Stories Rabbits Tell: A Natural and Cultural History of a Misunderstood Creature

I've lived with rabbits all my life, but it was not until I first picked up a copy of The House Rabbit Handbook in 1993 that it dawned on me that I could really let a rabbit not only into my home, but into my life, my family, and essentially, into my heart. That book was a turning point for me. Stories Rabbits Tell is another such singular, profoundly meaningful book, though it is quite different from the Handbook; it is more academic, and requires a great deal of fortitude and intelligent thinking from the reader (though of course what the Handbook asks of us in terms of necessary bunny-proofing does, too!).It seems to me that the dissenting reviews on this site have a fundamental desire to dismiss anyone who questions possible mistreatment of rabbits -- most of these negative reviews really don't seem to have much of anything to do with this book at all, and I would be surprised if many of the reviewers had actually read it. If they had, they would see that Susan Davis and Margo Demello are quite open about their methodologies, and that they go to great pains to present a balanced view of any topic they present -- even vivisection.The fact is that almost no Americans know the suffering that animals experience so that we can benefit from them in myriad ways--ways that most people never even consider; Davis and Demello discuss this. In turn, people get upset. It's an upsetting reality -- to paraphrase Pete Seeger, quoted in the book, if it upsets us just to read or hear about it, imagine how much it pains the animals who experience this suffering.But that is a relatively small part of the book, and I would be very sorry to see readers discouraged from reading this marvelous, rich, and brilliantly researched, argued, and written life/history/cultural review of rabbits. I feel as if I am getting to know rabbits all over again, and for the first time, in some ways--rabbits in the wild, in other people's homes or yards (oh no!), in meat and fur farms (not the 'friendly' or clean facilities you may have imagined), and in isolating research labs. Gazing into the faces of my three house rabbits when I look up from this book's pages, I marvel at the depth and beauty of these creatures -- and I hope that this brilliant book will not only open up the possibility of such a rich and rewarding connection to others, but that it will also allow even those people who have never thought of rabbits at all to know that they are indeed a truly wonderful creature.I congratulate the authors on their tremendously well-done book, and I urge readers interested in everything from animals to folklore to politics to the medical industry to hunting to history to --well, everything -- to read it. And I thank them for taking the time to write a book I have been waiting to read for many many years without even specifically knowing that this was what I wanted and needed. Regarding the chapters on abuse and vivisection: I am grateful that they were included even though I cried reading them, because sometimes we do have to read things that are painful and difficult, not because we want to, but because they are true, and because it is important that we know the truth, so that then we can make of it what we will and choose our own actions from there.Finally, this book makes me want to be kind to those around me; it makes me feel even more conscious of and grateful to the rabbits with whom I share my life. It's one of the most special qualities of Stories Rabbits Tell, I think: the intimate attention given to the details of rabbits' quirks, narratives, frustrations, losses, sufferings, triumphs. The authors have taken great care in the way they have presented the lives of rabbits; throughout, they respect and cherish the individuality of each rabbit life, at the same time that they discuss trends in the understanding of and response to/use of rabbits at large. Thinking of each animal as an individual, with real feelings, needs, rights--anyone who has a beloved pet knows what this means in the particular, but how about looking beyond that? Davis and Demello opened my eyes to sights and realities I did not want to see; because I love my own dear rabbits, I cannot ignore the individuality of all other rabbits, of all animals. It is a philosophy that may boggle the mind of those in commercial rabbit industries, or those who wear fur but one that I find to be perfectly respectable and plausible, and even practical--and certainly well-argued. So now, I'm off to hug my bunnies, and count my blessings that we've found each other.Buy and read this book -- you will benefit from it immeasurably.

