Keepers of the Ark

Rating:
Summary: Great Story barely overcomes high price and poor grammer
Review: As an Animal Rights activist, I ordered this book with greatenthusiasm, thinking that I would get a lot of first hand informationabout how animals are trained and treated in the zoo and circus industries. My first impression of "Keepers of the Ark" was when I got the envelope in the mail and thought, "that's an awfully small book for ..[the price]." Especially for a paperback!

After reading the book I can honestly say that it was informative, enlightening, and even enjoyable. But I was also taken aback at how lousy the editing was! There were spelling errors, grammar errors, run on sentences, just like as if it was taken directly from someone's notebook with no editing what so ever. Considering that the author really lays into the management people above him while he worked in the WAP for not having any college degrees (while he did), it rings as being pretty hypocritical that the published work looks so bad from the grammar standpoint.

And the book really is too expensive for a 180+ page paperback.

The author gets B, and the publisher a D-.

I would suggest checking it out from the library instead of buying it.

Rating:
Summary: A True Story About What Mistreated Elephants go through.
Review: First off I would like to say to Mr. Mark Witt, that reveiw was very harsh considering all the hard labor my Father went through to write this book! He deserves a A (insted of a B!) I'm sure that if u were to write a book it would not be perfect either! Anyways i belive this book is the cold hard truth about what these animals go through. I would definatly recomend this to people that are intersted in this area.

Rating:
Summary: A True Story About What Mistreated Elephants go through.
Review: First off I would like to say to Mr. Mark Witt, that reveiw was very harsh considering all the hard labor my Father went through to write this book! He deserves a A (insted of a B!) I'm sure that if u were to write a book it would not be perfect either! Anyways i belive this book is the cold hard truth about what these animals go through. I would definatly recomend this to people that are intersted in this area.

Rating:
Summary: Congratulations to author for speaking out
Review: I found this book to be nothing short of a gripping and devestating account of the dilemma facing captive elephants and their keepers. Ryan writes out of highly personal convinction and candor. The result is an intimate and revealing memoir I found difficult to put down. This is not a comprehensive guide to elephant captivity or training methods and should not be purchased as such. Instead, it should be read as one man's experience and eventual confrontation with a sad and pervasive mentality surrounding treatment of captive animals. Ryan succeeds in making us (those of us with compassion for our fellow animals) frustrated, horrified and desperate to believe in an alternative to violent methods of keeping elephants.

My hearty congratulations to the author for his courage. Essential reading for policy makers, animal keepers and those frequenting zoos. There must be a better way!

Daniel Ferguson
Montreal, Canada

Rating:
Summary: Touching but funny
Review: I think it's hilarious that, in defending her father against Mr. Whitt's crticism of his poor grammar and spelling, Ms. Ross-Ryan uses words and grammar that are unrecognizable as English and do, indeed, make her father look like a literary genius. The apple really does not fall far from the tree.

Rating:
Summary: Keepers of The Ark
Review: Really enjoyed this book. Found it to be informative and very interesting.

Rating:
Summary: A behind the scenes look at elephant training and captivity
Review: This books reveals what most people -- who have ever cared to ask -- know what is involved in keeping and maintaining elephants in captivity.

This author's behind the scenes look at the inherent cruelty involved in most elephant related training practices is especially applicable when elephants are trained for rides and circus type acts (even if it is not called a circus).

I believe that anyone who frequents zoos or circuses needs to read this book to make a more informed decision on the PR campaigns and practices they are supporting by buying tickets for admission.

We are told about the education and conservation that they purport to support, but is this true for the mass majority of them?

Read it and really find out "When Elephants Weep"