The Parliament of Animals represents a scholarly treatise on folkloric and literary narratives of animals. Useful select bibliographies on zoology, literature, folklore and language conclude these introductory comments which are followed by intriguing fables, legends, anecdotes and literary works concerning the animals under discussion. The book is thus a novel approach to the fascinating subject of the depiction of animals in prose writings over many centuries, giving scholarly information while at the same time providing a splendid collection of readable and enjoyable narratives from anonymous or known authors. It is exactly this all-inclusive approach to animal narratives that makes this book by Boria Sax such worthwhile reading for naturalists, folklorists, cultural historians, literary scholars, and last but not least, the interested generalists.
"Whether the reader's interest be literary, historical, or scientific, Sax's book is a must."
– Anthrozoös
"The stories, together with the lessons they are used to teach, are a combination of poetry and truth – at once inspiring, amusing and instructive."
– Dr. Helmut Meyer, German Veterinary Weekly
"A learned discourse on the history of animal stories. Boria Sax is a poet . He has imagination and daring enough to take us on a spin out of control into a metaphysical world."
– Laura J. Bobrow, Archae
"[...] a scholarly treatise on the folklore and literature of animals."
– University Press Book News