When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals

by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy

Book Overview

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. Not since Darwin's The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals has a book so thoroughly and effectively explored the full range of emotions that exist throughout the animal kingdom. From dancing squirrels to bashful gorillas to spiteful killer whales, Masson and coauthor Susan McCarthy bring forth fascinating anecdotes and illuminating insights that offer powerful proof of the existence of animal emotion. Chapters on love, joy, anger, fear, shame, compassion, and loneliness are framed by a provocative re-evaluation of how we treat animals, from hunting and eating them to scientific experimentation. Forming a complete and compelling picture of the inner lives of animals, When Elephants Weep assures that we will never look at animals in the same way again.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385314280
• ISBN13: 9780385314282
• Release Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Pages cut up and missing.

I enjoyed the pages I could read. Pages 99-114 were cut with the middle of the pages missing. This was going to be a gift. But not now. And I can’t return.

WONDERFUL BOOK

This book is one that will stay with you as you look at the animal kingdom with a totally different point of view. The complex emotional lives of the creatures that share our earth will sometimes make you cry or laugh, but always to think. I know that after reading this book, I cannot go into the monkey house or look at the elepahants at the zoo without being tremendously sad. This book should be read by all as it teaches that although we have opposable thumbs, other animals are just as sensitive as us and we should cherish and protect all of them.Truly a gem to be passed along to friends.

Helped me go vegetarian!

This book was life changing for me. I always loved animals and really always wanted to be a vegetarian, but I never was able to live the way I really wanted. This book is not about vegetarianism at all, what it does is illuminates the emotional lives of animals. Most of us KNOW that animals have emotions, but we don't really think about it. This book expands your thinking and really allows you to appreciate and respect animals in a new, more profound way. It was after reading this book that I began to lose the desire to eat animals. I am truly, truly grateful for this book. I have been a vegetarian for 6 years now! Who would have thunk!

Good Book

I had to read this book for my reading class this year, when I came home my dad said,"this is a college level book they should not be giving this book to sixth graders" the reading teacher said that I didnt have to read it but I'm glad that I did.

long overdue critique of how academia "thinks" about animals

This book has been an eye-opener for me. It outlines the hidden assumptions, as well as the explicit scientific philosophies, behind the academic world's disrespect and irreverence for animals. Because it analyzes and weighs ideas, it is not an easy read in many sections--thus, I think, the number of reviews which gave it 1 or 2 stars. Like some readers, I thought there would be a lot more anecdotes in the book, and yet, I learned a lot more about the flaws in how we think about animals from the authors' discussions about human viewpoints. Be prepared to put on your thinking cap when you sit down with this book--although there are entertaining vignettes, that's not the main point. Also, the reader(s) who were incensed about the authors' "attack" on scientific method did not closely read the text, I believe. The authors' arguments were based on voluminous research and are in line with many dissenting scientists' viewpoints. I find that there are many folks who believe in reductionist science so strongly that it becomes almost a religion for them--and when their "religion" is "attacked", they simply ignore the evidence on the other side whilst saying the opposing views are bogus. The authors should probably take it as a positive sign that they have triggered this sort of outrage. This book is aimed at minds willing to work, rather than be spoonfed. If you want an easy read, buy "Ring of Bright Water" or something along those lines.

One of the most important books ever on the subject

The behaviorist school of psychology has taught students of behavior that non-human animals are merely stimulus-response mechanisms. Yet Darwin established nearly 150 years ago that humans are fully part of the natural world; part of the Animal Kingdom. The evidence for conscious thought among non-human animals is now overwhelming, yet fabulous sums are poured into unnecessary research that is pure torture. This book makes the strongest case to date that animals feel the results of this suffering,as well as experiencing joy and many other emotions. It is a powerful book, a "must read" for for every member of OUR species.