SOME WE LOVE, SOME WE HATE, SOME WE EAT Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals

Hal Herzog is a friendly anthrozoologist—a person who studies human-animal relationships. He presents listeners with a fascinating look at the inconsistencies and hypocrisies that humans have when it comes to animals. Why do we love kittens but hate snakes? Why do so many people oppose cockfighting but eat factory-farmed chicken? How many mice should we sacrifice to discover a cure for dengue fever? For baldness? Mel Foster adeptly translates Herzog’s whimsical tone, complete with wondrous and gee-whiz reactions. But Herzog is serious too, and Foster unfailingly holds the listeners’ attention through accounts of multiple research studies. Foster doesn’t do accents well, and trying to imitate Chris Rock is definitely a mistake, but these are minor irritations in an entertaining performance. A.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]