Books Archive – Lantern

Life of Pei

Life of Pei: The Battle for Compassion is an inspirational read for those who are grappling with their thoughts and direction in life. In honest and moving detail, Pei describes her life experiences and how she found meaning in her life and a pathway to help other people who needed support and direction. Pei encourages a reasoned and integrated approach to foster empathy and compassion—not just for other people, but also for animals and the environment. Pei’s covert undercover investigations into wildlife issues, farming, captive animals, and companion animals show bravery and commitment to her life’s mission. Pei came to believe that learning and developing an understanding of cultures and diversity is the key to successful and sustainable change in behavior. In essence, Pei interviews herself and attempts to analyze what she has learned about both herself and human nature. Through her remarkable life journey, Pei truly believes that given the chance to understand the truth about life on earth, most people, and children in particular, will choose compassion and empathy first.

“Pei offers an insight into the fragility of life but also conveys the strength of human nature through a candid account of her life experiences. Her United Nations-accredited Caring for Life education program in China, encapsulates a comprehensive and essential message of compassion in action, for all forms of life.”—Dr. Zhou Jin-Fong, secretary general of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) China

“An inspiring story of a life of hardship turned to one dedicated to compassion. We can all find hope from such a path.”—Leah Garcés, CEO and president, Mercy For Animals

“An authentic life is not created by us, but rather it creates us. Through her autobiography, meet Pei Su and her powerful journey of compassion for all living beings, reaffirming the Buddhist proverb: One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.”—Michael Kaufmann, director, Sam and Myra Ross Institute at Green Chimneys, USA

“Pei is a tenacious, wise, and compassionate soul with a page-turning story to share. She has walked a valiant path and through this book, she invites us to explore with her and draw from what she has seen and experienced.”—Jo-Anne McArthur, photojournalist, humane educator, animal rights activist, and author

“Authentic, brave, and riveting, Life of Pei is one woman’s saga of redemption through finding her spiritual center and her life’s mission: to put compassion into action for all beings. I loved this book, and although I’ve never met its author, her writing leads me to believe that I probably love her, too.”—Victoria Moran, author, Creating a Charmed Life, The Love-Powered Diet, and Age Like a Yogi

“The world needs Humane Education more than ever. I am certain that it should concern not just humans, but the entire animal kingdom and the environment. I know of no one who has greater insight into its value than Pei and her invention of ACTAsia is a powerful therapeutic initiative for the world’s needs.”—Terence Ryan, emeritus professor, Osler-McGovern Centre, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford

“A wonderful book that follows the extraordinary path of Pei and an opportunity to enjoy her straightforward, inspirational, and transparent personality. Knowing her for some 25 years, her wisdom, determination, and clear-minded vision have led her through the rocky seas of man’s relationship with his fellow animals. What a tremendous difference she is making!”—Marquis Federico Spinola, president of ACTAsia

“This is a how-to book for activists. How to persevere in the face of personal struggles and cultural barriers. How tenacity, hard work, and vision are the keys. An unusually honest and engaging account from a true warrior for justice.”—Ken Swensen, Inside Animal Ag

“Pei and I helped to draft the new Animal Protection Law in Taiwan, at a unique time in Taiwan’s history, when it was emerging economically, socially, and politically. I have always admired Pei’s bravery, her open-mindedness, and her belief in the kind nature of human hearts. She is a change-maker, and her determination will carry her through, in her battle for compassion.”—Professor Jason Yeh, National Taiwan University

Abandoned

Foreword by Francis Battista

Afterword by Deborah Samuel

Striking, emotionally charged, fine art photographs chronicle the lives of approximately 60 once-abandoned dogs, illuminating each one’s journey from a shelter or rescue organization to a loving, permanent home. The “before and after” photographs illustrate the profound benefits of animal adoption for both dogs and humans alike.

Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs is a decade-long project inspired by Carver’s own adopted Shetland Sheepdog, Biscuit, who had been abandoned on a rural highway, terrified and malnourished. Biscuit’s evolution from a sickly and emaciated shell of a dog to a confident, trusting, and beloved family member positively changed Carver’s and her husband’s lives forever. This set Carver on her quest to examine the lives of other abandoned dogs, illustrating how dog rescue gave these dogs a second chance with completely new lives.

The photographs capture the salient emotion, spirit, and dignity of each dog, despite their circumstances. From Whippets to Jack Russell Terriers and Saint Bernards to Golden Retrievers, along with many mixed breeds, Carver’s book showcases dogs of all breeds, sizes, ages, temperaments, and backgrounds, including written narratives, derived from interviews with shelter and rescue personnel and adopters to provide additional context to each dog’s journey.

