Praise for The Trial of Humanity

“Some secrets are hidden from us; others we keep from ourselves. The Trial of Humanity brings our treatment of animals into the open in an absorbing courtroom drama that will leave you weighing the evidence long after the final page.” —Lara Prescott, New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets We Kept

“An imaginative, moving, and superbly written drama in which humans must answer for our treatment of fellow creatures. With its many clever touches, unpredictable turns, and eloquent passages, The Trial of Humanity is movie material and a great read for any friend of animals.” —Matthew Scully, author of Dominion and Fear Factories, and speechwriter to President George W. Bush

“A provocative novel that puts humanity in the defendant’s chair. Shapiro makes a compelling case, and leaves you hoping our species still has time to change before the verdict comes in.” —Rob Reid, New York Times bestselling author of After On and Year Zero

“A gripping invitation to see ourselves through the eyes of the animals whose lives humans control. The Trial of Humanity asks the question we can no longer afford to avoid: What gives us the right?” —Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and author of Animalkind

“This is the novel I wish I'd written, but now I don't have to. Animals have lives that matter to them, but it seems they rarely matter to us. Paul Shapiro makes that truth wonderfully vivid in The Trial of Humanity. You'll remember these brilliant characters long after their testimony ends.” —Jonathan Balcombe, New York Times bestselling author of What a Fish Knows

“The Trial of Humanity asks us to reckon with our treatment of other animals and imagine how we might do better. By making meat without raising and slaughtering animals, we have a chance to write a better next chapter. Paul Shapiro’s must-read novel reminds us why that matters.” —Bruce Friedrich, author of MEAT and President of the Good Food Institute

“Paul Shapiro turns an extraordinary premise into a tense courtroom drama with the highest of stakes. As the evidence mounts and humanity’s defense begins to unravel, The Trial of Humanity has you dreading the verdict but unable to stop reading.” —Robin Lamont, award-winning suspense novelist and author of The Chain

“I loved it. The Trial of Humanity is humane education at its best. I can't imagine the reader who won't be transformed by reading it. This book needs to be a movie!” —Zoe Weil, President of the Institute for Humane Education and author of The World Becomes What We Teach

“The Trial of Humanity makes you see yourself in a new way: from the perspective of the other animals. This book should be your gift to every fiction-reader you know.” —Mark DeVries, director of Speciesism: The Movie and Humans and Other Animals

“At Farm Sanctuary, we give animals the chance to tell their stories. In The Trial of Humanity, Paul Shapiro does the same in a moving account that will change how you see our place in the world.” —Gene Baur, President of Farm Sanctuary

“What if animals could hold humanity accountable for how we've treated them? Paul Shapiro’s The Trial of Humanity asks us to confront that question—and to consider whether compassion, rather than domination, might be the measure of our humanity.” —Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, bestselling author of The Joyful Vegan

“When making our case for superiority, we mistake domination for intelligence and conquest for civilization. In The Trial of Humanity, Paul Shapiro imagines a reckoning in which that history becomes incriminating evidence. A remarkable novel with the force of prophecy.” —Ryan Huling, author of The Hidden Nations of Animals

“Animal advocates spend our lives trying to give animals a voice. In The Trial of Humanity, they finally get their day in court. A riveting thought experiment.” —Milo Runkle, founder of Mercy for Animals

“I’ve spent years working to bring the reality of factory farming into public view. In The Trial of Humanity, Paul Shapiro imagines a courtroom where looking away is no longer an option. I wish everyone would read it.” —Sharon Núñez, President of Animal Equality

“One of the most powerful books about our treatment of animals I’ve ever read. Paul Shapiro’s The Trial of Humanity makes a lasting impression.” —Kristie Middleton, author of Meat-Less

“After years of rescuing animals from human cruelty, I loved seeing them call us to account. Paul Shapiro’s The Trial of Humanity is a fantastic book I hope everyone will read.” —Jenny Brown, co-founder of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and author of The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals

“With a protagonist like Nicola Silver, Paul Shapiro gives us a woman whose arguments are as formidable as the animals’ case against her species. The Trial of Humanity will keep you questioning whose side you're on. Read this book.” —Jennifer Stojkovic, founder of Vegan Women Summit and author of The Future of Food Is Female

“Paul Shapiro has found an extraordinary way to tell this story of human history through the voices of nonhumans. The Trial of Humanity deserves a place on your bookshelf and at the center of our conversation about animals and the ways we treat—and mistreat—them.” —Miyun Park, co-editor with Moby of Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety

“I couldn’t put it down. The Trial of Humanity should be mandatory reading for anyone who's ever wondered how we’ll explain our treatment of animals to future generations.” —Josh Balk, CEO of The Accountability Board and co-founder of Eat Just

“Paul Shapiro gives the long struggle for animal rights a bold fictional form. When you finish The Trial of Humanity, you may find yourself wishing this courtroom actually existed.” —Kim Stallwood, author of Growl

“The Trial of Humanity is a remarkable and riveting tale that raises key questions of our age. It's a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of our planet and all of its inhabitants.” —Ondine Sherman, co-founder of Voiceless and author of Sky

“Paul Shapiro’s The Trial of Humanity puts our excuses for exploiting animals under scrutiny in a story I hope reaches everyone who's ever said they love animals.” —Faraz Harsini, CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection

“Paul Shapiro's clever book asks the question that every human should face: how will our actions be remembered by those on whom they had the greatest impact?” —Elizabeth Castoria, author of How to Be Vegan