In the recent past vegetarianism and the pull of finding your place in the narrative of what to eat has been strong. But this book is not that. This book is not a preaching or argumentative but rather just a story to make you think beyond yourself. But it isn't even about that either. It is about searching for your place in the world and discovering it may have been where you were in the first place. It is a book about how we are all connected whatever our race, culture, or species. "We are all animals." This book is one where you use your own experiences to read between the lines.. but the fact remains we all just want to exist and belong.

There's a lot I didn't like about Red Notice to the point that I almost gave up halfway through. I'm so glad I didn't though because the second half completely changed my mind and made Browder's book one that won't ever leave my thoughts.

Red Notice is the non-fiction (& memoir**) written by Bill Browder, one of the first Western investors in Eastern Europe, and his experience fighting corruption in Russia. Browder's fight escalated dangerously into a Russian ban, murdered colleagues, an Interpol Red Notice (or international arrest warrant), and most famously the passing of the US Magnitsky Act. You've probably heard of the Magnitsky Act recently in the news, as the "Trump Tower meeting" was set up by Russians to lobby against this law. Reading this book will give you great context for all the recent developments in US-Russian relations and I was incredibly moved learning about the bill's namesake, lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.

All of the above comes from the excellent second half of the book. The first half, however, is not good. Instead of great nonfiction, the first half reads more like a memoir on Browder's life. We read about his childhood at boarding school, college, his marriages, including the courtship of his current wife, and all other very uninteresting and beside the point aspects of his life. At least he keeps it succinct, which is the only thing that allowed me to keep going. What I most hated, however, is the shallow writing in the first half of the book. Browder comes off as insulting and arrogant when he describes every person he comes across by their "crooked teeth," "plumpness," or other equally unnecessary slights. If you can get through the first half, you will be rewarded with a moving, intriguing, and inspiring story of fighting for justice in the second half.

A different sort of a story. I enjoyed the off-beat humour, I guess it is loosely, a book about growing up. The book is entertaining, with witty comments by the three main characters...Elsie, the cow, Shalom the pig (who converted to Judaism) and Tom the Turkey (who can use an iPhone with his beak). Illustrations are used in the book. The author indicated that he wrote the book for his son. The themes would be more suited to an older teenage audience.

Actual rating: 2.25 stars

(I made it up to page 164 and stopped.)

When I first picked up this book, the plot and premise really intrigued me. I was anticipating for a great story, but as the story dragged on, it made me weary.

The beginning part, when Elsie was still on the farm, was rather likeable for me. I actually really enjoyed the screenplay-like format for the dialogue. Things were straightforward and easy to follow up with.

Then, things started going in different directions. Right when Elsie and Tom and Shalom's trip began, the story began to bore me. This was supposed to be the journey, but I wasn't interested. Shalom's constant Yiddish vocabulary was really annoying, and the author began inserting way too many references and allusions. It became harder to read and less enjoyable for me.

So, overall, there was a great proposition for this story, but the writing was incapable of living up to it. Rather disappointing.

Fun book of life from a cow's perspective. I read this to my 7 year old and he loved it. It has moments of sadness or hatred for human kind (as any cow would have), but was an entertaining read.

Duchovny hints at reading this to a child, but the age range is this would be appropriate for is dubious. I can see a pre teen enjoying this with a parent, maybe. Cute, but not dazzling. If it weren't written by Fox Mulder, I wouldn't have picked it up.

Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, July 2015

Stupid, inane collection of dumb comments in a weak attempt to empower animals. Don't bother wasting your time on this one.

is this available in an audiobook?