I have always been impressed by this book from the first time I ever read it. It was apparently impressive enough to someone else that I found I had my first copy stolen, and I am now on my second copy. What impresses me most about this book is not that the authors themselves live with companion rabbits, nor is it their myriad qualifications for its writing. It is not their controversial coverage of the commercial meat and pet industries, and neither is it of the research and experimental industries. It is not even the clinical lessons from anthropologic and cross- cultural research. I am most impresssed by the fact that this book was ever written at all. I am most impressed that this book, once written, ever saw publication.Rabbits are an almost globally reviled animal; their only redeeming attributes being their hoppy legs and wiggly noses, round faces and wide eyes, suitable only for the subject of anthropomorphosizing these characteristics for children's books. Yet it is that same round face with wide eyes that goads us on to greater and greater acts of pesticidal warfare. To many, they are simply unworthy of any sort of cultural or historical study. This book, its authors, and its publishers, disagree.The book is an interesting social study of these opposing aspects of the rabbit. Part delight, and part despair, part childhood friend and part adult foe, rabbits and their roles in human history are an interesting study in human cultural contradiction, which is the pervasive theme of the book. Many have become so bogged down in their joy or anger over specific chapters of the book that the overall theme of the book has become lost in personal interests.I respectfully disagree with some that the agenda of the authors in the chapters regarding animal testing, breeding and the commercial meat industry is to advocate animal rights. I do believe that the authors are interested in animal welfare, however. There is a difference. This debate among the reviews is neither here nor there in relation to the subject of the book. Whatever you believe the authors intended with those chapters is irrelevant. The book's overall aim is to guide the reader through our cultural views of the rabbit, in all their glorious confliction. This is what makes this book worth reading.The authors never deny they have a bias; they live with companion rabbits and are bound to have certain feelings on specific subjects. They make that clear. They also present the facts gathered on each topic in relation to the underlying theme of the book, which is the more important aspect of this excercise. In this they have succeeded. They draw no conclusion, leaving it open to the reader to decide how they feel about rabbits now that they have an understanding of them and their history within our culture. They obviously hope that their readers come away from the experienced changed, yet they leave that change open to the reader's discretion as to if they come out in favor of rabbits, against them, or, like most of us, a mixture of both.The authors are realistic in their expectations that the majority of their readers will have had some interest in rabbits in the first place to have made the decision to pick up the book. Those who have no interest in rabbits (and they are the majority of the populace) will most likely choose not to read about them at all. However, it is these readers, should they decide to delve into the world of the rabbit, that will be the least emotionally invested in any particular chapter to appreciate the overall arc of the book; that we as humans are capable of, in equal parts, loving and hating another creature so much that we iconize and demonize them in one breath.

in brief, I read this 'piecemeal'.... as I got time, I'd pick up my kindle and read a bit.My kid used to raise rabbits for show and pet. She also had a favorite, pet rabbit.The ones we wouldn't sell as pets, (biting, mean, etc) we ate. Yes, some will consider that abhorrent, I dont care. My daughter learned about responsibility and where food comes from, and the challenges of that taught her some life lessons.This is a good book for folks who want to learn about rabbits as pets. It covers alot of stuff, including a bit about the food industry also, that uses rabbits. It's not necessarily a 'how to' keep a rabbit.I still love rabbits, as pets, but my kid is grown and I'm not taking care of any more 'extra' animals.....6 dogs, a parrot a canary is enough.Rabbits can make good pets, but as any other pet, they need some extra considerations; including -will you be around to care for, love, and give it some form of enrichment (through affection, play, etc)....how long they live....This is a pretty well researched book. It isn't a warm fuzzy kind of book. If you like to read about facts and some other things about rabbits and the rabbit industry get it.

Susan Davis and Margot De Mello have written a thorough analysis of rabbits as a breed, starting with the ways they have been depicted over the course of human history, and covering their complex relationship with humans today: as beloved pets, neglected pets, sources of fur, and sources of meat: not to mention victims of laboratory testing.It may make you sad to read how these intelligent and completely non-aggressive prey animals are treated so badly by us humans: but read the book, and you may be inspired to do something to help them.

I thought there was going to be more on how rabbits feel and think rather than giving low-downs of all the cruel things we do to them.The only chapter that really went in to this was about their public life as pets which went in to some detail about behaviour and how they interact with each other - that could have been expanded upon really. The rest was disturbing and not necessary.Wrong title for this book the rabbits in this book don't 'say' anything, it's the authors view on how most people view the rabbit and in what concept e.g. food, science, culture, money, fur, pets etc. I would of liked to understand a bit more about their behaviour and why they act a certain way so as to better understand them.

Eines der wenigen Bücher, die unterhaltsam, spannend und kompetent über Kaninchen berichten! Besonders gut hat mir gefallen, dass sowohl aktuelle Haltung und Missstände als auch kulturwissenschaftliche Aspekt zur Sprache kommen. Sehr fundiert und bis heute aktuell!

prodotto nuovo. Poiche' arrivava da fuori Europa ci ha messo piu' tempo ad arrivare ma sono stata tempestivamente avvertita del ritardo e comunque i tempi preventivati sono stati rispettati. Il libro mi sembra interessante, l'ho appena sfogliato per ora.Mi ci vorra' un po' per leggerlo tutto.

If you love rabbits and want to understand them; this is the book for you. Easy reading and excellent information.