Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
"You be good. I love you," were Alex's final words to his owner, research scientist Irene Pepperberg, before his premature death at age thirty-one on September 6, 2007. An African Grey parrot, Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, understand concepts...
show more
"You be good. I love you," were Alex's final words to his owner, research scientist Irene Pepperberg, before his premature death at age thirty-one on September 6, 2007. An African Grey parrot, Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, understand concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none, and he disproved the widely accepted idea that birds possess no potential for language or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. Alex & Me is the remarkable true account of an amazing, irascible parrot and his best friend who stayed together through thick and thin for thirty years—the astonishing, moving, and unforgettable story of a landmark scientific achievement and a beautiful relationship.
show less
Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780061673986 (0061673986)
ASIN: 61673986
Publish date: September 1st 2009
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Pages no: 232
Edition language: English
Category:
Non Fiction,
Autobiography,
Memoir,
Biography,
Book Club,
Science,
Environment,
Nature,
Biology,
Animals,
Psychology,
Birds
Being an animal lover and a bird owner I could not resist this book. Irene presents us with undeniable data that humans and primates are not the only intelligent creatures (which all animal lovers are already aware of.) She also gives us a fascinating insight into, what I imagine, is only a fraction...
This parrot was no bird brain. In fact, it displayed a level of cognitive intelligence and (linguistic) interaction with humans, that surpassed that of primates.
I listened to this on audio. I used to have a budgie (parakeet), And I have seen first hand how smart those [b:little birds|11036|Little Birds|Anaïs Nin|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FYCV6BAAL._SL75_.jpg|2452] are. I recommend this book to any animal lover. Alex was amazing!!
Ms. Pepperberg began doing research on the cognitive capacities of a Gray parrot, Alex, in the 1970s, a time when animals were widely believed to be little more than bio-automatons, lacking not only intellectual capability, but emotions as well. Pepperberg endured years, decades of ridicule, scorn, ...
Very good book about the intelligence of animals, but I preferred Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien. Pepperberg is a true scientist. She is less inclined to loosen up and allow her emotions to take sway. And that is fine. To really convince the science world you have to do things that way, and look w...