Karen Dawn is an international spokesperson for the animal protection movement and founder of the animal advocacy media watch DawnWatch.com. One of the most vocal, balanced, and non-strident members of the activist community, she has lectured at national animal protection conferences since 2001. Her first book, Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals (Harper) is a highly informed and far-reaching introduction to the many issues at stake in the world of animal rights. Eschewing screeds and intransigent stances, Dawn bridges the gap between the already committed and those who are sympathetic to the plight of animals, but may not be ready to fully embrace the movement. Written with humor and compassion, Thanking the Monkey provides a wealth of information, much of which will surprise even those who consider themselves well-informed.
Dawn says that her goal is “not to fight with my audience and win the battle for animal rights, and not to force my values on others. The idea, rather, is to tell audiences everything they wanted to know about animal rights – but were afraid to get into a fight about – and to let them weigh that information against their own values. They can decide what practices they find acceptable or not, and how they might avoid supporting what they don’t condone. Who knows? They might want to go vegan! Or, for now, they might find they just want to change where they buy their meat. Perhaps they’ll decide to take their kids to the puppet show instead of the circus. There are so many ways one can make a difference for the animals — or, as some of us playfully call it, to start ‘thanking the monkey.’” Covering all the bases – pet ownership, animal “entertainment,” fashion, food, animal testing – Dawn gets down to the nitty gritty when discussing essential issues, but she never preaches, preferring to inform and allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
Karen Dawn has appeared on MTV and has hosted animal issues talk shows on KPFT and KPFK, the Houston and Los Angeles Pacifica stations. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, New York’s Newsday, and the UK Guardian. She was featured in a New York Times piece on the Hurricane Katrina Animal disaster and on the front page of the Los Angeles Times with her two gentrified pitbulls. She is a contributor to Terrorists or Freedom Fighters: Reflections on the Liberation of Animals, a 2004 anthology edited by Steve Best and Anthony Nocella, and to In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave, edited by Peter Singer. She also served on the Genesis Awards (the “Oscars” of the animal friendly world) voting committee from 2001-2004 and became involved again as the print consultant in 2006.
Born in the U.S., Karen Dawn grew up and studied in Australia. She has worked as a news researcher, writer, fitness trainer, abd musician in New York City and Australia. After reading Animal Liberation in 1998, she was moved to devote herself to helping those most abused by society and least able to help themselves – members of other species. Drawing on her experience in the media, she founded DawnWatch.com in November 1999. She lives in Los Angeles.
Praise for Thanking the Monkey
“This is a cogent and thoroughly researched overview of all the major issues in animal rights, past and present. . .. Her goal is “to tell you everything you wanted to know about animal rights—but were afraid to get into a fight about—and to let you weigh that information against your own values,” and she succeeds admirably. Often supplying hilarious but pointed illustrations and quotes from well-known animal lovers such as Bill Maher and Natalie Portman, she illuminates the use of animals as pets, entertainment, food, in scientific testing and the “Green” movement. This has the potential to become a big hit for a general reading audience that wants to know what the fuss is about animal rights, as well as the many college students at the forefront of animal rights activism.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Sensitive and informative, her first book, while encompassing all aspects of animal rights, focuses on animal exploitation. Dawn's view is not only uniquely free of overt sensationalism but factual. She covers cultural differences, historical practices, and a balance of divergent views on the ways animals are raised and used. . . . Dawn manages, despite the seriousness of the subject matter, to intersperse bits of humor throughout, primarily through cartoons. A riveting text you'll be sure to want to read; highly recommended for public libraries and other libraries with collections focusing on animal rights."
—Library Journal
“A fun book about the animal-rights movement? Dawn, an activist and author (online and print), has produced an easily digested, sound-bite laden primer to all sides and gradations of the crusade for animal rights. . . Well illustrated with numerous drawings and cartoons. An excellent introduction.”
