Stories Rabbits Tell: A Natural and Cultural History of a Mi
Naprawdę dobra rzecz - od królika jako gatunku, poprzez króliki w kulturze tradycyjnej i popularnej, aż do przemysłu futrzarskiego, mięsnego i "rozrywkowego". Do tego napisana przez dwie autorki związane z ochroną zwierząt - jedną reprezentującą myśl "welfare" i drugą raczej spod znaku "animal rights". Pewnie spodoba się też to, że rozważania nad losem królików są często poszerzane na kwestię konsumpcji czy wykorzystywania zwierząt jako takich. W tej kwestii szczególnie ciekawa wydaje się analiza sytuacji królików, które są gdzieś pomiędzy zwierzęciem-jedzeniem a zwierzęciem-przyjacielem oraz wszystkich konsekwencji które z takiej pozycji królików wynikają.
From Publishers Weekly
"Most people approach rabbits as if they were stuffed animals: cute, but not capable of much except, maybe, eating carrots and twitching their noses," note Davis (writer and rabbit owner) and DeMello (president of the House Rabbit Society), who present quite a different picture: rabbits (and hares) are complex, social creatures intertwined with human culture. To date, no book has so closely examined the behavior and place of the rabbit-as pet, prey, pest and mythic figure-in history. As the only animal Westerners use as both pet and meat, the rabbit reflects some of our most unsettling cultural contradictions. Part literary companion, with analyses of rabbits in art and literature from poet William Cowper to Beatrix Potter, and part clear-eyed review of facts on rabbit "industry" and rabbit biology, this volume imparts insight into the genesis of pet keeping, the fur industry and the permutations of rabbits in folklore. With colorful anecdotes (including one about introducing Jack, a rabbit grieving for his mate, to new friends), this absorbing book opens the door on the realm of all things lagomorph. The prevalence of rabbits in folklore (as fools, mischief makers and sexualized witches) reveals just how much baggage this small creature has carried, up through the age of the Playboy Bunny.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The rabbit has been domesticated for roughly 1,500 years, but until fairly recently they were not kept as house pets; the traditional pet rabbit was caged in a hutch outdoors. The rise of "house rabbits" that live uncaged indoors and the dearth of books written about rabbit behavior led Davis and DeMello to create a book that explores the roots and nuances of rabbit behavior to increase our understanding and appreciation of the species. Whether exploring our schizophrenic approach to rabbits (Are they pets, pests, or a profitable farm animal?), portraying the complex lives of wild rabbits and the corresponding behaviors of their tame brethren, discussing the roles rabbits have played in folklore and religion, or describing the commercial uses for rabbits, the authors reveal a fascinating depth of information. Enlivened by a broad range of quotations from such sources as poets, scientists, and animal-rights activists; illustrated with period and modern photographs; and heavily footnoted, this is currently the best book to offer readers who want to know more about their pet rabbits. Nancy Bent
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