Customer Reviews (2)

Essential tool for the Anatomist and student
By far this is Swindler's best work (see also his "Dentition of Living Primates') - the way this book is set-up makes it incredibly easy to use and visually pleasing as well.This oversized volume follows the regional dissection (wonderfully rendered in black and white by Charles Wood) of Papio anubis and Pan troglodytes on one side and Homo sapiens and the accompanying text on the other.When performing multiple primate dissections or comparing structures this is a definite bonus. This is the only volume that I know of that approaches primate anatomy in this way - W.K. Gregory's "Anatomy of the Gorilla" comes close (esp. with the oversized fold-outs of the upper & lower limb done life size) - but doesn't provide the comparitive detail that Swindler & Wood do.

I have used this text many times both in the lab and in the classroom and heartily endorse it for anyone working in anatomy, animal sciences, primatology, and physical anthropology.This book is worth its weight in gold and you will find yourself constantly referring to it.

Also useful in this text are the charts at the end of the book covering the musculature and innervation in each genus - priceless in itself.In fact I do not know of another comparitive source for that information - I would often use these charts as handouts in classes.This is a volume that you'll never regret having - you will find yourself using it more often than you thought.

Primate Gross Anatomy
27 years after it was first published an "Atlas of Primate Gross Anatomy" remains the definitive text on catarrhine anatomy.The primary focus of the atlas is the regional anatomy of the baboon withcomparative references to Pan and Man (Homo sapiens sapiens). All regionsare covered with special emphasis placed on the limbs.The text is clearlywritten and well referenced by Dr. Swindler and beautifully illustrated inboth carbon dust and pen and ink techniques by Charles Wood.This is amandatory reference book for primate anatomists and veterinarians and ishighly recommended for many specialty courses in primatology and humanevolutionary anatomy. ... Read more

Product Description
This series focuses on some of the best-known animals that are struggling to survive on our overcrowded planet. It introduces readers to various species at risk and explains the wider environmental issues involved. This book examines the various threats facing the world's monkeys and discusses ways of protecting them. Monkeys belong to the family of primates, which also includes apes and humans. Early chapters concentrate on the unique characteristics of monkeys, such as their physical features, intelligence and group behaviour. A variety of monkey species is used as an illustration of different habitats and feeding requirements, and the author goes on to explain the many threats facing monkeys today, including rainforest clearance, industrial development, hunting for food and trophies and live capture for the pet trade and medical research. The need for conservation measures, such as nature reserves, protection laws and breeding programmes is also discussed. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Uncomfortable truths
This brilliant, understated book exposes a terrible injustice in the United States, corporate medicine's aggressive attempts to undermine the Endangered Species Act and CITES for their personal gain. Like so many embattled exploiters, they have responded to criticism and revelations with mud-slinging campaigns and lies, such as NIMH's estimate that they needed 200-300 chimpanezees a year to continue research vital to human health. At the same time, NIMH had access to more than 100 chimps, and was only able to find uses for 25 of them.

Peterson and Goodall have taken the productive path: honesty without invective or confrontation. This has allowed Jane Goodall to accomplish small but significant changes, but they are far too small and far too trivial. It would be nice if Dr. Robert Gallo would agree to be locked into a 5x5x7 cage, with a grate at the bottom so he would not find himself smeared with all his feces, but nothing to protect him from the blowflies his stench would draw. Welcome to medical research, Bobbo.

Human beings have a history of declaring those it would exploit to be "lesser creations": Jews, Negros, Indians, Gypsies, the harmless primates we have nearly exterminated. When the "lesser creations" are human, they can speak out to protest, and they are heard. Someone else must speak for the chimpanzees mutilated in research labs, the orangutans brutalized to entertain Las Vegas drunks, the gorillas slaughtered so their children can be confined in zoos.

