Rating: 
Summary: A very well researched, fascinating topic
Review: There are always times when I hear phrases like do animals have feelings? And I feel like saying, yes they do, and even more so. By observing animals around me, I get to understand and appreciate the place of my existence in the vast universe. Sheldrake does a fine job of documenting cases where dogs and cats show their sixth sense abilities with humans. The idea of experimenting with animals is a touchy subject, but there was nothing cruel about the way the experiments were carried out. Sheldrake proves that by learning from our animal friends we may indeed discovered that we have tapped into an invaluable resource.
Rating:
Summary: Discusses the power of the analog mind!
Review: This book discusses the type of consciousness that makes us experience a sense of "we" rather than "you" and "me". It is the part that some scholars call the analog mind. It connects the consciousness of people through consciousness rather than any physical medium. We have all experienced things like this before but can not logically explain this because logic involves a separate part of the mind that is completely the opposite of this type of functioning, the digital mind. For an understanding of the basics of these two functions of the mind, read "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. For an understanding of the this seemingly psychic phenomena, read this book! Although this book hardly gives us all of the answers, it is at least asking some very interesting questions. If you are not ready to digest this type of material, wait a few years, if takes time to let go of our defensiveness. It takes time to open up to ideas that radically change our view of the world. Hopefully there will come a time when at least we will ponder this as a possibility. If you are ready to entertain such seemingly radical ideas, enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Discusses the power of the analog mind!
Review: This book discusses the type of consciousness that makes us experience a sense of "we" rather than "you" and "me". It is the part that some scholars call the analog mind. It connects the consciousness of people through consciousness rather than any physical medium. We have all experienced things like this before but can not logically explain this because logic involves a separate part of the mind that is completely the opposite of this type of functioning, the digital mind. For an understanding of the basics of these two functions of the mind, read "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. For an understanding of the this seemingly psychic phenomena, read this book! Although this book hardly gives us all of the answers, it is at least asking some very interesting questions. If you are not ready to digest this type of material, wait a few years, if takes time to let go of our defensiveness. It takes time to open up to ideas that radically change our view of the world. Hopefully there will come a time when at least we will ponder this as a possibility. If you are ready to entertain such seemingly radical ideas, enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: On the Provability of Unexplained Animal Powers
Review: This book is a must for all of you who have "always marveled at your pet's unexplained powers, but have never dared inquired about them." Indeed, there was no one to consult. Institutional science dismisses these many instances as chancy, or explains them away in a mechanistic fashion; and the only other explanations were thus far provided by folk legends and superstitions. Unfailingly picturesque, but more often than not whimsical. DOGS THAT KNOW WHEN THEIR OWNERS ARE COMING HOME, an elaboration of the author's groundbreaking SEVEN EXPERIMENTS THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD, addresses just such questions, after years of painstaking research and the accumulation of convincing evidence.This is far and away Dr. Sheldrake's most accessible book to date, which is not to say it is a vulgarization. Far from it. In his characteristically sober yet charming prose, he has miraculously dodged the danger of compiling a list, but has rather presented the world with an anthology of mind-expanding instances of powers of animals. Some ideas are particularly compelling, such as "an animal-based earthquake warning system". Once more, he deals a blow to institutional science by beating it on its own turf, and that is, by piling up impressive evidence, a database, etc., so as to substantiate his claims. In all likelihood, many more "cases" will be added to his database after the general public has read this book. Perhaps tens of thousands. If institutional science will continue to ignore these phenomena, rather than join the author in the research, it will have de facto discredited itself in the eyes of the world. The Appendices are also valuable, C in particular, in which the author provides the Cliff's Notes to his own books. The concepts he summarizes are so fascinating that they should prompt the unfamiliar reader to read all his books, where the ideas are given the space they deserve. Dr. Sheldrake's overall aim to resacralize the world is well-served by this book. Most pet owners have always felt there was something "more" or "other" to their pets than mere companions. This book will confirm their hunch, and prompt further investigations. Indeed, as the author says, "We have a great deal to learn from our companion animals."
Rating:
Summary: On the Provability of Unexplained Animal Powers
Review: This book is a must for all of you who have "always marveled at your pet's unexplained powers, but have never dared inquired about them." Indeed, there was no one to consult. Institutional science dismisses these many instances as chancy, or explains them away in a mechanistic fashion; and the only other explanations were thus far provided by folk legends and superstitions. Unfailingly picturesque, but more often than not whimsical. DOGS THAT KNOW WHEN THEIR OWNERS ARE COMING HOME, an elaboration of the author's groundbreaking SEVEN EXPERIMENTS THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD, addresses just such questions, after years of painstaking research and the accumulation of convincing evidence. This is far and away Dr. Sheldrake's most accessible book to date, which is not to say it is a vulgarization. Far from it. In his characteristically sober yet charming prose, he has miraculously dodged the danger of compiling a list, but has rather presented the world with an anthology of mind-expanding instances of powers of animals. Some ideas are particularly compelling, such as "an animal-based earthquake warning system". Once more, he deals a blow to institutional science by beating it on its own turf, and that is, by piling up impressive evidence, a database, etc., so as to substantiate his claims. In all likelihood, many more "cases" will be added to his database after the general public has read this book. Perhaps tens of thousands. If institutional science will continue to ignore these phenomena, rather than join the author in the research, it will have de facto discredited itself in the eyes of the world. The Appendices are also valuable, C in particular, in which the author provides the Cliff's Notes to his own books. The concepts he summarizes are so fascinating that they should prompt the unfamiliar reader to read all his books, where the ideas are given the space they deserve. Dr. Sheldrake's overall aim to resacralize the world is well-served by this book. Most pet owners have always felt there was something "more" or "other" to their pets than mere companions. This book will confirm their hunch, and prompt further investigations. Indeed, as the author says, "We have a great deal to learn from our companion animals."
