Take a photo of a barcode or cover
sandylender 's review for:
Alex & Me
by Irene M. Pepperberg
In Alex & Me, the scientist Irene M. Pepperberg tells the story of how a precocious little African Grey parrot went from science model to companion and friend while shaping a research phenomenon. While many in the companion parrot community recognize Alex’s name, recognize Pepperberg’s name, recognize that he was “smart” and contributed somehow to scientific research on animal communication and learning, Pepperberg brings the Alex Studies into focus in a conversational manner in this book. This isn’t high-science language with all the big Latin terms that make the layperson cringe. This is down-to-earth relating that made me laugh at Alex’s antics and parrot humor, and brought tears to my eyes at the struggles his scientist and friend went through keeping his project funded in a scientific community that didn’t quite believe in her work and didn’t quite believe a woman should be doing it. Add to that a husband who more than once suggested she get a “real” job when grants and funding ran slim and I found myself rooting for these two like this was a movie to which I didn’t already know the tragic end.
But there was success. There was fame. There was recognition from the scientific community. And there was a special, beautiful bond between a smart bird with a fun sense of humor and his human companion. I recommend Alex & Me to anyone in the scientific community, in the animal husbandry/pet industry, and who enjoys a good story about an amazing bird. The two items that will frustrate the reader: Pepperberg doesn’t tell the results of Alex’s necropsy and doesn’t tell whether her research continues with Wart and Griff. Of course these are things you can Google…but why would something so important be left out of Alex’s memoir? Other than that, the reader should enjoy this book immensely.
From Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
But there was success. There was fame. There was recognition from the scientific community. And there was a special, beautiful bond between a smart bird with a fun sense of humor and his human companion. I recommend Alex & Me to anyone in the scientific community, in the animal husbandry/pet industry, and who enjoys a good story about an amazing bird. The two items that will frustrate the reader: Pepperberg doesn’t tell the results of Alex’s necropsy and doesn’t tell whether her research continues with Wart and Griff. Of course these are things you can Google…but why would something so important be left out of Alex’s memoir? Other than that, the reader should enjoy this book immensely.
From Fantasy Author Sandy Lender