Reviews

Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World by Emma Marris

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lindsayb's review against another edition

5.0

Five stars because I really enjoyed the philosophical discussions around what makes something "wild" and the overall nature of being.

julieabe89's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

This book was fascinating. It looked at various forms of conservation and what it means to be wild. It discusses the ethics of maintaining species or not and how no matter the choices we make, we affect wildlife. I really liked it.

loentropy's review against another edition

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5.0

This book reinforced and expanded my perspective with regards to non-human animals. The author does an excellent job articulating the complex and nuanced ethical quandaries relating to so-called wild animals by both citing ethical theorists and confronting real-world situations.

Much of this book had me nodding and punching the air in agreement, but I was pushed in my thinking in regard to my perception of myself as somehow separate from nature and The Wild. Even as someone that prefers to used the term 'non-human animals', teaches environmental science to teenagers, and is a passionate vegan; I saw my presence in nature as only negative or destructive. My stance has been forever changed after reading this book. I no longer see humankind as the ultimate ill for the world, the destroyer of nature and wilderness; but now much more as one (albeit damaging and power hungry) piece of the natural world.

The author struggles with the various moral dilemmas that arise when you try to minimize suffering in the natural world. Ultimately there is no answer, but she finishes the book with some very practical frameworks to use when wrestling these big questions.

Also, Chapter 8 about ascribing value is AMAZING. Going to revisit that one over and over, perhaps start off my environmental science courses next fall with it.

esessa's review against another edition

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5.0

This was so thought-provoking, and a wonderful blend of philosophy and facts about animal cognition and selfhood. I felt the author did a good job investigating and discussing indigenous approaches to understanding animal sovereignty. My only criticism of the book was that early on she introduces the idea of value, and whether/how we can value things like animals or ecosystems when considering how we should act towards them, and she uses that (though loosely) as a framework for thinking about some of the big questions she tackles. This is an inherently capitalist approach, to think of things in the living world, and our actions towards them, in terms of "value", and I was a bit disappointed that she used this so much as her guiding context without addressing the problems introduced by adopting a clearly and inherently capitalistic idea as her foundation.

kirander's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is more about the philosophy of thwarting extinction. What’s the effects of performing x solution? Emma Marris makes arguments that look at both sides of the possible solutions that are currently being used. I really enjoyed it because she brings up current issues and solutions with personal stories and truly tries to make the reader consider all aspects.