Carver initially met and photographed each dog shortly after they entered a shelter or rescue organization, and then again approximately a year after being adopted into a permanent home. The juxtaposition of these two photographs is a powerful testament to the transformative experience of dog rescue and adoption. Carver witnessed abandoned dogs that were given entirely new lives and became integral family members as a result of rescue and adoption.

Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs is a tribute to dogs like Robo, Murdock, Mario, and Trucker. The book chronicles how dog rescue and adoption enriches not only the lives of the dogs, but how it unequivocally enriches the lives of their human companions as well. Carver hopes this work compels viewers to consider dog rescue and adoption. This book will appeal to dog and animal lovers far and wide.

“In Abandoned, Carver describes, with words and beautiful photographs, the plight of abandoned dogs and how a caring home can transform a frightened cowering being into a confident and happy companion who will give unconditional love. . . . A must read.”—Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE; Founder – The Jane Goodall Institute & United Nations Messenger of Peace

“Abandoned is a testament to the nobility of dogs, their willingness to forgive, and the great love they offer their humans. Carver has caught all this and more in her moving portraits of these long-suffering animals whose faces will remain in your mind long after you finish this book.”—Sally Mann, photographer and New York Times bestselling author of Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings

“This is a gorgeous, emotional tribute to the resilience of dogs and our special connection and responsibility to them. By telling the stories of these abandoned dogs and photographing them so exquisitely, Carver ennobles them and rescues them for all of us.”—Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of On Animals

“The luminous photographs, and the stories behind them, will break your heart but also fill it with wonderment and joy. This extraordinary book reminds us that for every forsaken creature, for every cruelty and abandoned promise, a happy forever can await, if only we humans step up and say, ‘Come home with me, won’t you?’”—John Grogan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog

“This book will break your heart—and then heal it all over again. In words and photographs, Carver has captured both the callous cruelty that led to these dogs’ abandonment, and the transformative power of love for both the dogs and their forever humans. May these compelling photographs and stories bring together the people and animals who will love one another until death do they part.”—Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

“Carver’s gorgeous photographs show the individuality of each abandoned dog. Both dog lovers and people who admire black and white photography will love this book.”—Temple Grandin, New York Times bestselling author of Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions

“The word ‘abandoned’ is just a category, giving us a sense of devaluation, perhaps even of lost hope. But this book, Abandoned, gives us just the opposite. Exquisite views of individual creatures, the hope for whom is never lost.”—Carl Safina, New York Times bestselling author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel

“Each of the individual dogs profiled by Carver is given such dignity by the attention and care taken in her photographs of them. Their personalities, their emotions, their anticipation are all on full display. I felt relief at each adoption story and heartbreak at each loss. Carver’s photographs remind us that every dog is a wonderful dog, and it is only up to us to open our hearts to find one.”—Alexandra Horowitz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know

“I love this book! It tugs at the heart-strings! I think it is a wonderful book and will undoubtedly be cherished by all dog lovers, especially those who have had the heart to adopt a dog from a shelter. One thing I learned from this book: Do NOT buy a dog, there are too many wonderful dogs desperate for a home. Get your dog exclusively from a shelter or rescue organization.”—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, New York Times bestselling author of When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals

“From sad, wary, tired, disheartened, to bright-eyed and joyful, Carver’s elegant portraits capture more succinctly than words can ever manage, the glory of finding a home, and the miracle of love. For anyone who has suffered from loneliness or disappointment in their lives, Abandoned is a masterful inspiration: get closer to animals. Their emotions are deep, complete, and visible, and they are waiting to wrap you in love.”—Erika Abrams, President, Animal Aid Unlimited

Sub-Human

Sub-Human delves into what it means to be an animal, how our view of other animals impacts our view of other people, oppressions, and the planet, how we got here, as well as how we can move forward together.

When we accept oppression of some, we feed the oppression of others, and we make space for domination driven by false ideas of inferiority and lesser worth. When we discount the inherent preciousness of animals who think and feel, we erase precious parts of ourselves. When we consider living beings as “livestock,” it’s no wonder we pillage the unthinking yet irreplaceable living earth.

Sub-Human is a robustly researched, sharply critical yet comfortingly human call to arms, diving deeply into the theory behind oppression, liberation, and the intersections within it. Exploring the history of animal consumption and commodification, this book deconstructs the current sociopolitical climate surrounding animal enterprises by looking at how we got here. Most importantly, it unravels how we can work towards a collectively liberated world.

