Despite not a single review in any newspaper or conventional publication sales are steady - with orders coming in from libraries which have been approached by members.

Listener

Despatch of the book for review by this national weekly (which is the recipient of major advertising revenue for the hawking of health remedies from the major pharmaceutical houses, and which in its issue of 11 September 1993 published a leading article titled Compulsory Shots authored by a "registered nurse and mother of five" who advocates withholding of the family benefit and denial of access to school - of the unvaccinated child... ! was ignored.

A telephoned enquiry to the Listener brought the rather cagey comment that:

"The Listener must be attractive to its readers... and is considering doing an article rather than a book review."

The book was subsequently returned to NZAVS without the courtesy of a note. Eventually contacted for an interview three lengthy meetings took place between your editor and a nationally acknowledged extremely competent feature writer. When the questions ran along the lines of "how many bedrooms in your house", jibbing at this approach and attempting to bring the theme of the exercise back to specifics, it was discovered that the Listener had instructed to concentrate on the personal aspect. The article, when submitted for publication, was turned down. Though the lady revamped it from a different angle, at time of writing nothing has appeared in print - it won't!

The author displaying Animal Research Takes Lives - Humans and Animals Both Suffer
(Photo Graeme Bowden)

The Dominion

Though the paper encouraged submission of the book for review this was followed by silence. When enquiries were made came the bald comment from the 'projects editor':

"It is not suitable".

When asked in which way it didn't suit was informed bluntly:

"It's very heavily researched."

When questioning the paper's dislike of this book which took two years to write, this fact was given as a reason for the decision not to review... None of this rang true and when questioned further an abrupt:

"I have decided not to review it - and that's the end of it"

.. terminated the discussion.

The Evening Post

As with the Dominion a friendly reception and promise of a review until they saw the book! Eventually the Evening Post published a few lines describing the work as...

"An account of the uses to which animal research is put - and the alternatives that exist."

We will be interested to receive reports from coordinators who we trust submitted the book for review to the newspapers which, in December 1990, gave such an enthusiastic and generous reception to our adversaries' Animal Research Saves Lives!

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