Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of Grandin’s depiction of the commercial meat industry?

2. Which of the chapters resonated the most with you? Which of the featured animals do you have the most personal experience with?

3. Have you read any of this author’s other books? How does her depiction of autism as a strength compare to similar ideas in her other texts?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Were you aware of the research that debunked the ideas about dogs as pack animals? How does this information reframe your understanding of dogs?

2. Do you have any experience with neurodivergence? How does the author’s argument to reframe autism as a problem-solving tool resonate with your understanding of ability and disability?

3. Do you eat meat? Based on Grandin’s description of the meat industry, do you think that it is ethical to consume factory-farmed animals? Why or why not?

4. The author explains that core emotional systems also drive human behavior. What examples of your own behavioral patterns support her argument?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does Grandin’s discussion of autism speak to current ideas about neurodivergence? How does her book anticipate the seismic changes of the neurodiversity movement?

2. Discuss Grandin’s depiction of animal rights activists. Does her insider’s perspective confirm or challenge your views on the role of organizations like PETA and the Humane Society?

3. Do Grandin’s chapters on the cattle, pig, and poultry industries make you more or less comfortable with eating factory-farmed meat? Explain your answer.

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What is the author’s broader argument about animal ethics in commercial agriculture? How does she support her claims about the meat industry?

2. Pick one of the key figures she introduces and analyze how this person’s contributions to science or animal training relate to Grandin’s focus on animal welfare.

3. How would you describe Grandin’s tone? How does her writing voice help her to reach a broader audience than she would in a scientific journal? 

4. What other key themes did you identify other than the ones presented in this guide? How does the author build on these ideas?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine this book as a documentary. Which industry should be the main focal point, and which large-scale companies should be featured?

2. Imagine a follow-up to this book. What changes might the meat industry have implemented in the years since the book’s original publication date? Are conditions are better or worse for animals in today’s commercialized agricultural settings?

3. Imagine the dog and cat chapters as a web tutorial or a TED Talk on how to better care for companion animals. Which pieces of Grandin’s advice would be the most important to include?