The next time you see *The Tempest,* imagine Caliban turning on Prospero, with his complacent human superiority, and speaking the extraordinary and powerful words of Shylock: "Hath not a beast eyes? Pricked do we not bleed?" Animals are bleeding to make your mascara safe. Read this book, look long at the orphaned chimp huddled in one of the photos, and then look in the mirror.

Realize how close you are...
You read this book and discover your true nature and how you fit in this world.Never have I felt that close to nature...

A heart-wrenching and powerful book everyone should read
Certainly the most influencial book I've ever read - it led to my pursuing a degree, becoming a vegan, and an animal rights activist. And a better person. The tales of misery endured by these brethren of our are a verydifficult read for those who have the capacity to care selflessly about alllife, but gives the reader a very genuine sencse of what they suffer at thehands of humans who would do anything to make money and enhance theircareers. Visions of Caliban is a very sobering experience, and it's verydifficult at points to read beyond a couple of pages, because the realityof what these horribly unfortunate beings is truly sadenning. If everyoneread this book, chimpanzee research would come to a very sudden conclusion.Read this Book!

Read this book before its too late.
No more discussion about the abuses of chimpanzees in abstract terms. Peterson goes out to find what specifically happens to specific chimpanzees and tracks their lives usually to their grim end.Dr. Goodall, the world's foremost expert on free chimapanzees contrasts Peterson with her insightful understanding which over thirty years of intimate knowledge of these great apes has given her.Sharing more than 98% of our genes with the chimpanzee and all of the cognitive and emotional similarities that go along with that, we need to rethink how we treat our closest living relative.

Read this book before its too late.
No more discussion about the abuses of chimpanzees in abstract terms. Peterson goes out to find out what specifically happens to specific chimpanzees and tracks their lives usually to their grim end.Dr. Goodall, the world's foremost expert on free chimapanzees contrasts Peterson with her insightful understanding which over thirty years of intimate knowledge of these great apes has given her.Sharing more than 98% of our genes with the chimpanzee and all of the cognitive and emotional similarities that go along with that, we need to rethink how we treat our closest living relative. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

Product Description
An enthralling account of the parallel lives of two infants—one human, one chimpanzee, growing up together

In 1990, when Vince Smith was working as a senior keeper at Chester Zoo in the English countryside, a newborn chimpanzee in his care was abandoned by her mother. Named Sophie, the infant chimp was taken home and hand-reared by Vince and his wife Audrey. Six months later another new baby arrived: Oliver, their son. A Chimp in the Family is the compelling, entertaining account of Sophie’s life.

Vince Smith vividly describes the parallel upbringing of Oliver and Sophie—through her early years with Vince and his family, her traumatic journey back to the zoo and her unsuccessful efforts to socialize with other chimps, her repatriation to Africa and reunion with her human foster family, and her integration into a semi-wild group of chimpanzees. A book both humorous (a family outing with both babies to the local pizzeria) and ultimately heartbreaking, A Chimp in the Family is a finely told, fascinating look at the social and emotional bonds that are possible between humans and our closest living genetic relatives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful!
This is a profoundly touching book.You will feel a lot of very strong emotions of all kinds reading it, and the end is devastating.Smith does a great job showing us the great spirit and soul of Sophie.My wife and I felt his loss keenly, and had tears.The pictures alone are worth the price of the book.Highly recommended.

WHAT A DELIGHT
What a wonderful, delightful book!I picked it up not knowing much about chimps, but the thought of raising one along with your own child was an amusing and amazing premise.The book never fails to be loving, interesting, and educational all at once.The author loved his little chimp just as he loved his wife and child, and his expressions of love and knowledge about the various animals (mostly chimpanzees) he talks about in this book are lovely.Man can often be very cruel and foolish and stupid, whereas it seems animals are just themselves.They can survive in all sorts of man-made zoos and such, with nary a complaint.Sophie, the chimp in this book, was a special and loving little creature who will grab your heart.Thank you to Vince Smith for sharing your deepest heart with us.

