died for our sins but animals for sure are dying right now for our sins...so I guess I should be praying to them.

When I look into my daughter's eyes, my kitty, Honey I see a being with feeling and a soul, I saw it in her eyes... She is the greatest love I have ever felt, and the best of friends and I cannot imagine her being tortured in a lab or in a farm for furr without committing suicide or worse annihilate those who harm cats. When I read this book and found out the animal experimentation is used for make up, I finally decided that if I want makeup I must pay more money for ethical brands, even if they are expensive at least I did a good thing.

"Omar Eduardo Rivera was working at his desk on the seventy-first floor of the north tower when the hijacked airliner struck the building twenty-five floors above him. Mr. Rivera is blind, and his guide dog, Salty, was lying at his feet. Mr. Rivera said, “I stood up and could hear how pieces of glass were flying around and falling. I could feel the smoke filling up my lungs and the heat was just unbearable.” And, of course, it was pitch dark in his sightless world. He knew he could not run down the stairs in the confusion of screams and shouting and rushing feet. He said he was resigned to dying, but hoped Salty might escape. “I unclipped his lead, ruffled his head, gave him a nudge, and ordered him to go.” For several minutes Mr. Rivera struggled on his own in the chaos. Suddenly, he felt a familiar knee-high nudge. Salty had returned to guide his friend down into the street. “It was then I knew for certain,” said Mr. Rivera, “that he loved me just as much as I loved him.” The nightmare descent took an hour—they got out just before the building collapsed".

There were people who were telling me that Honey does not care for me, even though I could feel her love, many times I doubted she loved me too...but now I am sure...

"Many animals become depressed and withdrawn when they lose a close companion. The intensity of the depression or grief depends on the strength of the bond between the two or the degree to which one is dependent on the other. The bond between chimpanzee mothers and their offspring is similar to that between human mothers and their children—in other words, it is similar to what we call love. Young chimpanzees who lose their mothers show many of the symptoms of clinical depression exhibited by human orphans: hunched and huddled posture, rocking, and withdrawing from social contact with their peers".

"I shall never forget the days following the death of the old matriarch Flo, as we watched her son, Flint, sink deeper and deeper into depression and grief. A most poignant incident took place three days after her death. I watched Flint climb slowly into a tall tree near the place where she had died. Slowly, he walked along one of the branches, then stood looking down at an empty nest. After a minute or so he turned away and very slowly climbed to the ground. There he lay, his eyes wide and blank, their light dimmed. That nest was one he had shared with his mother a few days before she died. As the days passed, Flint became increasingly lethargic. He stopped feeding, showed no interest in the other chimps, and, with his immune system weakened, fell sick. The last time I saw him alive he was gaunt and hollow-eyed, sunk deep in depression and sickness. His last short journey was to the very place where Flo had died, by the clear waters of the Kakombe Stream. He stayed there for several hours, not moving, staring into the water. Then he struggled on a little farther, sank down onto the ground, and never moved again. I believe he died of grief".

I knew she loved me...I knew it...always knew it...though sometimes doubted it...but I knew it.

"There are countless stories of the desolated grieving of dogs and cats when they lose a much-loved animal companion. Indeed, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), in response to concern shown by humans about the deep grief that their dogs and cats express when they lose an animal companion, conducted a study to determine behavioral changes accompanying bereavement. Grieving dogs and cats show marked shifts in feeding and sleeping patterns; two cats starved themselves until they were so emaciated that they had to be euthanized despite all attempts to get them to eat. Grieving dogs and cats also showed changes in confidence and how much they solicited affection after their loss. For both dogs and cats, more than one-third of the animals demanded more affection when grieving. Fortunately, most behavioral changes in grieving animals due to the loss of animal friends are resolved in one to six months. But the intensity of their grief cannot be denied".

Sometimes when I read these types of books, I enter a depression so severe I wanna kill myself.
Especially when they talk about cats. I get extra sensitive.