“Sub-Human is the most-needed book for the Animal Freedom movement right now. Emma Hakansson gives us a wide, deep view of oppression that explains the links among speciesism, racism, sexism, and homophobia. Most importantly, she gives us strategic thinking and practical advice on how to make change. This book is the ‘new testament’ for the movement.”—Jim Mason, author, An Unnatural Order

“This remarkable book opens readers’ eyes and hearts to the critical intersections between human and non-human animals. The book’s title says it all—humanity has assumed a hierarchical superiority over other animals. Emma Hakansson brings an impressive breadth of knowledge and critical thought to her work as she examines the history of animal exploitation, its deep connections to other forms of oppression, and the forces of change propelling the movement towards compassionate living. The points clearly come across that our survival as a species depends upon a transformation in perceptions of our kindred animals, and that each of us as individuals holds a unique privilege to create positive change.”—Dr. Joanne Kong, editor of Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers

“Sub-Human is an important contribution to the work we must put in to see total liberation for us all—nonhumans and humans. All animal advocates, and anyone interested in social justice and dismantling oppression, should read this book.”—Leah Garcés, president of Mercy For Animals

“Sub-Human is a diligently researched and written book that is both provocative and utterly reasonable. Now more than ever, it’s critical we understand that animal rights are a part of a wider movement for total justice, and Sub-Human argues this perfectly.”—Chris Delforce, director of the Dominion documentary and executive director of Farm Transparency Project

“The movement for animal rights is inherently political, and Sub-Human explores just how the plight of animals, as well as people and the planet, relates to our current political context, and the history that led us here. It is an important read that helps us to better consider how we can best protect the animals exploited today.”—Georgie Purcell MP, Animal Justice Party member and the youngest woman in the Victorian Parliament, Australia

“It’s not enough to simply understand the issues. The importance lies in how you react to that knowledge. In Sub-Human, the enormity of the oppression is laid out before you, but so are the stories and philosophies of those who have fought to stop it. By learning about the issues, their interconnectedness, and the struggles to overcome them, the reader isn’t simply educated, but passed a torch to carry on the fight.”—Jake Conroy, activist, The Cranky Vegan

From Harm to Healing

A moving and engrossing photographic narrative exploring the lives—past and present—of some of the rescued monkeys currently residing at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in South Texas, USA.

From Harm to Healing combines photography and narrative to explore the stories of eight monkeys rescued from traumatic and abusive situations and rehomed to one of the largest animal sanctuaries in the United States, the Born Free Primate Sanctuary.

With an honest and open approach to the work of sanctuaries, the book seeks to consider the complexities and challenges of life after rescue. It posits the work of sanctuaries not simply as a “happily ever after” for victims of the pet trade, vivisection, and zoos, but as a journey toward recovery that may take years, or even decades. Wild animals such as monkeys remain caged even in sanctuaries of the absolute highest standards. Understanding this, the book explores the ethical obligations and challenges faced by the staff, as well as the monkeys and their individual obstacles, that must be overcome in the journey to recovery.

Ultimately, From Harm to Healing seeks to share the individual tales of the monkeys from their perspective and makes the case that, while sanctuaries are vital to protect animals from further harm, they are not the answer to end animal suffering. Indeed, the only way in which we can end the suffering of exploited wild animals is to tackle the source head on. In the meantime, sanctuaries continue to pick up the pieces and do what they can to help victims of exploitation move from situations of harm to those of healing.

“All nonhuman primates are profoundly complex, intelligent, and emotional beings who are born to live in dynamic and ever-changing societies with family, friends, and competitors. Tragically, these sentient beings kept as pets have had their opportunities to live full natural lives in freedom snatched from them at birth. Those lucky enough to find their way to sanctuaries do not experience immediate good lives but embark on a long journey of recovery as they navigate living alongside those of their own kind for the first time. From Harm to Healing tells the stories of eight monkeys rescued from the pet trade. Some heartwarming, and some heartbreaking, this important book gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of one of the largest primate sanctuaries in the U.S.”—Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., Author of The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy―and Why They Matter

“The exotic pet trade rips wild animals away from their homes and families, causing unimaginable stress and suffering to individuals and entire groups of primates who live in complex societies. The trade disrupts ecosystems and in some cases pushes endangered species to extinction. This important book takes you behind the scenes of a ruthless trade and shines a light on the hard work behind the creation of a new and torture free life for eight beautiful individuals, who were lucky enough to have found a home at the primate sanctuary. Neatly illustrated and written, it highlights that keeping wildlife in captivity is not only cruel for animals but dangerous for people. How many more tragic stories does our society need to encounter, till we finally do what is right—keep wildlife in the wild.”—Britta Jaschinski, Conservation Photographer

“A deeply evocative book, with outstandingly beautiful images. A book to treasure as a celebration of free-living animals, now thankfully rescued. A lovely tribute to those who dare to care.”—The Revd. Professor Andrew Linzey, PhD, DD, HonDD, Director, Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics

“Reading a book about monkeys should not make you weep. But this one does—so much unnecessary suffering is caused by the primate pet trade. Scientists like to analyze data from large sample sizes, but case studies can often illuminate an issue with greater clarity than graphs and statistics. From Harm to Healing documents the lives and in some cases the deaths, of just eight monkeys. Sensitively written, some stories have a joyful outcome, some a tragic one, whether for the monkey or the former owner or both—the phrases ‘large canine teeth’ and ‘life-changing injuries’ appear more than once. Should be required reading for anyone considering acquiring a ‘pet’ primate—or indeed any exotic pet!”—Ian Redmond, OBE FZS FLS—Tropical Field Biologist and Conservationist

A Race for Life

The amazing story of how one woman survived breast cancer to take on the toughest races in the world.

