Did you know that with the invention of the top hat in Paris, beavers recovered? With the removal of other head coverings, the demand for their fur has fallen. This saved endangered animal species that are important for swamp formation and changes in forests. With this example, the book shows the impact of humans on other species and thus on habitats as well.
Interesting and entertaining stories
Biologist and science writer Richard Gerling provides an overview of the chronology of the last 3,000 years of coexistence between humans and animals. The result is a cultural-historical journey of our influence on other living beings, shaped by societies through religion, politics, business, and science; Filled with anecdotal stories.
Even if it is clear at some points that the author is writing from a British perspective, he also takes other points of view. He does not withhold from readers amusing and surprising information about the inhabitants of the island, for example, that Queen Elizabeth II is the owner of almost all swans on British soil. But the fact that Pythagoras was actually a vegetarian indicates that this diet is not just a current trend.
The Man and the Beast is Richard Gerling’s third book on the subject. In earlier works without references to literature, he now incorporates his sources into the running text, which can be viewed at the end of the book. However, at times, the objective red thread feels like an enemy through time, and the transitions are sometimes bumpy. The translation reads well, but the original title »The Longest Story. How humans loved, hated, and misunderstood other species” is more straightforward than the title in German.
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