Genre: Non-fiction, nature, animals
Publisher: Penguin Life
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
The Christmas/New Year of 2019/2020 bush fires scorched through enormous swathes of land across the whole of Australia and killed many millions of native animals. Afterwards, there was a huge outpouring of collective grief from people not only in Australia, but throughout the entire world. It was caused by climate change, and people and animals in Australia were faced with being climate refugees, at least for a few months.
Animal charities rallied together and people donated a lot of money towards animal conservation and particularly to help homeless koalas and several species of wallabies, which have now become endangered species by the fires.
Animals Make Us Human is a beautifully produced book that features short, punchy chapters from Australian writers and thinkers. These people recall their encounters with beautiful Australian wildlife.
The sheer breadth of stunning and unique wildlife in Australia is awe-inspiring and this book showcases all of these animals with beautiful images placed alongside these short stories.
Contributors include Geraldine Brooks, Paul Kelly, Thomas Keneally, Bruce Pascoe, Shaun Tan and many others. All funds raised from the book go towards the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Australian Wildlife Conservatory.
Yet I have to say, some of the writing is vividly evocative of time, place and the writers’ poignant encounters with these precious animals. However, I felt that some of the stories lacked passion and enthusiasm for these animal subjects. Although, I love intention of this book and the fact funds from book sales go towards helping animals, so I am reluctant to be too harsh on it.
This is a beautifully produced book that would make an excellent gift for environmentalists, animal lovers and conservationists particularly from this part of the world – Australia and New Zealand. Yet anyone who loves animals anywhere in the world will appreciate and love this beautiful book.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Content Catnip 
This looks beautiful! It’s sad though, to think back to that time. But it was also encouraging to see people’s responses as they dug deep to try and help our animals in need in the aftermath. The title is so fitting: animals make us human- YES
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I know 😻 such a beautiful title, I agree. There is something so profound about the connection we have with them, they are our soul and spirit. Nice photos along with nice short story style non-fiction encounters, I think you will like this book Amanda 😽
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