A Race for Life provides the reader with detailed information on the how and why a whole food, plant-based vegan diet works to dramatically lower the risk of breast cancer. Through her remarkable life journey, Dr. Ruth shares how practicing a healthy diet and lifestyle will give your body its best chance to reverse and prevent a recurrence of cancer and many other diseases. Dr. Ruth conveys the importance of exercise and eating a plant-based diet to foster good health and energy with recent research showing how certain exercises and diets can suppress cancer cell growth. Through her personal experience and wisdom, Dr. Ruth shares what you need to know about “reconstruction” after breast surgery. Through compassion and empathy, Dr. Ruth shares how to best deal with the stress of getting that cancer diagnosis and turning that negative energy into a positive force for you and others.

“Inspiring, medically sound, and beautifully written. I would like to share this book with all of my patients and friends. Hearing the message from Ruth’s perspective makes for a heart-warming journey and a solid prescription for optimum well being.”—Neal D. Barnard, M.D., author, Eat Right, Live Longer and Foods That Fight Pain

“Ruth’s story of surviving breast cancer, adopting a plant-based diet and becoming a winning world class triathlete is both exhilarating and terrifying. With discipline, exuberance and resilience, Ruth faced each challenge including two near-fatal highway collisions and an alarming medical setback. Her life-aﬃrming attitude shines through her whole remarkable story from sickness to health, from tragedy to triumph. What an inspiration for all!”—Dorothy Greet, educator, speaker, author of Go Veg With Class, www.GoVegWithClass.com

“A Race for Life is more than an athlete’s memoir; it’s a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to overcome adversity and a practical guide for anyone looking to enhance their health and vitality naturally. Ruth Heidrich, alongside experts in medicine, coaching, and nutrition, provides compelling evidence that a life of exceptional wellness is achievable for all of us. Her fascinating story is a beacon of hope and a blueprint for a healthier, more fulﬁlling life, proving that with the right mix of discipline, knowledge, and spirit, the battle against even the most daunting challenges can be won.”—Chef AJ, former television host, executive pastry chef, and author

“A Race for Life is an inspiring story by a remarkable woman. Dr. Ruth is a portrait in courage and perseverance, serving as an example of how we can face and overcome obstacles, whatever they may be, on our life journey. Her book is especially valuable for older readers! Empowered with knowledge of the health beneﬁts of the vegan lifestyle, we can give ourselves the best chance to ﬂourish in our advanced age with good health, vitality, mental acuity, and purpose.”—Dr. Joanne Kong, editor, Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers

“This is the book I wished I’d had back when I was 40. It is so inspiring to read about what Ruth Heidrich went through to become a Stage 4 breast cancer survivor. As if that weren’t enough, she covers what it takes to be an Ironman triathlete, mentally as well as physically. It would be a great gift for any woman, athlete or not.”—Karina Lok, senior vegan runner

“Ruth’s wisdom is well-founded in science as well as her own personal experience. This book—chock-full of good information—is good reading as well. For those wanting to be well and ﬁt, read A Race for Life.”—Jim Mason, author, An Unnatural Order

“Ruth Heidrich serves as an inspiration for every woman ﬁghting for her life and dignity. Given the right foods and exercise she proves the human body is its own greatest healer. Don’t miss this opportunity to take charge of your life.”—John McDougall, M.D., author, McDougall Program for Women

“A passionate testimonial by an extraordinary woman who turned tragedy to triumph through vigorous exercise and reﬁned diet. Ruth Heidrich’s experiences point to the potential in all of us when we turn knowledge to action, to create healthier, more vibrant lives.”—Dan Millman, author, Way of the Peaceful Warrior and Body Mind Mastery

“Dr. Ruth Heidrich is a fear annihilator. She’s faced head-on the two greatest fears that women have—breast cancer and growing old—and shows that it’s possible to overcome the former and transform the latter. Surely everyone’s story is diﬀerent, but in reading hers, we can collect tools to apply to our own, along with inspiration, courage, and a role model bar none.”—Victoria Moran, author, The Love-Powered Diet and Age Like a Yogi

