RAISING THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM

Can a rat become a cat's friend, rather than an entrée? Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson didn't just ask that question; he brought a dog, a cat, two rats, two chickens, and a rabbit into his Auckland, New Zealand, home to see how they would relate in hopes of shedding light on human relationships. Tim Jerome reads Masson's first-person work with a suitably professorial tone, although he sometimes sounds too didactic or astonished. Other times, he has a good handle on the wry humor and thoughtful insights that arise from dealing with house chickens making a mess or seeing a dog protect a rabbit friend from another dog. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]