—Booklist
“When you hear the term “animal rights” what do you think? If the first thing that pops to mind isn’t a celebrity-studded party with phenomenal food and a general air of complete fabulousness, perhaps you haven’t met Karen Dawn. The woman who started DawnWatch—an eight-year-old animal rights listserv that keeps subscribers up to date on the media’s coverage of animal issues and encourages feedback in the form of letters to the editor—is on a mission. In her world, animal rights are inextricably linked with non-stop, social-butterfly-style good times, and she’s determined to shed her little ray of sunshine on the movement. In her first book, Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals, Dawn takes aim at our culture’s perceptions of animals by going through each and every one of the awful ways in which humans abuse and exploit them. That sounds like a party, right? Well, despite the depressing subject matter and with the help of a heap of cartoons, Dawn manages to make the read both funny and effective. Thanking the Monkey is designed to be an access point to that conversation for those unfamiliar with animal rights, whether they are newscasters or your family and friends. Once they read it, just try and stop them from joining the party that we call the vegetarian lifestyle.”
—Veg News
“Vegetarianism was a source of Gandhi’s successful non-violence, and cruelty to animals is a predictor of everything from domestic violence to serial killing. With wisdom and insight, Karen Dawn introduces readers to the fact that animal rights are an organic part of social justice movements everywhere. Her book is a bridge between worlds for both the committed and the curious.”
—Gloria Steinem
“Give this book to somebody you know who doesn’t know.”
—David Duchovny
“I am sick of being ignorant! This book is education with a smile, information with a kiss from a dog who just drank out of a toilet, and should be required reading for all students."
—Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Karen Dawn’s work is powerful — compelling and well-argued, intellectually sound and passionate.”
—Paul Haggis, Oscar-winning writer/director of Crash
“Thanking the Monkey is fun, and it will give people information they wish they had all their lives. I can’t wait to give one to everybody I know. It is going to change the world.”
—Rory Freedman, co-author of New York Times number one bestseller Skinny Bitch
“In an age, and in a medium, in which people seem to be content with quick clichés and approximations, Karen Dawn writes a lucid and accurate prose that could be held up as a model to her profession. Her work treads that fine line between the provocative and the counterproductively undiplomatic assuredly.”
—JM Coetzee, Nobel Prize-winning author of Disgrace
“This is a book that brings up a view of animals that should be part of mainstream thought. I applaud its publication.”
—Bill Maher, host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher
“I FULLY endorse this book!”
—Ed Begley Jr.
“Charming and thoughtful, witty yet engaged, it would be a hard heart that could put this book down without having old prejudices seriously shaken. Thanking the Monkey will make you sit up and take notice and probably, too, drop your fork and reach for the fruit.”
—Jeffrey Masson, best-selling author of When Elephants Weep and Dogs Never Lie About Love
“If you care about the planet, if you care about yourself, you must care about the animals. Please find out the truth about animal abuse for yourself. Karen Dawn’s book is the best resource around to help you save the planet, and yourself.”
—John Feldman, lead singer of Goldfinger, producer for Good Charlotte
“The torture, the experimentation on animals is such a serious subject that a lot of people just want shut their eyes to it. That is why I am so glad Karen Dawn has written this new book. It’s just like when we do comic relief – we deal with serious subject matter,but at the same time we are able to joke and bring humor to it. Get this book!”
—Bob Zmuda, President and Founder of Comic Relief
“I am so excited about Thanking the Monkey because I have loved Karen Dawn’s approach to animal rights for a long time. I love taking it and making it fresh, making it young and making it interesting.”
—Persia White, star of Girlfriends
“I am a huge animal lover. Animals don't have a human voice so they can't speak for themselves.I believe in the power of books and I am delighted to be in Thanking the Monkey because it is important for people to understand that being an animal activist is cool.”
—Emily Deschanel, star of Bones
“Karen Dawn's book made me realize I know little about animal rights and I would like to know more. It is the kind of book you can pick up and get something of value out of without reading chapter one first and chapter two second. You can flip it open virtually anywhere and find something you didn’t know.”
—Bruce Greenwood – 13 Days, National Treasure II
“Thanking the Monkey is a fun way to talk about animal rights and the interconnectivity of humans and other beings. It will appeal to the younger generation and people who have a harsher idea about animal rights books.”
—Daniela Sea, Max on The L Word
“Karen Dawn’s new book is a graceful invitation to open your heart to animals. With well reasoned arguments and engaging, witty prose, Dawn goes beyond the usual categories of liberal and conservative with a message of compassion that speaks to everyone. The book is a fast read that can change your life forever.”
—Matthew Scully, former senior speechwriter for President George W. Bush and author of Dominion