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Vegetarian Union. Tortoise. Peter Young. Reaktion Books, 208 pp, pbk, £12-95.
Tortoise is one of the first four books of a new series published by Reaktion Books which explore the cultural and ecological significance of some familiar and unfamiliar animals (the other current titles are Ant, Crow and Cockroach). This pocket-size book is lavishly illustrated, with 103 illustrations including 36 in colour.
Tortoise presents an eclectic array of facts, quotes and anecdotes about tortoise-kind from across the globe. The focus is on the land-based ‘tortoises’, as opposed to aquatic ‘turtles’, although in many cases (especially in US language) the distinction is not clear cut. The subject matter is divided into seven chapters, each connected to a specific theme, covering aspects such as natural history and cultural/historical representations of the tortoise in world mythology, art, literature and popular culture. There are numerous tales of particular tortoises of note (including a number of Oxford University college mascots). Two chapters address animal welfare related issues - Exploitation (covering the use of tortoise derived products for decoration, food, medicine, etc) and Conservation, which charts the history of the poor treatment and trade regulation of the millions of tortoises imported into the UK.
It is clear that the author has a passion for the subject at hand, and he manages to cram a substantial mass of diverse factual information into a relatively small book. Indeed, the book consists of a stream of tortoise-related facts. At times the book takes on the feel of a lucky dip, where one has little if any idea where the focus is going to switch to in the next paragraph. The intensity and idiosyncrasy of the book’s style is sometimes hard work, but it adds to the range and enjoyment of the book. Given the author’s keen eye for all things tortoise, it is slightly surprising that there is no mention of turtles of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja’ variety. Maybe he simply failed to recognise them through their super-hero disguises! However, I would expect this book to appeal to a wide audience; the sheer variety and quantity of information ensure that there is something of interest for everyone.
Huw Price, December 2003
Cow. Hannah Velten. Reaktion Books, 2007, 208 pp, pbk, £9-95.
Cow, the latest volume in Reaktion Books’ quirky and entertaining Animal series, makes enjoyable reading. Hannah Velten is a freelance journalist with many years practical experience working with cattle. This cow-girl is clearly at home with her subject matter, providing a natural and cultural history of cattle from the domestication of the ancestral aurochs in 6000-4000 BC to the present day in this richly illustrated book (46 of the 105 illustrations are in colour). Over the intervening millennia humans have venerated, painted, baited, ridden, fought and, of course, ruthlessly exploited cattle for their meat, milk, hides, manure and draught power. In doing so, we have forgotten the enormous debt that we owe these magnificent creatures, so that today “cattle are regarded as objects and have been shunted to the periphery of our lives”. As the author states, “we have a responsibility to look again at our treatment of cattle”, and to rebuild the human/cow relationship on a more equitable and respectful footing. Cow deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone concerned for the welfare of farm animals.
Paul Appleby, October 2007
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This page created 22 December 2007 by Paul Appleby.