"When I first began conducting research in neurobiology and behavior, trying to figure out how cats processed visual information, I had no idea what I was getting into. I’d teach cats to make discriminations among different visual patterns, for which they were rewarded with food for making the correct choice. Each cat had his or her own way of learning, some slowly, some rapidly, and some not at all. I’d (secretly) name the individuals as they ran the maze, paying attention to their personalities and learning abilities. I remember Speedo looking at me when I lifted him from his small cage, anesthetized him, and then proceeded to remove part of the visual cortex of his brain. As he succumbed to the anesthesia, his eyes looked at me and asked, “What are you doing?” His gaze is forever burned into my heart.
For a very short time I was able to continue this research���train a cat on a particular task, remove part of the brain, and see how well they remembered the task after recovering from the surgery. But it was when I had to euthanize them (sacrifice—kill—with a minimum of pain, distress, and fear) to make sure that the damage I caused was localized in the correct area of the brain that it all came to a sudden halt. I did indeed regretfully euthanize four cats, Speedo being the last. When I went to get Speedo for the final exit from his cage, his fearlessness disappeared as if he knew that this was his last journey. His boldness and cockiness melted as I picked him up, and tears came to my eyes. He wouldn’t break his piercing stare, and it broke my heart to kill him. I wish I could have taken him home. To this day I remember his unwavering eyes—they told the whole story of the pain and indignity he had endured."

When I read this book, unfortunately my heart burned with hatred for myself and all of us...Because I can see that this Earth is not only for us, it's for them too, it's their home too...
"As a result of our Western materialistic greed and arrogance, on the one hand, and poverty and desperation, on the other, we are not tending Planet Earth and her animal inhabitants as good stewards should. Instead we have despoiled the land like thoughtless conquerors. Humans have adapted to life in almost every kind of environment on Earth, from mountain heights to steamy jungles to open plains. Adaptations that would take millions of years to acquire through the process of physical evolution have been developed in just a few years through cultural evolution and technology. When the wildness of a place or the animals living there got in the way, they were mercilessly cut down, killed, banished, enslaved, tamed. And our human numbers grew and grew."


Favorite shorter quotes:
"Much of the destruction and pollution around the world is mindless, due to lack of education and understanding. “Only when we understand, can we care.” "
"Let us not forget that in most instances we have intruded on other animals—they are not the intruders. And many animals suffer each and every day because of the messes we make."
"We are not alone on this planet, although we frequently behave as if we were. Our big old slowly evolving brains that are confronted by new and rapidly evolving sociocultural milieus not only keep us somewhat in contact with nature but also remove us from nature, and this alienation results in our wanton abuse of the Earth. We are continually faced with making difficult and oftentimes agonizing choices that have short-term and long-term consequences."
" By minding animals we mind ourselves. Personal transformations are needed and will serve us well. We owe it to future generations to transcend the present, to share dreams for a better world, to step lightly, to move cautiously with restraint. We destroy one another when we destroy the Earth. We all can be dreamers and doers. We owe it to ourselves and to other animals, to whom we can, unfortunately, do whatever we choose. We owe it to ourselves to keep in mind the power of love. As big-brained, omnipresent, powerful, and supposedly omniscient mammals, we are the most powerful beings on Earth. We really are that powerful, and with that might are inextricably tied innumerable staggering responsibilities to be ethical human beings. We can be no less."

Ok, I will end it here...there's much more to say, but there are no words to describe...you'll cry a lot...It's funny ... afterall, we will self-destruct but not through an atomic war, but through greed and materialism and ... who knows when times will get hard and climate will go crazy, who knows how evil humans will become and what terrible wars will start. Yeah, the future does not sound good. And I was hoping then everyone will be vegetarian and women have half the power. Yeah... there will be no more progress when nature will go mad. Who knows maybe there really will be an end of the world, at least Our World...maybe they are not just stories.

