The Longest Struggle: Animal Advocacy from Pythagoras to PETA

A must read for all animal activists that will maintain your motive to speak for those who cannot

Such wonderful weaving together of so much knowledge and research; great book! It has truly opened my eyes to why I choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle but also brings a lot to the surface for one to confront and reflect.

I found this text to be extremely well researched, amazingly detailed, and very engaging. The amount of history covered is quite remarkable. The animal rights movement is a complex one, with a long and twisting story. I found it fascinating to learn about the origins of animal rights, major groups, and important factions and arguments. We also get a peek into the backgrounds of key leaders in the movement--including so many women forgotten to history. In fact, given that Phelps spends considerable effort illuminating women's contributions, I was rather let down that they were excluded from the story of The Vegan Society, which he credits solely to Donald Watson.Besides that, my other major concern with this book is that, while he goes to great pains to explore the major splits within the movement over the centuries, citing that larger groups tend to compromise at the expense of the animals, he seems to think this same phenomenon could not possibly apply to the major groups today (some of which have employed him, indicating a conflict of interest). Rather than implicate bloated large non-profits that prioritize fundraising over social change, he blames society for being resistant, strict laws, and lack of unity in the movement. It was bizarre really; he spends most of the book chastising major organizations of yesteryear for selling out the animals by focusing on reform and "improved welfare," but then touts the practicality of doing the very same when discussing modern animal advocacy.He echoes this sentiment in his latest publication, "Changing the Game," which demonizes abolitionists and paints them as unrealistic, utopian, radical cranks. At least in this 2007 publication, Phelps is a bit more generous in his discussion of abolitionist politics since the 1990s. I was also pleased that Phelps gave weight to the problems with violent "direct action" activism that has aggravated state repression against animal rights advocacy. He also explores the problems with "euthanasia" as intrinsic to the capitalist system: shelters work as disposal services so that breeders and pet stores can continue to produce and drive consumption. Though the no-kill movement was only just finding its legs at the time of this book's publications, Phelps gives a convincing argument for the potential in pro-life strategies. So, while Phelps may be critical of Francione's abolitionist approach, he does explore the huge problems with violent advocacy and the roots of the present-day no-kill movement.Overall, I think this book is an essential item to the animal rights library. I found myself taking quite a bit of notes and incorporating them into my dissertation work. For someone like myself who is of a younger generation, this book is an amazing tour guide to the longest struggle.

This book offers an exceptionally detailed review of the history of the animal rights movement that could be deemed a very important read for anyone interested in the cause. The author has a very coherent and readable writing style that keeps one's interest throughout the entire book.However, the author writes on several occasions from a biased point of view against abolitionism and some forms of direct action. If the author wishes to present his view, it is necessary to balance this with the justifications put forth by abolitionists. Instead he only dismisses abolitionism and discredits many direct action tactics without a proper explanation.As the book is described as being a history review only, I was disenchanted after reading unbalanced accounts and personal viewpoints, and feel it may be a disservice to those who are new to the AR movement by not offering adequate information for which they can base their own onions regarding incrementalism vs. abolitionism and direct action tactics.If you choose to read this book and you are not informed about the various aspects of the movement, please be aware that you should do your own outside research on these topics before coming to your own conclusion.Otherwise the book is very educational, well researched, and thought-provoking.

Laying the groundwork for this penetrating and thoroughly engaging survey of animal advocacy, Norm Phelps begins with the dawn of civilization, when humans began to enslave animals for food, clothing, sport and sacrifice. We witness millennia of profound abuse before any real advance is made in the interest of animals, though a few early voices of reason appear -- Jesus, for example, may have been history's first animal liberator.The author brings his considerable experience as an activist and writer to bear here, introducing the reader to some of the movement's most fascinating activists and the campaigns they pioneered. His examination of campaign strategies includes those that did not fare so well -- and why. Phelps, who also wrote the excellent  The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights , has created a true page-turner here; indeed, I re-read the book again a month after reading it, just to absorb it all."The Longest Struggle" is a lively account of the evolution of animal protection, revealing how the movement has grown from the ideas of a few ancient philosophers to become one of the most influential forces of modern society. If you're looking for a comprehensive discussion of animal advocacy -- including its origins, strategies and controversies -- look no further.~Mark Hawthorne, author of  Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism