They are further examined through the bonds forged between inmates and an aquarium of fish, through the recounting of a murderer s childhood empathy toward nonhuman animals, and through the eyes of those who have sacrificed their own bodies to protect women and children from abuse. These relationships are examined through the eyes of a doctor addressing her own abuse and that of the companion who walked alongside her, enduring his own violence inflicted upon him by humans. This book suggests means by which to heal the divide between nonhuman animals and humans, but also those that exist in intrahuman relationships. Aysha Akhtar examines the rich human-animal connection and how interspecies empathy enriches our well-being. It is a book about individual healing and the healing of our relationship with nonhuman animals. A leader in the fields of animal ethics and neurology, Dr. Akhtar"s book is personal, and this is what makes it unique, but also raw and alarming. Akhtar invites readers to do just that, yet in doing so, she asks much of her audience, for this is not an easy read. Seldom do we step outside the comforting confines of our own perspective and dare to see things through the eyes of another. The human ego is an intriguing lens through which we humans view the world. Our Symphony with Animals: On Health, Empathy, and Our Shared Destinies.
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