The unique account of rearing two babies side by side
A Chimp in the Family is the true story of an ecologist and conservationist who took an infant chimpanzee into his home when she was abandoned by her mother. Six months later, his son was born. A Chimp in the Family is the unique account of rearing two babies side by side as one's own kin. Offering heartfelt tales of struggling with infant care and the milestones of early childhood, A Chimp in the Family also offers the unique difficulties in attempting to persuade a hand-reared chimpanzee to socialize with others of its kind. Happiness and heartbreak blend in A Chimp in the Family, which details social and emotional bonds between humans and animals from an intensely personal point of view.

Unsentimental and touching
this book proved far better than many similar works about raising baby animals. it is well written and not excessively sentimental or anthropomorphic, though the author does discuss the close relationship between chimps and humans, genetically and behaviorally.

be prepared: it has an unhappy ending.

definitely worth a read. ... Read more

Product Description
A lifelong fascination with primates led Dale Peterson to Africa, which he crisscrossed in hope of sighting chimpanzees in the wild. As with any adventure worth retelling, however, Peterson's detours are as notable as his destinations. With the good-natured fatalism of the tested traveler, Peterson tells of trains and riverboats, opportunists and ecotourists, rain forests and shantytowns as he conveys the pitfalls of going forth on a budget as tiny as the continent is vast. Along the way, we also meet Jane Goodall and several other renowned primate researchers and caretakers. This is travel writing with a purpose, an account that inspires both admiration and concern for Africa's people, places, and natural diversity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent africa armchair travel and chimpanzee conservation read
This is a well written, captivating account of peterson's travels around africa to see chimps in the wild and what he learns about their behavior, treatment by people and their conservation in the process. peterson's good humor comes through in many anecdotes and his intelligence shines in observations and conclusions. i highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the realities of budget travel in africa, chimpanzees and chimp conservation. ... Read more

Product Description
A trip to the zoo can become a visit with a new friend. Learn along with 4 year-old Madeline, all the ways that chimpanzees are like you and the people you know. The story concludes with a "Chimp Info Page" that discusses how much humans learn about themselves from studying both wild and captive chimpanzees. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Librarian's Pick!
As an elementary librarian, I am sure that my students will enjoy this book.Anderson's illustrations are simple, yet elaborately drawn with texture and line; showing great emotion in her characters.This book illustrates a good compare and contrast lesson for young students while sparking discussions on a variety of other topics.Loved it!

An educational gem
I received this book as a gift this year and it is a very informative. The underlying theme of animal and zoo life from a child's point view is present throughout the book.The author clearly shows the striking similarities (hand and tool use, social skills, habits etc.) between humans and chimpanzees with beautiful and detailed illustrations of family life as well as zoo and jungle habitats.This is a fun and cute read for young preschoolers who visit the zoo and want to learn about those wonderful chimpanzees!

Daughter's Favorite
Very thankful my daughter received this book as a gift for her third birthday. It immediately become her favorite book.In an attempt to preserve it, the dust cover was removed and placed next to her 'special' monkey purchased at the zoo.Would love to add another book written by the author to our collection.

great book for teachers and docents
This is a book review from the AZAD (Assoc. of Zoo and Aquarium Docents) June 2007 issue of Symbiosis:As an early childhood educator, I find this book to be a valuable teaching tool.It has all of the qualities of a great children's book: colorful pictures, easy to read text and an engaging story.As a zoo docent, I find that this book gives a realistic portrayal of a day in the life of a zoo chimpanzee [as seen] through the eyes of a young girl.It's a must-have for anyone who deals with young primates! - a Detroit Zoo docent.

note from Dawn - the system would not accept this review in the Editorial Reviews section, so I am placing it here.Also, I didn't ask the reviewer for permission to post her name on Amazon, so that is why I am not including it here. ... Read more

