Sierra

I love this book and feel it deserves more attention considering the astronomical popularity of the author's Twilight. I think this has wider appeal in terms of subject matter, target audience, and the way it was written. If you're not much a fan of Twilight, but enjoy romance and science fiction, you might just love this. And if you love Twilight... what took you so long?? Read it! Don't watch the movie beforehand though... not a fan. It's been a while since I saw it, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't "good bad" as many people see the Twilight movies.

This book is beautiful with gorgeous large colour photos illustrating throughout, but if you really care about the welfare of your horse and your relationship with them, these techniques are not the way to go. It is pressure-based (negative reinforcement) training, which forces an animal to comply despite appearing "free" once you remove the halter. I highly recommend Humane, Science-Based Horse Training by Alizé Veillard-Muckensturm for effective horse training that prioritizes horse welfare and strengthens the bond between horse and trainer. The current science on animal training only supports positive reinforcement-based methods as being the most ethical and effective. It is far more beautiful than traditional "liberty" training and requires even less halters and ropes (:

I'm sorry to say that although well-meaning, this book is a white saviour's wet dream. The horrors it describes perpetrated against women are harrowing and eye-opening, but the authors ignore the causes of the socio-economic and political problems in the global south leading to such injustices and the global north's massive role in creating and perpetuating these problems in favour of recommending bandage solutions that rely on western charity and capitalism. The authors also completely ignore violence and injustice against women in the global north as if it's only a problem "over there" and are a bit racist. They make a big deal out of apparent differences in the size of European vs. African women's pelvises and site this as a reason for higher maternal mortality in Africa while this has nothing to do with solving the problem. They describe muslim women in a patronizing way as if they're all meek and oppressed under their head scarves. They also more broadly describe women whose stories are featured in the book as if they're characters. I can only assume this was either intended to humanize them or as a stylistic choice, but regardless it's often uncomfortable. I would only recommend this book for someone who has a morbid interest or needs a reality check on the state of women's "equality" today because holy shit some of the things you will read in this book are beyond words. If they did one thing right with this book, it's that you will be angry.

I'm sorry to say that although well-meaning, this book is a white saviour's wet dream. The horrors it describes perpetrated against women are harrowing and eye-opening, but the authors ignore the causes of socio-economic problems in the global south leading to such injustices and the global north's massive role in creating and perpetuating these problems in favour of recommending bandage solutions that rely on western charity and capitalism. The authors also completely ignore violence and injustice against women in the global north as if it's only a problem "over there" and are a bit racist. They make a big deal out of apparent differences in the size of European vs. African women's pelvises and site this as a reason for higher maternal mortality in Africa while this has nothing to do with solving the problem. They describe muslim women in a patronizing way as if they're all meek and oppressed under their head scarves. They also more broadly describe women whose stories are featured in the book as if they're characters. I can only assume this was either intended to humanize them or as a stylistic choice, but regardless it's often uncomfortable. I would only recommend this book for someone who has a morbid interest or needs a reality check on the state of women's "equality" today because holy shit some of the things you will read in this book are beyond words. If they did one thing right with this book, it's that you will be angry.

The premise of this book is very unique and interesting. However, as someone who studied zoology and anthropology, some of the author's choices pulled me out of the illusion. The way the book is written in terms of themes and events seems to suggest the author subscribes to the unscientific belief in dominance theory among dogs and that human nature is also competitive and cut-throat. Combine the two, and this book has so much competition and violence for a story about two cooperative, social species. This book is really about what makes us human, not about what makes a dog a dog, and yet despite trying to incorporate both, it fails to really explore the reality of either. It doesn't really add anything new to the conversation of our humanity and works off of a relatively narrow view uninformed by anthropology, sociology, or linguistics. I feel like this book could have been great if the author knew more about the subjects he was using thematically.

In my opinion this is a very rare example of a movie improving on its source material. I enjoy the movie, so this review is going to specifically compare the two, not look at the book for its own sake. This story is much better served through visual storytelling. The film gives Alec and the Black more time together on the beach, enriching their relationship and making its mutual nature far more believable than the utilitarian tone of the book. The beach scenes are infinitely improved on in the film by not being filtered through the thoughts of literary Alec. The book focuses more on Alec's desire to ride and control the Black and of course race, whereas the movie, at least during the beach scenes, shows Alec earning the Black's trust through time together, providing food, and mutual play. I also feel the film's choice to age-down Alec from a teenager to a younger boy better serves the story and I appreciate how they had Alec keep the horse in his front yard at first because as a child I fantasized about having a horse in my back yard.

I'm sorry to say that although well-meaning, this book is a white saviour's wet dream. The horrors it describes perpetrated against women are harrowing and eye-opening, but the authors basically ignore the causes of socio-economic problems in the global south leading to such injustices and the global north's massive role in creating and perpetuating them in favour of recommending bandage solutions that rely on western charity and capitalism. The authors also completely ignore violence and injustice against women in the global north and are a bit racist. They make a huge deal out of apparent differences in the size of European vs. African women's pelvises and site this as a reason for higher maternal mortality in Africa while this really has almost nothing to do with solving the problem. They also describe muslim women in a really patronizing way as if they're all meek and oppressed under their head scarves.

This book is fantastic. You think you're getting a book on fungi, and you are, you really, really are, but the author has necessarily connected the world of fungi to our lives as humans, to plants (which are all but inseparable from fungi, as you will learn, yet overshadow them), and to the environment and past and future of the planet. While reading this I kept telling my family interesting facts I'd learned; I couldn't help myself. You walk away from this book with a new, more complete perspective on the natural world. As a bonus, the author has the best name. Imagine: this book on your shelf, covered in beautiful illustrations of fungi, authored by one Merlin Sheldrake. What more could you want??