“A Race for Life was the ﬁrst book I published at Lantern, back in 2000, and like Ruth herself, it remains an evergreen example of tenacity, resilience, passion, and maximizing your potential. A Race for Life began Lantern’s (and my own running) journey, and I’m delighted that we’re all still going strong!”—Martin Rowe, editor, Running, Eating, Thinking: A Vegan Anthology and Executive Director of Culture & Animals Foundation

Censored Landscapes

Censored Landscapes unveils the hidden reality of farming animals, offering a powerful and emotionally charged exploration. Photographs, essays, poetry, and research together tell a factual story about the most abusive industry of the twenty-first century. Isabella La Rocca González’s lens captures the haunting beauty of landscapes that portray the animal agricultural industry. A number displayed with each image represents the lives imprisoned within the facility, drawing attention to the magnitude of suffering behind the banal exteriors. Portraits of nonhuman animals who have been confined in such facilities are emblematic of the vast number of animals whose individuality, sentience, and beauty are obliterated by the industry.

Censored Landscapes maintains a lyrical quality through evocative photographs, poetry, and personal narrative. The project also provides a robust basis in verifiable facts and scientific research. Readers are encouraged to confront the intricate web of connections between animal agriculture, animal suffering, environmental devastation, worker exploitation, human health, economic political structures, and social justice. This book is a call to action, a revelation of the invisible, and an opportunity to see, feel, and make a difference.

The Red Planet

The Red Planet explores why humans went from being peaceful and egalitarian with a preference for plant food to a hyper-masculine paradigm with consequences ranging from misogyny, racism, and environmental abuse to animal cruelty, classism, and warfare.

We humans have an extraordinary capacity for compassion. Much of it in response to the atrocities we inflict on the planet, its animals, and each other. The popular explanation for this paradox is that we evolved as carnivorous “killer apes,” who gradually curbed our lust for violence, with frequent exceptions, by implementing humane social norms. This explanation is so well worn, especially in the American psyche, that it epitomizes cliché. So, we could be forgiven for believing it, when nearly every word is fiction.

Current research shows that our species narrowly survived extinction in the last Ice Age only because we evolved to become inherently friendly, conciliatory, and nonviolent—all feminine attributes. During that time, we retreated into rich, verdant landscapes that contained foods that didn’t run away from us or bite back; plant foods that our bodies preferred. The verdict is clear: Our original biological and social programming is nonviolent.

So, what changed? What turned us from goddess-worshiping, plant-eating peacemakers into god-worshiping, animal-eating warmongers? The Red Planet answers this question by proposing a Gendered Landscapes Theory, or GLT. In short, the GLT asserts that geography shaped the early human mind, which in turn shaped its first cultures, which were originally nonviolent. Much later, and in a few critical instances, geographies that favored hyper-masculine traits encouraged animal cruelty, punitive gods and religions, and social inequalities. However, we’ll see that it didn’t have to be that way, even in harsh landscapes. And recently, a growing consciousness has rekindled our intrinsically feminine qualities of nonviolence, relationship, and equality.

“The Red Planet: Gendered Landscapes and Violent Inequalities explores the way dominant worldviews shrink our possibilities. Bill explains how our historical and cultural narratives have been shaped by socially constructed binaries of gender and sexuality. This book encourages questions about other ways of thinking and living, ways that are perhaps outside of mainstream ability to imagine because of the stories we have been given.”—Jean Alger, PhD, Professor of English, Trinidad State College

“The Red Planet reminds us that our stories are part of us and that we remake and retell them as tools. We choose whether to use them for power over one another, animals, and Earth, or for peace. Hatcher leads us to the edge of what we “know” to better reflect on our options.”—Kara Davis, Director of Impact, Unovis Asset Management, contributing author to Letters to a New Vegan, and co-editor of Defiant Daughters

“The Red Planet offers its readers a journey through [the] introspection of self, others, societies, and the narratives that have shaped them. This book provides a pathway of understanding through Bill Hatcher’s careful and thoughtful investigation into the stories that have fashioned traditional perceptions of race, gender, sex, and the environment.”—Jennifer Fluri, PhD, Professor of Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder

“I loved the book! It exposed me to so many new ideas and thought processes that could help save us and our planet!”—Bridgett Larsen, Geography student, Pikes Peak State College

“Reading The Red Planet is an incredible journey that sparked my imagination! It is filled with both thought-provoking fairy tales and profound scientific insights. It not only shed light on the fascinating connection between geography and human evolution but also challenged and informed my understanding of masculinity and femininity.”—Zhen Li, Geography student, Colorado Mountain College

“The power of [Andean mound sites] is a specific example of the long view of humanity taken in The Red Planet. Using a Gendered Landscapes Theory, Bill Hatcher shows how geography may originally have shaped people’s minds and cultures which, in turn, reshaped their geography.”—Kimberly Munro, PhD, Assistant Instructor of Anthropology, New Mexico Highlands University

