Monkey Business

Monkey Business blows Debra Blum's Monkey Wars out of the water. Where Blum tries to appear unbiased by giving equal space to activists and vivisectors, Guillermo demonstrates that NIH and its vivisectors are scum by recounting the details of their repeated lies to Congress and their sordid back-room plots to keep a few tortured monkeys from ever seeing the sky or smelling fresh air. No one who reads her account can have any doubt that the NIH should be gutted and massively reformed, or sadly, that Congress is incapable of doing so. If you want to hold on to some illusion that our government will ever act openly, with honesty, or cares one whit about curing human disease or the humane treatment of animals, don't read this book.

I read this book while in juvenile detention waiting to be placed in a foster home. It was given to me by a vegan employee. I wasn't going anywhere so I though "why not?" I was vegetarian at the time (for health reasons only), but knew and cared nothing about animal rights. Reading this book compelled me to be otherwise. Additionally, for those of you who think that PETA is just a bunch of hippie wackos - read this. This book is also about the founding of PETA and you will soon find out they are nothing more than people who love animals.

No matter where you stand on the issue of animal rights, this book will give you a better understanding of the animal rights movement, and the case which launched the founding of PETA. It is very well written, describing in great detail the story of the Silver Spring monkey abuse case, in which an NIH-funded researcher, Edward Taub, was convicted of animal abuse for neglecting and abusing his research subjects. It is essential reading for animal lovers and anyone who is interested in animal rights and/or animal welfare. I found it easy to read, educational, and yet, disturbing. Other suggested reading is Next of Kin by Roger Fouts.

No matter where you stand on the issue of animal rights, this book will give you a better understanding of the animal rights movement, and the case which launched the founding of PETA. It is very well written, describing in great detail the story of the Silver Spring monkey abuse case, in which an NIH-funded researcher, Edward Taub, was convicted of animal abuse for neglecting and abusing his research subjects. It is essential reading for animal lovers and anyone who is interested in animal rights and/or animal welfare. I found it easy to read, educational, and yet, disturbing.