A review by bookwoods
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal

2.0

The topic of animal intelligence is fascinating, but unfortunately I couldn't help but feel bored by Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?. The writing didn’t keep me hooked and there didn’t seem to be a clear overarching story line. Instead this felt like an endless list of examples proving how different animal species can be smart and social – and that’s a revelation I’ve already had ages ago. As an introductory book to the topic this could work, but I was looking for something deeper. I also would have preferred more of an even balance between different animal groups, even though the focus on primates is understandable considering de Waals’ expertise.