“I applaud [Bill’s] passion . . . The Red Planet gives important background on the origins of patriarchal policy that prioritizes domination and exploitation, as opposed to prioritizing the well-being of the planet and the acknowledgment of the sacred feminine.”—Dominique Naccarato, Lecturer, Clark School of Environment and Sustainability, Director of the Integrated Public Land Management Track, Western Colorado University

“[The Red Planet] is excellent . . . As an anthropologist, I particularly appreciated the emphasis on the cultural construction of gender roles, norms, and stereotypes. The author is skillful at holistically blending the historical…and [the] contemporary.”—Jaden Netwig, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, Arapahoe Community College

“I really enjoyed reading this book! It challenged ideologies from both sides while providing information on why, which I found very interesting and useful. The overarching understanding and detail about each topic made it much easier to comprehend the ideas behind each chapter.”—Avery Paull-McGurran, Geography student, Colorado Mountain College

“The Red Planet connects the history of gendered and violent inequalities to landscapes, physical geographies, practices of food sourcing, valuation of metals, spiritual practices and religiosity to name a few. Breaking from traditional analysis, The Red Planet provides an expansive view of gendered inequalities as woven throughout human evolution; adapting through space and place to demonstrate how gendered violence is not natural, but a product of human socialization and culture.”—Heidi Schneider, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Inclusive Excellence Liaison, Adams State University

“The Red Planet is a meaningful contribution to the social sciences of storytelling. This is an accessible inquiry into the tales that are common to various cultures and thoughtful commentary on the hegemonic nature of these stories. This book is a creative blend of folklore and cultural critique, and it makes a strong argument for Gendered Landscapes Theory. This is a useful text for students, scholars, and intellectuals that take interest in the role of stories in human cultures and societal norms.”—Patrick W. Staib, PhD, Professor and Chair of Social Sciences, Colorado Mountain College

“This book was very fascinating and helped me remember how much I enjoy social sciences such as sociology and psychology. It reminded me of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel, but on an adjacent topic, and more focused and nuanced.”—Parker Stein, Geography student, Colorado Mountain College

“The Red Planet taught me to be proud that I am a woman. No matter how the media, religions or others’ opinions say, I am not weak because of my gender, I know that I am strong and I am just as capable as anyone else. I learned so much about myself and other cultures and beliefs. The Red Planet made me feel validated and heard. I really enjoyed this book and seriously can’t wait for the hard copy to come out. I will definitely be reading this again.”—Andi Stephenson, Geography student, Pikes Peak State College

“I really enjoyed reading The Red Planet. This book doesn’t try to change your mind but presents statements of fact as they are in our history. If we are to evoke change and be a better species then this book is a good guide to learning how to get on a path to change a mindset.”—Josephine Trenkler, Geography student, Pikes Peak State College

No Place for a Woman

This radical book examines the historical formation of Catholic theology from the perspective of the spiritual abuse of women. Debra Flint defines spiritual and political power abuse before considering female influence in the Church from New Testament times to date. She clearly demonstrates how women, who were respected by Jesus and authoritative in the early Church, were gradually eliminated from positions of influence by patriarchy and the growing development of misogyny.

Tertullian, a late second–century Church Father, was one of the first to decry the ordination of women that occurred during his lifetime. He did this in a spiritually abusive way. Later, the fourth-century Synod of Laodicea took up this mantle, but despite this, women continued to be ordained as deacons until the ninth century in some areas. In Anglo-Saxon Britain, women were never ordained, but they held exceptionally high powers of governance on the same level as that of a bishop. These female powers of governance were lost due to the Viking raids, which were highly convenient to Rome. The East-West Schism was another historical event that further demised women as it left the Western Church free to promote mandatory celibacy, which the Eastern Church had always opposed. This led to an unbiblical elevation of the status of priest in the Western Church, which further reinforced a misogynist view of women. This demise of women was enshrined in ecumenical councils and through the development of Catholic Canon Law.

In No Place for a Woman, Flint examines the hierarchical structure of the Church today and notes that in recent years there have been some attempts to involve women more fully, but these have been mere tinkering at the edges. What is really needed is a complete change of culture and a new feminist theology for which Flint seeks to lay the ground.

