It has been decades since I read the original edition of this book, along with many other books on related issues. I thought I’d take a look at the new version to see what might have changed, but found I didn’t have much interest in the book at this point.

I think that’s partly because I’ve read so many variations on the theme in my life, and partly because even though the author and I wind up agreeing on many (definitely not all) things, we get there by very different methods and for very different reasons. I believe he vastly overstates the importance of reason and logic in most people’s lives and whether they will affect their attitude toward speciesism or the life choices they make. “Almost everyone, however, is at least nominally prepared to listen to reason.” I truly can’t conceive how anyone who lives in the modern world can possibly believe that, considering religion, politics, crime, or the fact that the species continues on the path of making the planet more inhospitable for itself.

I’ll give it a 4 just for its historic importance, and first-time readers might find it more interesting.

Thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the advance copy.