[Fernando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda repetitive but overall a good message. Tonal whiplash, shifts from depressing to hopeful very quickly.

[Lenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iedereen zou dit moeten lezen!

[Peggy Satterwhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really touched my heart...above all else, do no harm

[Brenton Miebach · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no specific main character in The Ten Trusts but I would like to point out the different animals and the different emotions which Jane and Mark bring to the reader's attention.
The Gombe Chimpanzees feeling embarrassment is one of my favorite emotions shown in the book. When a younger male attempts to show off in front of his primate "hero" and as he shakes the twigs in the top of the tree, the small limb he was on snapped and he fell to the ground in front of his hero. Jane does a great job describing the scene, "He was not hurt, but as his head emerged from the long grass he was looking toward Figan. Had his hero noticed?"
Before I read this book i had no sense of animals having emotions such as love, sadness, and grief. Another great example of chimpanzee emotions is the matriarch, Flo, and her son, Flint. Three days after Flo died Flint climbed a tree, close to where Flo died. He slowly climbed the tree and looked down on the empty nest which he once shared with his mother. He slowly climbed to the ground and laid bellow the tree with the nest in it. He quit eating and did not seem interested in socializing. He fell sick shortly after and died near the place where his mother died.
This book continually takes my breath away. I don't know whether to cry or jump with joy for this new knowledge of creature emotions.

November 10th assignment:

For anyone who is passionate about nature and wildlife, The Ten Trusts is full of internal conflict. I am a little bit past half way done with the book and with every section I find myself becoming upset and angry with the vast majority of modern day humanity. The best example is the section titled, Poisoning Earth (page 100). In this chapter Goodall relates dumping chemicals and foreign toxicities into out water systems to the effect on livestock, cattle in particular, and in turn the negative effects on human health when we consume products made from or with the infected livestock, milk being one of the biggest issues. What is really upsetting is the companies we often relate with dumping toxins are foreign companies or oil companies, but it hits much closer to home when Goodall mensions companies such as General Motors, Reynolds Metal, and ALCOA. As you begin reading this section it makes sense but some may be skeptic. In the second paragraph on page 101 Goodall provides some statistics for proof. The St. Lawrence river has been so contaminated that inuit women were told not to breast feed their babies due to the toxins in their breast milk and the fish from the river which they widely depend on is labeled toxic and unedible. In 2002 a female orca was tested for PCB's and the levels were four times higher than any other mammal ever tested. This chemical was used by the United States and Canada until it was baned in the 1970's, over 30 years before the orcas were tested off the coast of Washinton State and British Columbia. Without taking into account the various other issues Goodall brings to the mind, every section contains some kind of conflict for the reader.

[Bobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you might guess from the subtitle, this book is intended to be encouraging and inspirational. And it certainly succeeds. Where it surpasses my expectations is that it is a book well worth reading for someone new to the world of other animals ("other" because, indeed, we are also animals!) and our relationship to them and the world at large but it is also encouraging to someone who has, perhaps, been taking this relationship seriously for some amount of time. The book is filled with anecdotes that illustrate "The Ten Trusts" and their importance and in the end encourages anyone who cares about such things that there are many others of us who also do and, in this age of the internet, it is easy enough to connect to share problems and solutions. I myself finished this book with an encouraged sense of purpose to continue to try to make some difference, no matter how small, in the relationship between between humans and the other animals of the planet.

As an aside I will point out that the book is co-written by Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff. Their contributions are indicated by the type throughout the book, with Dr. Goodall's words in regular type and Bekoff's in italics. Very early on I thought this was going to be a distraction and that I would find that the transitions from one to the other were somewhat disjointed. Happily, that did not end up being the case and the two of them managed to collaborate on a fairly seamless book.

[Suzy Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first bought this book when I was 13 and I'm now 24.

