A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy : the human cost of the animal rights movement /

Smith, an attorney and a consumer advocate, opposes the animal rights movement as "anti-humanistic," as conveyed by his book's subtitle. His stance assumes "human exceptionalism," the belief that humans are fundamentally unique and incomparably superior to all other species. From this viewpoint, animal liberation arguments based on the commonality of humans with other animals are seen as both wrong and harmful. The Discovery Institute, well known for its conservative positions on evolution, assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, and animal rights, supports Smith's research and writing. The publisher of this book, Encounter Books, also has a conservative bent. The ironically meant title, A Rat Is a Pig Is a Dog Is a Boy, is from a characteristically provocative statement by Ingrid Newkirk, president and cofounder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Smith concedes that not all animal rights advocates are human-hating terrorists, but for the most part, this is a one-sided advocacy book whose natural audience will be general readers and undergraduates having a religious, libertarian, and/or conservative outlook. Most of the citations are to popular and trade resources rather than academic ones. Summing Up: Optional. Lower-level undergraduates and general readers. W. P. Hogan Eastern Michigan University