The subject of sexual congress between human and beast is heavy stuff. It moves sexuality to a higher (or lower, have your pick) dimension, for the object of lust is not another human, or an inanimate object, but a living oprganism capable of its own pleasures and lust. Crossing interspecies barriers is not something to be taken lightly.

All religions and most political systems are very displeased with the notion of man-beast sexual congress. Not so long ago, conviction of such an activity would lead to burning at the stake. Bestiality has intrinsic gravitas.

The book by Midas Dekkers is best defined in terms of what it is not: certainly it is not a "how to" book, nor is it an erotic or lascivious tract. Even is many illustrations lack eroticism. The book leaves most things involving the actual coupling up to the reader's imagination. Nor is it a scientific tract, nor a survey, nor a sexology book. It covers art, and history, and plenty of gossip. Things of that nature; so if the potential reader is seeking a perverse little jolt, this book is not the way of obtaining it.

It explains, in passing, that the most frequent human-animal contacts occur between male and beast; that the woman-animal connection is fairly rare but yet appears more frequently in art and literature than the male-beast duo. The explanation for this is that until recently women were poorly represented as artists and writers, and therefore it was men who defined the acts and perhaps ventilated their fantasies in the process. The many portrayals of Leda and the swan attest to this. The swan, incidentaly, was Zeus in disguise.... Now there is an example of the little gems of information that abound in the book....

Mankind's sexual apetite crosses all species that will accommodate the architecture involved, from chickens to eels, from apes to elephants. The reader would certainly like to know a little more about the mechanics involved, but the book is reticent about such matters.

"Dearest Pet" is a translation from the Dutch. It contain a bibliography heavily weighted with German and Dutch entries, and a fair index that itemizes the wide variety of playmates mentioned in the book, from Airdales to zebras.

If you are looking for a book to simply explain the "How to's" (although it does contain some sexual details) this is not it BUT if you are looking for a book that will stimulate your mind, is full of profound theories as to the history and culture differences that bestiality conveys around the world, look no further. While a very small amount of information is very mildly opinionated, it does satisfy two things. Firstly, it is hard to put down and stimulates the mind to consider, ponder and perhaps sympathize with an alternative sexual lifestyle that is not as morally perverse as many think considering its historical background over the last few thousand years. Secondly, it offers quite insightful comments on our love of animals from a sexual and non-sexual sense. This is a book you can read and learn from. Education is a wonderful thing, ignorance is pitiful. The author does not try to persuade you of a sexual lifestyle you may condone or object to but simply lays out facts for you to draw your own conclusions including some clever thought provoking comments like why we are fascinated by fur coats and leather, why certain animals are fond pet favorites. It also deals with factual historical details on bestiality. Some of the origins which you may find downright astonishing and religously could be considered blasphemous. If you are disgusted by the subject matter, read this and perhaps gain an insight why others are not. If you are mildly interested in understanding the subject read on. If you have a fascination for the subject, read and learn why. Whatever your reasons, you don't have to agree with everything but you will gain an education. If you are simply looking for porn material, go buy a magazine with pictures and few words or rent a video.

It is really quite an experiance reading this book ,its like living in a new realm filled with the intrisic details of a new sexual world but with more feelings and lust.I would really recommend this book to anyone who wants to expand his sexual awareness and knowledge into the new millineum.

My only semi-negative comment about this book is that if you're a person who expects/requires an essay writer to start with a thesis, prove it through argument and then return to it (i.e. have a point) you may find this book somewhat frustrating. I however am not one of those people and found Dekkers' morbid ramblings quite entertaining. (Especially when he goes on about rotten foods being delicacies and how his grandmother was an expert carrion-eater.) Recommended for goths. ;)