Im so glad I re-read this. Its been so long that I forgot that a lot of my opinions around the environment and how I view relationships with animals were shaped by this book. I like the realistic approach of the sentiments expressed over the often totalitarian view of many environmental books.

the authors acknowledge that change wont come overnight, that humans will likely never stop eating meat or using animals and instead of berating people for their choices they say 'Well given the conclusion that humans will eat meat, the argument shouldn't be about whether or not to kill and consume animals but how we treat those animals during their life and how we kill them.'

this is an integral pillar of my belief system and I had forgotten that it came from here. I love meat and will never stop eating it, but I prefer to pay a bit more money for locally raised and slaughtered animals. Animals that I know were well taken care of and not made to suffer in life or in death. I also like knowing that very little of every animals is wasted.

This is a book I recommend to everyone. It could change how you view humans interactions with the world around us- and 15 years after it was published, this book is still relevant.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read by Liz at North Heart Hub

I'm a Jane Goodall fangirl. Goodall is just-- her compassion, patience, and gentleness with all animals, even people, is so admirable. Often those of use who are veg*  and animal rights activists forget that humans are animals too. We can be so cruel to our fellow humans that they (perhaps rightfully) refuse to listen to us. Goodall just goes in there with radical love and understanding and making the world a better place. Oh yeah, and she's a brilliant writer and scientist. She's besties with animals. It's just. She's a hero, okay?

I know less about Marc Bekoff, but I enjoyed hearing from him throughout this book, and appreciated having another voice. The collaborative style was fitting for the content.

This was a small, short volume, but I was moved to tears more than once by the authors' conviction and stories. I truly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest on living on our planet (that's all of us).

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer for anyone not in the field of conservation - on how to tread a more ethical path and consider the wildlife and other animals in compassionate ways (as well as the environment as a whole). The biodiversity crisis has reached new heights and not as many know about biodiversity loss as they do climate change. This short book has good information about the myriad of ways humans impact animals and the environment and how we might choose better options. For example- don’t frequent businesses w captive big cats (lions, tigers) to take a picture - they are often connected to crime groups, besides being unethical.

Don’t go to circuses or Sea Worlds w live animal performances. Consider eating less meat.

Again this is a great, and kindly written, short book about ideas on how to live more ethically. The facts within weren’t new to me, as I work in the field, but it was great to read through and be reminded that I am not alone in this conservation field.

[Megan Spooner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just recently read 100 Heartbeats by Jeff Corwin, this book seemed a bit repetitive and covered a lot of the same topics. When comparing the two books, though, I enjoyed this book more. The weird thing about it is that it had two authors, and when it would change who is writing/talking, Jane Goodall would be normal print, and the other author (Marc) in italics. That would get a bit choppy. Overall though, the book had good flow. It is another good book that makes you think about your own actions and making a change and making a difference. I liked how this book touched on the topic of animal experimentation and dissection. There is still a lot that can be done to change the medical and scientific processes and experiments done on animals.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Reads Review
Jillian Sala – Boham 8
I read the book “The Ten Trusts” by Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff. I thought very highly of this book because it taught me a lot of awful things about the world and people. If you love animals and believe in the fair treatment of all animals, you should read this book. You’ll learn how brutal animals are treated during the food making process and how unfairly animals are treated for our entertainment. I think this book does a good job at making you realize the cruelty and pain animals suffer for our benefit. We are all a part of the animal kingdom and animals should have a fair say. If you’re looking for a reason to become vegetarian, this is also your book.

[Lizzie Densmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

After recently seeing the moving and intimate Jane Goodall biopic, made up of 140 hours of footage tucked away in the National Geographic archives for 50 years, I had to re-read this amazing book. Concerned with the problems in our chaotic modern world — overpopulation, pollution, global warming, deforestation — Goodall made a list of what we can do to help preserve and care for the multitude of wonderful creatures struggling to survive. Millions of people do not realize how closely connected we're connected with the rest of the animal kingdom. If you truly love animals and believe they deserve fair treatment and to live happy and peaceful lives, this book is must: full of compassion and startling insights.

