This book examines the contents, influence, and potential of a personal selection of modern books published over the last fifty years that have been relevant to improving welfare. The works selected comprise three earlier classics that mainly deal with animal experimentation and intensive farming, as well as five that concentrate on specific subject areas, namely history, science, applied ethics, politics and law, that are important to protecting the welfare of animals against suffering inflicted by humans. The books are arranged in the order of their publication date, and for each one a few related works are also mentioned or discussed. This collection provides a broad understanding of animal protection issues, and provides the necessary basis for an informed and comprehensive approach to improving the welfare of animals. The books selected have been influential and they have the potential to improve animal welfare in the future.

Dr. Edward N. Eadie holds doctorates in science, commerce, and law from Oxford, Adelaide, and the Australian National University. He has already authored "Education for Animal Welfare" also published in the Animal Welfare series. "In recent years Dr Eadie has devoted his life to research on animal suffering inflicted by humans with the aim of providing increased understanding of animal protection issues on a broad canvas, and of the role of law and education in improving the terrible situation in which many animals in various circumstances find themselves throughout the world." (source: http://www.seaviewpress.com.au/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=922)

Introduction.- Experimentation on AnimalsThe priciples of Human Experimental Technique by W.M.S. Russel and R.L. Burch, published 1959.- Intensive Farming IndustryAnimal Machines - The New Factory Farming Industry by Ruth Harrison, published 1964.- Immortality of Man's Treatment of AnimalsAnimal Liberation - Towards an End to Man's Inhumanity to Animals by Peter Singer, published 1975.- History of Challenges to SpeciesismAnimal Revolution - Changing Attitudes Towards Speciesism by Richard Ryder, published 1989.- Science of Animal Behaviour and WelfareAnimal Welfare - A Cool Eye Towards Eden by John Webster, published 1995.- Practical Ethics in Achievement of Direct ReformEthics into Action - Henry Spira and the Animal Rights Movement by Peter Singer, published 1998.- Politics of Animal ProtectionPolitical Animals - Animal Protection Politics in Britain and the United States by Roger Garner, published 1998.- Legislative Enactment for Animal Protection, Animal Welfare Law in Britain - Regulation and Responsibility by Mike Radford, published 2001.- Conclusions.