“The exclusion, marginalisation, mistreatment and oppression of women lies at the very heart of the systemic and deep-seated crisis of the abuse and misuse of power within the Church over many centuries. This powerful book combines research and analysis with far-reaching experience and testimony to show what has gone wrong and what needs urgently to change, both practically and theologically. For many in the Catholic Church and beyond this book will make difficult and painful reading. Its message, while rightly unflinching and uncompromising in calling out spiritual and power abuse, is ultimately hopeful and positive. But only if those in positions of influence are willing to engage with root and branch reform, to give up privilege themselves, and to put the voices and authority of women at the centre of a major reversal in the way power is understood and exercised by the Church.”—Simon Barrow, Director, Ekklesia thinktank

“Meticulous research, presented in an accessible style, presenting a compelling apologetic for the urgent reform required, to ensure gender equality, at every level of ecclesiastical life, as Jesus intended. The author provides vital information to empower the countless women, whose genuine vocations are being suppressed, to continue to bear witness to Christ’s call to them. No Place for A Woman exposes the shocking and systematic exclusion of women, by men throughout history, in contrast to the positions of authority to which Jesus had appointed them, and that they enjoyed in the early Church. Every Christian should equip themselves with the facts that this shrewd book reveals, to enable them to play their part, in ensuring the church evolves, to comprehensively integrate women in the apostolic holy orders, mission, and magisterium of the church.”—Archbishop Jonathan Blake, Open Episcopal Church

“Sadly, Christians are having to become ever more familiar with the concept of spiritual abuse, as we are being forced to recognize that beliefs can and have been used to manipulate and control. Up to now the concept of spiritual abuse has tended to be applied to the behavior of individuals towards individuals. In this sweeping and searing analysis of the place of women in the Roman Catholic Church, past and present, Debra Maria Flint argues that the institution is guilty of spiritual abuse towards half the human race. It is an argument that will shock and disturb many, but it cannot be ignored, particularly at this crucial point in the history of the Roman Catholic Church when, under the leadership of Pope Francis, it seeks to become a listening and inclusive Church.”—Elizabeth Stuart, Professor Emeritus, University of Winchester

“Debra Maria Flint has masterfully woven her viewpoint from her lived experience into a timeline of historical events using the Holy thread of inspiration. Flint’s writing is clear and accessible. Her message is unmistakable. The Spirit of her work should cause pause in anyone seeking to understand how women experience a world created by and for men. If this book isn’t the impetus for immediate change to our current paradigm of perception and action in the world, then the people holding hostage all the worldly power, who have hoarded and who guard the resources needed for moving with the Spirit, are not in the Holy Space of listening and acting in God’s name. The action taken by those claiming the ultimate authority should resemble the embrace from the arms of a loving Mother, with Her support in all forms, to let Her children grow into independence so they can embrace both their Parents from a place of complementary equality. Debra Maria Flint’s work should be widely disseminated and used for contemplation by all people of God and especially by those claiming any sort of authority over another with the understanding that true authority comes from letting go and finding our own beginning and ending in the company of each other. This book helps us do this by offering a viewpoint that hasn’t been considered; a woman’s viewpoint, the viewpoint of the conquered. We need this because where two or more are gathered in Christ is where God lives in this world. It’s not ‘two or more gathered,’ no matter how many there are, if the ‘two or more gathered’ aren’t sharing the story from their unique perspectives. Debra Maria Flint’s book is an invitation to see with different eyes, to be open to Christ and to bring God’s love to our actions in this world.”—Rev. Jill Striebinger, Association of Catholic Women Priests

“Debra Maria Flint has researched a complicated subject extensively: The current marginal position of women within the Roman Catholic church when it comes to policies and a religious life and the power abuse, spiritual abuse, and sexual abuse they still risk today that are sustained by a hierarchal power structure of celibate, male and mostly old clergy.

No Place for a Woman unravels the heralded ideas behind the harsh and hostile degrading threads of misogyny that led to the current situation where women have the least place in the Roman Catholic church in its history despite the fragile steps by pope Francis to instigate the synod on synodality and the inclusion of some women in an assembly of thousands of bishops.

Flint debunks false ‘biblical’ and ‘traditional’ claims that whitewash misogynous decisions regarding the role and position of women. Once read, the authority of the Roman Catholic church lies in tatters. Her arguments are strengthened by the examples where the other church of all ages, the eastern orthodox church, has steered clear of numerous pitfalls. For example, women diaconate nor marriage are forbidden fruits but canonized.

No Place for a Woman broadens the current debate on women’s ordinations yes or no through a well-researched historical overview of the many forms that gave women a religious place in the church and where women held positions of influence. Although several forms of religious life were restored in modern times the regard of women as teachers, thinkers or spiritual directors is, but a bleak shadow of the influence and positions held in earlier times.

Having been a member of the flock Flint is also compassionate for the Roman Catholic church to become again a church fitting the people of this day and age. When human rights and women’s rights are upheld by numerous organisations worldwide and abuse in its many forms can no longer be hidden behind cloaks of pseudo respectability the Roman Catholic church faces the challenge to engage with the world or to wither.

It would be a brand-new day when the words of Flint ‘Time and time again, the hierarchy have shown that they will stop at nothing to destroy the core of someone’s being in order to maintain their control on dogma,’ will be obsolete.