Rating: 
Summary: BORING!
Review: This book is written in a non-entertaining, clinical format (reads like a medical journal). Wasn't the heartwarming, feel-good book I thought it would be. Also has a lot of repetition, after the first few chapters, you've basically read the whole book...
Rating:
Summary: I LOVED THIS BOOK
Review: This is a delightful, readable book that combines a love for animals with real research into psychic connections between humans and animals. Pet owners have always felt this connection, but Rupert Sheldrake provides a conceptual framework along with solid evidence for an actual bond. When my daughter was younger, the cat we had then used to wait by the front window for my daughter. We all noticed this behavior and thought the cat just had good timing, but the stories in this book tell me this is a common happening and represents some kind of communication mechanism. I hope Dr. Sheldrake's research can continue to provide insight into this behavior. I have read of such behavior in people as well -- check into a book called Faces in the Smoke by Douchan Gersi. It's unfortunately out of print, but has stories about people in Haiti and in Africa who routinely sent each other psychic messages. There is so much more we need to know about this kind of communication.
Rating: 
Summary: shoddy science
Review: What a disappointment. Some of the "science" here wouldn't pass muster in a high school science fair. The main problem is that he fails to adequately control for other variables, so that his results may easily be tainted by other factors. For instance, he has the owners themselves record the observations of their pets. What proud owner, consciously or subconsciously, wouldn't want their Fido or Fluffy to be a star performer? The sampling size is small and, he admits, skewed towards those whose pets show positive results. Some incidents seem to be the result of sheer coincidence (Ruggles, pg. 106-7), or the result of the dog's actions triggering thoughts in the owner (pg. 124). There is also association by innuendo, where Sheldrake discusses cases where other factors cannot be ruled out, then presents a case or two which "proves" psychic ability. He also doesn't deal with instances where pets had a reaction not associated with any definitive behavior by the owner. Not only that, he presents cases where the pet responds to when the owner starts home, cases where the pet responds to when the owner *thinks* of going home, and cases where the pet responds to when the owner is approaching home. With so many choices, it's no wonder he gets quite a few hits. Mitchell and Rickard's LIVING WONDERS demolishes the myth of canine loyalty after death, and Budiansky's THE TRUTH ABOUT DOGS states that other researchers were unable to replicate Sheldrake's amazing results. I like pets just as much as anyone else, though I don't feel the need to glorify them with powers that their small brains are incapable of possessing.
Rating:
Summary: shoddy science
Review: What a disappointment. Some of the "science" here wouldn't pass muster in a high school science fair. The main problem is that he fails to adequately control for other variables, so that his results may easily be tainted by other factors. For instance, he has the owners themselves record the observations of their pets. What proud owner, consciously or subconsciously, wouldn't want their Fido or Fluffy to be a star performer? The sampling size is small and, he admits, skewed towards those whose pets show positive results. Some incidents seem to be the result of sheer coincidence (Ruggles, pg. 106-7), or the result of the dog's actions triggering thoughts in the owner (pg. 124). There is also association by innuendo, where Sheldrake discusses cases where other factors cannot be ruled out, then presents a case or two which "proves" psychic ability. He also doesn't deal with instances where pets had a reaction not associated with any definitive behavior by the owner. Not only that, he presents cases where the pet responds to when the owner starts home, cases where the pet responds to when the owner *thinks* of going home, and cases where the pet responds to when the owner is approaching home. With so many choices, it's no wonder he gets quite a few hits. Mitchell and Rickard's LIVING WONDERS demolishes the myth of canine loyalty after death, and Budiansky's THE TRUTH ABOUT DOGS states that other researchers were unable to replicate Sheldrake's amazing results. I like pets just as much as anyone else, though I don't feel the need to glorify them with powers that their small brains are incapable of possessing.
Rating:
Summary: shoddy science
Review: What a disappointment. Some of the "science" here wouldn't pass muster in a high school science fair. The main problem is that he fails to adequately control for other variables, so that his results may easily be tainted by other factors. For instance, he has the owners themselves record the observations of their pets. What proud owner, consciously or subconsciously, wouldn't want their Fido or Fluffy to be a star performer? The sampling size is small and, he admits, skewed towards those whose pets show positive results. Some incidents seem to be the result of sheer coincidence (Ruggles, pg. 106-7), or the result of the dog's actions triggering thoughts in the owner (pg. 124). There is also association by innuendo, where Sheldrake discusses cases where other factors cannot be ruled out, then presents a case or two which "proves" psychic ability. He also doesn't deal with instances where pets had a reaction not associated with any definitive behavior by the owner. Not only that, he presents cases where the pet responds to when the owner starts home, cases where the pet responds to when the owner *thinks* of going home, and cases where the pet responds to when the owner is approaching home. With so many choices, it's no wonder he gets quite a few hits. Mitchell and Rickard's LIVING WONDERS demolishes the myth of canine loyalty after death, and Budiansky's THE TRUTH ABOUT DOGS states that other researchers were unable to replicate Sheldrake's amazing results. I like pets just as much as anyone else, though I don't feel the need to glorify them with powers that their small brains are incapable of possessing.
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