[Jess✧✵ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot more than I anticipated I would. It was very informative and I agreed with so many of the points brought up throughout. I learned so much from this and I am so happy to have read something written by Jane Goodall, whom I admire very much.

[Tmanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, thought-provoking and inspiring. We each owe a debt to living creatures great and small. Jane Goodall is a hero. In this book she exerts all her experience, understanding and effort to educate and motivate readers to care and to do something.

[Promise Ceasar · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were hard to read, not because of the writing or the content, just made you feel like a complete jerk.

[Letitia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for recentering and refreshing the heart. Twenty years after its inital release, there's not much that will be new here, but it's still a wonderful reminder of what life looks like when lived in compassion and harmony with other species and our own beautiful planet.

I don't share ALL of Goodall's views, and I certainly don't have her optimism for the power of individual action, but she is an icon and became so on good merit. I think one of the best things she has done for our society is insist that scientific research can occur without torturing animals.

I will give readers the warning that many scenes of animal torture, both by cruel people in the wild and by researchers, are graphically described. Sometimes I sat down for a relaxing read to open my heart to compassion and found myself freshly traumatized. So be aware and skip the sections you need to if you are a sensitive soul who is already aware of the myriad ways humanity has found to be cruel to living creatures.

I wish the research had sources cited in the text, but you can easily verify many of the stats that Goodall and Bekoff use. Overall an excellent read for anyone a good refresher course for those of us who are ethically opposed to animal exploitation.

[Brooke Kiefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a rollercoaster of emotion. I never knew a book could fill me with such crushing despair, then turn it around to give an overwhelming feel of hope. I was crying every time I opened the book. The first half fills you with such agony over how many injustices humans have committed against animals. The statistics alone are staggering, but coupled with the sad stories I was just devastated. I was ready to give up on humanity. Then the stories of people changed. It became people fighting for justice, people saving animals just because they could. To read so many stories of so many people across the world just trying to help the animals they love was the saving grace I needed. It reminded me that we can't give up just because it feels hopeless, & that there are people out there who feel just like you & are trying to make a difference too. The strength of Jane Goodall's conviction alone was empowering. I have never read a book more crushing & more uplifting in my life. I think everyone should read this book, no matter what kinds of books they like, because it means something. It is a message everyone needs to hear. I will forever be changed because of this book.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It is not necessary to start a movement, create a national park, or influence a government in order to make a difference."

Surprisingly hopeful and empowering despite its depressing subject matter, this book contains stories, data, and science distilled into ten "trusts" on how we should view, treat, and care for animals in an increasingly hostile world. It's blunt at times (a genuine call to action, not a feel-good read for people who like animals but don't want to act), and similar to the film Cowspiracy prompting me to become vegetarian, this book has made me look up which of my regular products use animal testing (all easily available online) so I can start buying cruelty-free alternatives.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Jane Goodall. I like the work she has done, her compassionate view of animals and all of her talks I’ve seen. I wanted to love this book, I really did. However, it did not leave me with a feeling of inspiration. While I learned a few new things in terms of transgenic biopharmaceuticals, the rest has been pretty much common knowledge for a while for anyone who is interested in animal welfare.
Jane, Im sorry to have to say this but this book is bipolar. It caused me such anxiety because it takes extreme swings from loving stories and experiences to gory explanations of animal grievances. This is just not her best work in my humble opinion.

[Paky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro inspirador, te hará reflexionar mucho sobre nuestra vida y la del resto de seres del planeta, sobre nuestro comportamiento y utilización de los animales, te abrirá los ojos y te presentará muchos gestos y acciones que podemos implementar en nuestra vida cotidiana para vivir mejor. Un libro muy claro, con un lenguaje sencillo, muy ameno, con muchas historias y hechos concretos y que, desgraciadamente, tiene plena vigencia aunque fue escrito hace ya más de 20 años.