Having faced spiritual abuse herself, and being ordained deacon in another catholic denomination, Flint unravels the conditions by which this and other forms of violence against women are sustained to this very day.

Flint’s recommendations to end all forms of power abuse contain inclusion of women in the hierarchy, a vow of respect instead of obedience along with open and accountable procedures in case of any abuse, freedom of conscience and freedom of debate for all church members.

No Place for a Woman is a brave, intelligent and well written book for all who advocate a religion with a heart and soul. A must read for all women who have a calling for religious life to make informed choices.”—Bishop Paula-Willemijn van Rooijen, Old Catholic Apostolic Church, diocese Europe

“In this rigorously researched and brilliantly written book, Debra Maria Flint examines the historic treatment of women by the Catholic Church. She documents the prominence women once had and explores the causes of the destruction and erosion of female influence, including disordered attitudes towards God, human nature, and sexuality. Flint challenges the Church to make radical changes and to rid itself of its entrenched misogyny if it is to survive as a faithful witness to Christ in the world.”—Rev. Christina H. M. Rees CBE

Animal Stories

In 2006, William “Bill” Crain was a psychology professor and his wife, Ellen, a pediatrician. They purchased a run-down farm in upstate New York, and two years later opened Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary. It is now home to over 170 animals rescued from slaughter. In Animal Stories, Bill writes about how he and Ellen decided to start the sanctuary and tells the stories of 25 animals and their many surprising behaviors. Read about Katie, a hen who cared for a little partridge; Cesar, a little goat who constantly gets into trouble; Reggie, a rooster who instilled fear in all the staff; Milo, a goat who suddenly charged the dominant Duncan to defend his mother; four rambunctious young turkeys who quietly listened to a reverent Girl Scout ceremony; Ducky, a turkey who, despite severe arthritis, walked from her barn to greet a Buddhist monk; and many others. In addition to enjoying the stories, readers will learn a great deal about nonhuman animals.

“I have long admired Bill Crain’s work with farmed animals, and I have drawn upon his extensive experiences with these sentient beings in my own research and writing. In his latest book, Animal Stories: Lives at a Farm Sanctuary, Bill clearly shows that if we approach nonhuman animals with an open mind, as well as with a warm and welcoming heart, they will surprise us with their compassion, empathy, rich and deep emotional lives, and intelligence. I strongly recommend this delightful book to all who want to learn more about them, and perhaps themselves.”—Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the University of Colorado and author, The Emotional Lives of Animals, The Ten Trusts (with Jane Goodall), and Rewilding Our Hearts

“William Crain shares the deeply moving stories of rescued farm animals, who before rescue, were likely destined for slaughter. The narratives showcase each animal’s individuality, personality, courage, resilience, compassion, and playfulness, as well as their deep attachments with other animals and caring humans. The stories remind us of the sentience, intelligence, and mystery of non-human animals, touching something deep inside of our humanity. Indeed, our connections with animals and the natural world impact our own emotional and physical well-being in a multitude of ways. As you read Animal Stories, you will experience moments of laughter and tears, as well as an appreciation for those who, like the author and his wife, create sanctuary.”—Angela Crawford, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, co-author, The Behavioral Medicine Treatment Planner

“The tales in Animal Stories are delightful. In the book, you’ll meet Sprinkles, a sheep who wasn’t sheepish, Charlotte, a lame chicken, who became friends with a goat named Violet, and many more. Crain’s love and care for these rescued animals infuse every page.”—Charlotte L. Doyle, Professor of Psychology, Sarah Lawrence College and author, The Creative Process: Stories from the Arts and Sciences

“Bill Crain invites us into a world that enchanted us as children—one that adults often forget. Read these stories about nonhuman animals and reawaken your perspective on life.”—Elizabeth N. Goodenough, University of Michigan, and editor, Secret Spaces of Childhood

“Beautifully written, William Crain’s personal account of rescuing farmed animals and caring for them at his sanctuary contains inspiring insights into the minds of animals. These moving stories will brighten your day and leave you filled with wonder.”—Maya Gottfried, author, Our Farm, Good Dog, and Vegan Love

“This wonderful book gives an in-depth view of what goes into creating an animal sanctuary. But more importantly, the stories of the animals provide a glimpse into their lives as unique individuals, deserving of respect, kindness, and above all, love.”—Dr. Joanne Kong, editor of Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers

“William Crain’s new book is more than a collection of animal stories; it is a gentle and moving reflection of narratives about the very marvel of aliveness itself. In story after story, we are introduced to lives, different from our own, yet always, at the center of them all, our common and instinctive need to survive – and to communicate and speak with each other. Indeed, the very farm, where all these stories take place, is truly a habitat of just such a shared aliveness, an expression, surely, of the wonder and beauty of each of us, being here.”—Richard Lewis, Touchstone Center for Children and author, Living by Wonder