Starting
with a brief but not exhaustive summary of the early history of the
movement, From Dusk 'til Dawn is primarily the personal perspective of
former ALF activist Keith Mann on the direct action wing of the Animal
Liberation Movement, which began to burgeon in the 1960s. The book
takes you on tour with the ALF as activists carry out raids, and allows
the reader to gain a better understanding of the thinking and
motivation of some of the people who work within ALF cells or alone -
those who go out of their way to break the law of the land. Mann lays
before you his personal view in a collection of stories that will in
turn move, shock, entertain and enlighten.
Foreword by Benjamin Zephaniah
Keith Mann’s name is in many minds synonymous with the ALF. I
first came across him when I was dedicating a lot of time to supporting
prisoners and the animal rights movement. He was brought to my
attention because he was both a prisoner and an animal rights activist.
Having never met him, and armed with only a photo of him, I joined his
supporters in regular letter writing and the lobbying of MPs on his
behalf.
Having served time in prison as an ALF activist, Mann is
something of a cause célèbre in the global animal rights movement for
his uncompromising stance on the issue of animal exploitation.
Eminently personable, he never attempts to paint himself as anything
other than what he is - a cheeky and affable Mancunian lad, with an
overriding desire to see an end to the suffering of animals. I first
met him on a demonstration and I thought it was going to be one of
those mystical experiences, like you get when you meet Nelson Mandela,
but all I got from him was a piece of vegan cake and a leaflet about
another demo. It is this passion that has motivated him to break unjust
laws. It informs his actions and his life choices, and it is this
passion that speaks to us when we read From Dusk 'til Dawn, his first
book.
Those who know the author personally will recognise the often
chatty, anecdotal style in his writing, which is conversational and not
restricted by the ‘house style’ of a publisher worried about the bottom
line. It allows you to read this book from cover to cover or dip into
it at leisure, though its subject matter and sheer scale do not make it
easy bedtime reading.
Mann is a natural storyteller, with a hell of a story to tell.
It does not end happily ever after, nor does it offer glib solutions to
the tyranny of oppression. What it does offer is hope, and that is its
feel-good factor. As the book’s title suggests, it provides a
background to the dawning of a new consciousness, though it also gives
a knowing wink to the reader who recognises that the hours before dawn
are the hours when most direct actions take place.
The history of what we would consider the modern animal rights movement
is barely 100 years old; it is a movement still in its infancy. This
book is a part of that unfolding history. In my humble opinion there
have been times when the animal rights movement has lost its way, when
sections of it have got bogged down in what are almost academic
arguments about language or image, or even personalities. At times like
these we tend to forget about what the struggle is really about and
begin to sound like bureaucratic hippies. This book reminds us why we
are here. Sometimes being able to look back helps in seeing the way
forward. Knowing your roots can promote your growth. Agree with Mann or
not, you cannot fail to be moved by his moral arguments and his appeal
to the humanity that potentially resides in us all to work towards
rebuilding a world on the principles of true equality with life itself
being the yardstick.
