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A Review Booklist "Science has neglected animal pleasure," Balcombe states in his survey of the role pleasurable experiences play in the lives of nonhuman animals. Pleasure is evolutionarily adaptive; the pleasure an animal feels after it eats, while it plays with a companion, or when it is groomed or stroked can all increase its chances to survive. The author, a consultant with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, reviews a vast body of scientific literature in his examination of positive feelings in animals. He first defines what is meant by pleasure and why it is worthy of study, then looks at several potentially pleasure-causing activities: play, eating, sex, touching, and love. Full of examples both anecdotal and from refereed journals, and with a copious bibliography, this book not only makes a case for animal pleasure but calls for more research on the science of pleasure in animals, allowing humans to view them in a new way. Review by Nancy Bent June 21, 2006
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