The Exultant Ark

“Balcombe has assembled a heartwarming collection of photos . . . both the stunning photography and Balcombe’s masterful prose are welcome additions to the growing literary and scientific evidence that debunk long-assumed myths while continuing to eliminate the gap between ‘us’ and ‘them.’”

— Veg News Mag

“It is rare for me to read a book, every sentence of which I not only agree with, but also learn from, and savour too. But that is the case here. And the photos are sensational. . . . This is science at its best: correcting false views and providing correctives in gentle and pleasant ways.”

— Resurgence

“One of those rare volumes that will look good on your coffee table but might also change the way you think.”

— American Journal Of Play

“Packed with wonderful photos, Jonathan Balcombe’s book is a captivating look at animal pleasure.”

— The Ecologist

“The Exultant Ark is a romp through the sunnier side of the animal kingdom, packed with lively photographs of animals enjoying themselves—the sorts of things we don't see on grimly narrated nature documentaries about the bloody struggle for survival. . . . But The Exultant Ark isn't just about pretty pictures. Biologist Jonathan Balcombe uses spirited descriptions and compelling arguments to implore humankind—particularly the scientific community—to consider our animal counterparts with greater empathy and respect.”

— Shelf Awareness For Readers

“This is one of those rare volumes that will look good on your coffee table but might also change the way you think.”

— Psychology Today

“This visually stunning book opens our eyes to a different, more scientifically up-to-date way of looking at the animal kingdom. In more than one hundred thirty striking images, The Exultant Ark celebrates the full range of animal experience with dramatic portraits of animal pleasure ranging from the charismatic and familiar to the obscure and bizarre. . . . Old attitudes fall away as we gain a heightened sense of animal individuality and of the pleasures that make life worth living for all sentient beings.”

— The Guardian / Birdbooker Report Blog

“With provocative photos and heartwarming stories of animals playing, eating, courting, nursing, and comforting one another, best-selling author and animal ethologist Balcombe offers readers a serious yet fun examination of animal pleasure.”

— All Animals