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Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good

jonathan balcombe

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The recognition of animal pain and stress, once controversial, is now acknowledged by legislation in many countries, but there is no formal recognition of animals' ability to feel pleasure. Pleasurable Kingdom is the first book for lay-readers to present new evidence that animals--like humans--enjoy themselves. It debunks the popular perception that life for most is a continuous, grim struggle for survival and the avoidance of pain. Instead it suggests that creatures from birds to baboons feel good thanks to play, sex, touch, food, anticipation, comfort, aesthetics, and more. Combining rigorous evidence, elegant argument and amusing anecdotes, leading animal behavior researcher Jonathan Balcombe proposes that the possibility of positive feelings in creatures other than humans has important ethical ramifications for both science and society.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18,2006

This edition

Format
256 pages, Hardcover
Published
May 2, 2006 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN
9781403986016
ASIN
1403986010
Language
English

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About the author

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jonathan balcombe

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Jonathan Balcombe was born in England, raised in New Zealand and Canada, and has lived in the United States since 1987. He has three biology degrees, including a PhD in ethology (the study of animal behavior) from the University of Tennessee, where he studied communication in bats. He has published over 45 scientific papers on animal behavior and animal protection.

He is the author of four books. Jonathon is currently at work on a new book about the inner lives of fishes, and a novel titled After Meat.

Formerly Senior Research Scientist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Jonathan is currently the Department Chair for Animal Studies with the Humane Society University.

Based near Washington, DC, in his spare time Jonathan enjoys biking, baking, birdwatching, piano, painting, and trying to understand his two cats.

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Community Reviews

Rating(3.8 / 5.0, 28 votes)
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28 reviews All reviews
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bigdomdaddy0690
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Dense, but delightful and enlightening. Contains a pretty surprising quantity of typos that do not lend themselves to the credibility of this book, but all in all I find it to be a well-researched and meaningful petition for the consideration of animal pleasure, especially in nature where precarious survival supposedly rules.
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akemi2407
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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A treatise on the ability of animals to feel pleasure/happiness. I thought it would be cute and charming but it was dull and scientific and not at all worth reading.
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BlueMoonSamurai
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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This book is a more 'scientific' version of Pig Who Sang to the Moon. It was interesting in some parts but too long and dry in others.
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SpaceGandalf
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Minulla oli paljon odotuksia tälle kirjalle, eikä vähiten hauskan kannen ansiosta. Kirja oli kuitenkin suht puiseva ja liukui yliopistotyyppiseksi tiedejulkaisuksi aivan liian usein. Mukana oli kyllä paljon mielenkiintoisia esimerkkejä, mutta nekin usein yliopistomaisesti selitettyjä, eikä niissä ollut juuri logiikkaa, vaan eläimet vilahtelivat tekstissä miten kuten. Kirjoittaja oli laittanut mukaan myös paljon oletuksiaan sekä ihmeellisiä, kirjoittajan itsensä olettamia itsestäänselvyyksiä, mikä ärsytti lukiessa. Lisäksi kun lähtökohtana oli "tiede", niin aika paljon lukiessa tökki oletusasenne, että eläimillä ei voi olla nautintoa ennen kuin se tieteellisesti on todettu. Höh! Jokainen eläimen omistaja kyllä tietää, että elukat nauttivat aivan yhtä lailla kuin me ihmisetkin, ei siihen yliopistotutkimusta tarvita. Yleensä ahmaisen tällaiset kirjat päivässä, parissa, nyt tämän kanssa meni koko kesä.
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AnimeloverYori
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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A really quick read and a sweet book. It explores the scientific support for animals being thinking and feeling organisms rather than the robotic beasts we treat them like.

I wish there had been a bit more of the science, but like the author mentioned, it is quite a new field of thought and the studies that have been done are mostly anecdotal observations.

The examples given of animals feeling happy, playful, and content were really fun to read about though, and I learned a lot! From birds, cats, apes, whales, and elephants to insects and octopi, the author covers a wide range of animals as well.
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PurpleKn1ght
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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The bibliography of 'Pleasurable Kingdom' by Jonathan Balcombe is 30 pages long and the index section is 14 pages. The author obviously did in-depth research and because of that this reader is completely satisfied that many scientific studies prove animals have emotions. Yet, while the book is full of anecdotes and fascinating stories about animal behavior, the organization of the material is concise and spare. The stories are about many wild and tame creatures, and includes admittedly unscientific observations about insects, as well. It is easy to forget this is a book to be found shelved in the science section, but the author sticks to the facts, nevertheless. The book is simple and quick, written for the general reader, but it does not pontificate or patronize.

Having owned cats throughout many decades, I already knew my pets frequently demonstrated emotions similar to my own feelings of humor, horror, despair, joy and contentment in daily activities. The surprise for me is that apparently turtles, bats and fish have shown a 'liking' for being scratched or tickled, or that cows may feel empowered in being taught tricks! (That last bit could be a little anthropomorphic, the author admits, however. No matter. It is fun to imagine that cows could be proud of themselves!) Bodies of animals have been found with liver disease caused by alcoholism, as a number of species are known to seek out and enjoy fermented fruit.

I recommend this book to high school students and adults to explore, but with the caution that it discusses various sex acts that have been observed by scientists studying animals. Religious folks will find their faith under attack yet again by the fact most animals indulge in homosexuality and masturbation even when the season of being 'in heat' has passed, with 'wasted' ejaculations. The evidence seems to be there that most animals love having sex no matter the gender of the partner - or partners. However, several kinds of species mate for life - and have been observed grieving at length upon the death of their partner or friend (yes, animals also appear to make close friendships, too). It is difficult to read this section without a lump in the throat. The author writes briefly of the horrors of our current factory conditions raising meat and egg animals, but he does not do so in a graphic manner. Imagining how it must be for creatures with proved emotional capabilities is horrific enough.

An excellent general science read.
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someoneSZ
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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I loved this book! The anecdotes and studies he gathered to prove his case were great and as well researched as the subject can be- as studying non-human animals' pleasure, as opposed to pain, is not well covered. The stories and explanations were accessible and I love that the last (short) part of the book is just a plug to go vegan. Hells yeah.
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Kosteh
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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I loved this book. I highly recommend to anyone and everyone!
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