Cover Image: The Desert Vet

The Desert Vet

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

My exposure to vet stories is limited to common domesticated animals like horses, cats and dogs. However, The Desert Vet focuses on one animal pretty exotic to me: the camels.
I do not like camels very much, but the author's passion for the animal shines through as he recounts his experience in the deserts. Other (similarly exotic) animals take up small parts in this book, with a reminder of how they are wild and thus, do not think like humans.
The author gains another dimension when he spoke about his family life, his struggles with the death of his children. I like that this book is not just one-dimensional hilarious.

Was this review helpful?

Book received from NetGalley.

I liked this story about an Australian vet who decided that his life wasn't exciting enough, so he found a job and went to the UAE to take care of their animals. Don't be fooled by the camel on the cover there are much more exotic animals in here. I'll admit that I'm a sucker for veterinarian books since I picked up my first James Herriot. While I liked the book, the politics that found its way in wasn't as enjoyable for me. I do suggest reading the book, but I'm not sure if I'll ever re-read it.

Was this review helpful?

There was a lot of interesting trivia residing in this book. From different animals to different places and cultures, I found it almost unbelievable that it was all real and had happened to a real person. The anecdotes scattered throughout made this not just a book about camels, but about so much more. I loved the tales of his early days at the safari park, his tales of his family and their struggles. All this while taking on more and more in this career that he seemed to sort of just happen in to. Who would have thought that camels could be so fascinating or worth while? Obviously I should have, I now realize. What a delightful read!

Was this review helpful?

This book has a story to tell, and it doesn't just involve camels.
It has a much deeper message, one that deals with borders and race and religion and war and politics and animal welfare--a lot to cover for a book that, yes, was technically written about camels.

It was evident from the very beginning of The Desert Vet that Tinson's love for being a veterinarian motivated him to make the life decisions that he did, for better or worse. His sense of adventure and taste for the unknown was remarkable if somewhat disillusioned.
(The fact that he loved adventure so much that he allowed himself to encounter serious financial problems later in his life was more than a little shocking, especially to a person like myself who clings to structure, routine, and predictability. But it was nice living vicariously through Tinson's remarkably varied life.)

While I have mixed feelings about the IVF/artificial insemination/embryo transfer/elecro-ejaculation work that Tinson was doing on camels (because I feel very strongly about animal protection and welfare), it did seem like he ultimately had the camels' best interests at heart.
That being said, some of the details were difficult to read, and I completely skipped over the sheep slaughter paragraph. That stuff, I did not appreciate.
But I also understood that this book would discuss things like that before I even requested a copy from NetGalley, so I braced myself for the worst and was mildly surprised to find little of it throughout the book.

I really respect the work that Tinson did in replenishing the near-endangered camel population in places like Mongolia, creating the HEF Foundation and the like, and lecturing all over the world on implementing the best veterinarian techniques possible. For that alone, I am grateful that Tinson devoted his life to the career path that he did. A vast majority of people would not be willing to literally risk their lives to save camels and countless other animals from sickness, disease, and extinction.

I am also grateful for the plethora of information that Tinson provided throughout the book on camels. Before reading The Desert Vet, I, like most people, knew virtually nothing about camels. The fact that they were either one- or two-humped, thrived in the desert environment, and were historically used to carry goods for trade purposes was the extent of my knowledge. But after reading this book, I know SO MUCH more about camels than I ever though I would.

I also know more about the UAE, its culture, and its people. It was very interesting to read about a country that was quite literally born overnight, at least in the grand scheme of the rest of the world's countries and their histories.

Overall, I'm glad that I requested this book. It taught me a lot, not only about camels and countless other wild animals, but about a country I knew very little about, and a lifestyle (and all its qualities, good and bad) that I would never dare to live.
Tinson is definitely an exceptional individual, and it makes me wish that there were more humans in the world like him. He has lived an extraordinary life, and "it's all because he said yes to adventure."

*A copy of this book was kindly provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Was this review helpful?

Well-written bio by David Hardaker in first person. Avoids Arab cliches of babes and camel jockeys. Has relevant pics. Informative.

Skips the part on Tinson marriage troubles; doesn't divulge the real reason for the one-year closed-shop of Hilli Embryo Transfer Centre for Racing Camels compound - did the camel races stop or something? - and Tinson bankruptcy - how does a guy have $1.75 in pocket and yet also have 4 camels and antiques on hold?

(What's up with the Hardaker dedication to "my great friend Mohamed Serour who opened the Arabic language and the Arab world to me through countless coffee-fuelled sessions in the cafes of Alexandria and Cairo- what a tragedy that you never lived in freedom")

Was this review helpful?

What a fun read! This is a unique story that will take you places and expose you to traditions you have not dreamed of! Delightful experience!

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely adored this book. The author totally brought you into the culture and mores of the UAE.
Fascinating account of his life and love of animals and his doctoring and marvelous ideas.
This book is totally captivating and a must read

Was this review helpful?