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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Very interesting. I enjoyed this book. I have always thought that animals were much more intelligent than humans give them credit for.
You start the book off knowing exactly what's going to happen, Alex passes away, and by the end of the book you'll be crying right alongside the author.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A nice, simple animal story for this time of the year. Does it have the depth of a Jane Goodall book? No, not even close. The story focuses mostly on the emotional bond Irene had with Alex, the trials she went through to train him and the funny interactions she, and her students, had with him. In other words, this is the story of Alex without all the scientific detail and analysis. It's for those who want a good animal story, one that will both fascinate and entertain. And how could a person not love Alex by the end of the book? I would have loved an even longer, more detailed look into his world, but I'm still glad that this small glimpse exists.
Perfect!
Just a perfect read with not too much scientific jargon to jumble up the story. It is a heart-warming and eye opening look into the natural world through the work of the author and Alex the African Grey Parrot.
Just a perfect read with not too much scientific jargon to jumble up the story. It is a heart-warming and eye opening look into the natural world through the work of the author and Alex the African Grey Parrot.
I've been putting off reading this book for years. I knew about Alex, and knew that he had passed away unexpectedly. And it breaks my heart. Both for all he could have accomplished had he lived, and for the woman that worked with him for so long. But after Frank & Jessa both read it and told me I HAD TO READ IT, and even loaned me their copy, I finally gave in.
Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Alex had such personality, in the way that a lot of pet owners assume their animals do, talking or non. I loved reading about the surprising things he learned, even though they hadn't explicitly taught him.
I HATED that the first chapter starts out with how the author dealt with Alex's death in the aftermath. I knew she would write about his death, of course. I didn't expect to be confronted with it immediately. Having owned a bird - though only a parakeet - that unexpectedly passed away last year, I cried a whole lot during this book. Lucky for me, animals are smarter than we give them credit for, as well as empathetic, for my crying brought Leeloo to my side faster than if I had called her.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in birds, animal communication, science in general, or what amounts to the biography of a very smart bird.
Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Alex had such personality, in the way that a lot of pet owners assume their animals do, talking or non. I loved reading about the surprising things he learned, even though they hadn't explicitly taught him.
I HATED that the first chapter starts out with how the author dealt with Alex's death in the aftermath. I knew she would write about his death, of course. I didn't expect to be confronted with it immediately. Having owned a bird - though only a parakeet - that unexpectedly passed away last year, I cried a whole lot during this book. Lucky for me, animals are smarter than we give them credit for, as well as empathetic, for my crying brought Leeloo to my side faster than if I had called her.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in birds, animal communication, science in general, or what amounts to the biography of a very smart bird.
I loved this book. I've been fascinated by the story of Alex, and I could not shut up while reading this about all the various cool little tidbits Pepperberg mentions. I wish it had been a little bit more advanced in its discussion of the experiments and studies done on Alex; obviously, it's a memoir and not a research paper, but I felt like it erred on the side of slightly too simplistic and I was left wanting more.
Very interesting, enjoyable look at life as a scientist, and of course, fascinating details about Alex the parrot. What she writes about the nature of animal minds is, IMO, moving & completely convincing. I wish he'd stayed longer.
If you haven't heard the NPR interview, start there. This was a quick and interesting read, that offers some insight to the personal and professional life of the woman behind the parrot!