Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories: Breeds of the World (ISBN 1585972754)

Sometimes short on histories of individual breeds, overall a wealth of information:
I was initially a little disappointed in this book, as I was expecting more history on individual breeds, but the sheer number of breeds, current and extinct, makes that a mammoth task for any author, even one as knowledgable as Mr. Whitman, to contain in one volume. As it stands, his rather brief histories on the breeds in the book makes for interesting (if not in- depth) reading and also makes this a valuable book for anyone interested in domestic rabbit breeds. I'd like to see a companion volume by the author, perhaps focusing on histories of the current breeds, to allow the author to fully explore the potential of this topic. Having said that, the histories on rabbit breeding practices are very well explored, if not always the most pleasant reading for those interested in rabbits as companion animals. It is my opinion that those of us interested in rabbits as companion animals should be aware of the practices that eventually led to the companion rabbits of today, however I know that some may be sensitive to such material and may not wish to read about the history of rabbit breeding. I, however, found his knowledge in this area to be quite interesting, if not always pleasant. The gentleman obviously has spent a great deal of time in the gathering of some of these more obscure histories. There are many editorial errors in this book, mispellings and such, which can be annoying at times and slightly distracting from the author's work, however I feel that these minor irritants should not dissuade anyone seriously interested in the subject matter. Mr. Whitman's writing is very dry and to the point; something that many hoping for facinating tales of rabbits may not be prepared for. It reads like a history book, full of names and dates and other such information. The one area of exception, where the author's passions carried him on the path of a storyteller, concerns the Enderby Island Rabbit; the breed which, according to the author's bio on the back of the book, he is most active in breeding, along with other more unusual rabbit breeds. He also goes into quite a bit of depth into the infamous Belgian Hare, although with less enthusiasm than for the Enderby Island rabbit. There is quite a bit of detail dedicated to the varities of Lop rabbits, current and extinct, which is quite engrossing for fanciers of the Lop. Fanciers of the New Zealand will find many pages dedicated to this breed, although this section at times reads a bit dry. For those interested in extinct breeds, there are interesting photos or reproductions of paintings, etc. where available to the author, accompanied by sometimes a wealth of information, and sometimes a mere few lines. Sadly, this is the only legacy of some such bygone breeds. If you are interested in this book for a historical perspective of rabbit breeding or the history behind how today's rabbit breeds came to be, I'd highly recommend this book. If you are squeamish about past practices and the subject of breeding, however, this book is probably not one you'll want to read cover- to cover. However, I doubt you'll find the types of historical information on rabbit breeds contained in one volume anywhere else.

Nothing but breeder crap!:
Well I thought this book would tell me about the history and facts about rabbit breeds of the world like the characteristics, behavior and possible health risks a breed could have, also weather it's gentle, large or prone to problems (like for example a well writtien cat or dog breed book would tell). But all this book here talks about it mainly the breeders who developed the breeds, messed with the breeds, mutated the breeds and then at the certain point perfected and brought up a breed. VERY disappointing!!! The history fact includes also some rabbit recipes...and I dont want to say more about that subject but in my opinion this book is nothing for real rabbit lovers who own a pet rabbit as dear companion since the book is mainly for people interested in treating and breeding those beautiful and lovable pets and nothing but disposable STOCK!

Very Interesting... maybe too truthful for some. Not enough pictures!:
This is a HISTORY book, not a "let's choose a bunny breed" book. I like the historic drawings, and black and white photos of old breeds. The history is a bit sobering. The methods of developing new breeds, decades and even hundreds of years old, are contrived and cruel. By today's standards of animal care, many of the breeds we have come to admire and cherish would never have come about. I love angoras and lop eared bunnies. Though I would never mistreat them, in any way, to condemn the history of their making would be a bit... hypocritical. They are here now, so all we can do is care for their descendants with the compassion they rightfully deserve. Years of breeding, and selecting have made them vulnerable. They are dependant, so we must strive to be responsible care takers. Many areas of the book spark interest in things that I hadn't thought about, only to suddenly stop, and move on to the next topic. This book, though long, would be better if even longer. Perhaps historic documents are incomplete, or unavailable? The color photos are lumped together in the center. I do wish there were more, and larger, photos, and more breeds represented. I am also still looking for a good "picture book" of rabbit breeds. Lots of rabbit breed books are cluttered with general rabbit care instruction, which is not specific enough for me, and in many cases, too general to be correct. I'd like to see something available in rabbit breed books, which explains the behavior traits, health concerns, and judging qualities of all the breeds, both extinct, and current. -Sharon Warren, www.rabbitsandribbons.com

Thorough and Engrossing!:
I was very impressed by the author's willingness to tackle such a gigantic project, and the talent with which he pulled it off! There are plenty of books that will tell you how to care for a pet--- this book is unique and exciting because it goes beyond that, and deals with the actual histories of countless breeds of rabbits. The author's knowledgeability of his subject is revealed by his capable presentation. Not all rabbit breeds are given the same treatment--- but then again, not all rabbit breeds have the same degree of history surrounding them. If your interest in rabbits is limited to a particular breed or two, you may or may not be disappointed by the verbage dedicated to your personal favorite. But taken as a whole, the work is an incredible feat, and I look forward to future editions. I would have given this five stars, but it lost a star due to its publication. This book would have been even more spectacular in the hands of a capable editor at a reliable publishing house, but the author went the self-pub route for whatever reason. The knowledge is most definitely there--- but it's just lacking the polish that a good editor could have given to it. I look forward to future efforts by the author. :o)

Excellent work on show rabbit history:
Caldwell has done an excellent work in describing the origins of each domestic rabbit breed, the founding breeder, the evolution of type, or color or use of each rabbit. Included are interesting sections on the evolution of rabbit housing, feeds, clubs and associations. Some of the breed histories mentioned such as the Enderby Island Rabbit are simply fascinating in Caldwell's relation of the breed to the world historical events of the time.Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories: Breeds of the World