Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

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Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Montgomery Tamed.jpg
Buy Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Category: Animals and Wildlife
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Louise Jones
Reviewed by Louise Jones
Summary: Filled with wonderful anecdotes from the animal kingdom, this book shows that humans and animals have more in common that we ever thought.
Buy? yes Borrow? yes
Pages: 200 Date: October 2017
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Company
ISBN: 9781603587556

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Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall-Thomas are best friends who also happen to be New York Times best-selling authors. They first bonded over their shared love of animals: shortly after meeting, Sy's pet ferret had given Liz a nasty bite, but Liz didn't seem to mind at all. She REALLY didn't mind being bitten by a weasel. I knew we were soul mates, recalls Sy. Tamed and Untamed is the resulting collaboration between the two friends as they share personal anecdotes and amazing stories about the animal world.

The aim of the book is to show that humans and animals are not all that different after all. Both authors are uncomfortable with the idea that humans view themselves as superior to animals and set out to debunk a few myths in the process. In times past, many attributes were considered unique to the human species, but the more we learn about animals, the more blurred the lines become. The authors share compelling experiences that prove that animals understand the concept of time, can feel emotions and even possess a rudimentary form of language. For example, did you know that chickens have names for the other members of the flock? Scientists have identified unique clucking patterns that reveal this to be true.

Sy and Liz also share their personal experiences with the pets that have touched their lives. We learn about an indestructible chicken, an adorable group of abandoned kittens and a loyal dog called Thurber. Anyone who has ever had a bond with a beloved pet will be touched by the stories of companionship within the book.

My only reservation is that it does come across as preachy at times. Regarding a previous book, Liz had said: I didn't write the book to be artistic, I wrote it to be Messianic! I did get the feeling that the authors were using these wonderful animal stories to push a message onto readers. I was drawn to the book because I love animals; not because I wanted to read an opinion piece.

The book will give a renewed appreciation of the wonders of the animal kingdom and will delight animal lovers of all ages. House-pets, sharks, lions, birds...even the humble slug...every creature gets a moment in the spotlight and there really is something for everyone. Each chapter is only a couple of pages long, making it the perfect book to dip in and out of. Thanks to the publishers for my review copy.

Younger readers will enjoy The Wonder Garden: Wander through the world's wildest habitats and discover more than 80 amazing animals by Jenny Broom and Kristjana S Williams

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Buy Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
Buy Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas at Amazon.com.

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