Product Description

The first edition of Frans de Waal's Chimpanzee Politics was acclaimed not only by primatologists for its scientific achievement but also by a much broader audience of politicians, business leaders, and social psychologists for its remarkable insights into very basic human needs and behaviors. In this revised edition -- featuring a new gallery of color photographs along with a new introduction and epilogue -- de Waal expands and updates his story of the Arnhem colony and its continuing political upheavals. We learn the fate of many memorable chimpanzees and meet the colony's current leaders and their allies. The new edition remains a detailed and thoroughly engrossing account -- of sexual rivalries and coalitions, of actions governed by intelligence rather than instinct -- and it reaffirms the complex bond between humans and their closest living relatives. As we watch the chimpanzees of Arnhem behave in ways we recognize from Machiavelli (and from the nightly news), de Waal reminds us again that the roots of politics are older than humanity.

Customer Reviews (19)

Chimpanzee politics--brutal and all too familiar
This is a revised version of Frans de Waal's widely read work "Chimpanzee Politics." At the outset, de Waal notes that he uses the term "politics" very consciously. He says: "If we follow Harold Lasswell's famous definition of politics as a social process determining 'who gets what, when, how,' there can be little doubt that chimpanzees engage in it. The events depicted in this volume come from the Arnhem Zoo chimpanzee colony. That itself is problematic, since chimpanzees (and other animals) in artificial environments can have their behavior altered thereby (still, similar things have happened in "the wild," so de Waal's work is probably of value and relevance).

One of the threads of this work is the ongoing triangular relationship among three adult males--Luit, Yeroen, and Nikkie. The record of their shifting alliances and the gruesome murder of one of these three later on makes telling and chilling reading.

The arc of the trio's relationship begins with Yeroen as the dominant (alpha) male. Over time, Luit began to ally with Nikkie to undermine Yeroen's authority. Finally, the coalition of Luit and Nikkie prevailed and Yeroen was dislodged as the top male in the troop. However, with time, Yeroen and Nikkie began to explore an alliance and, in the end, the two united to "overthrow" Luit, with a ghastly ending.

There is much more to this book than the slow dance among the three males, but that tale typifies the calculated behavior of chimpanzees. This is a well written and even compelling read. The problems with the artificial setting and de Waal's treatment of the chimpanzees as cost-benefit calculators may give them too-human qualities. But the arc of this book is fascinating and still worth reading years after the first version was published.

An attractive anniversary edition of a classic book

In this classic work, Frans de Waal introduces us to the social life of chimpanzees.It's based on his studies of a large band in the Arnhem Zoo, which has a very large enclosure in which (we hope) chimpanzees behave fairly naturally.Chimp social life is dominated by social relationships, hierarchies, food, and sex.This book enjoys its lasting popularity to the fact that many humans apparently believe that these same factors dominate human social life.

By all measures, it's one of those rare books that makes a scientific contribution while being accessible to lay persons.I'm one of those lay persons and found the book very interesting.It's mostly about chimps, though you'll be tempted to draw parallels with humans at various times.

This 25th anniversary edition is a trade paperback, with lots of black and white pictures throughout the text and about a dozen color plates in the middle.

A Fascinating Read
I was hesitant to purchase this book because I thought it was pricey. Let me tell you, it was worth every penny. This good quality paperback is filled with terrific photos and lots of references. Frans de Waal's documentation of the behavior of the Chimps of Arnhem is hilarious and horrifying. I couldn't put it down!

An excellent update
In the year I was born the Dutch primatologist Frans de Waal delivered a highly popular and influential book about the chimpanzees of Arnhem Zoo, the Netherland facility housing the largest captive population of the apes in the world. At first such a book might not have seemed so exciting, the well-known studies of Jane Goodall or Diane Fossey among apes in Africa making a group of chimpanzees in a zoo seem bland by comparison, but de Waal took advantage of the opportunities for detailed observation the captive setting provided and painted a vivid picture of the complex social life of chimpanzees in Chimpanzee Politics. Twenty-five years after its first publication, the book has recently been updated with new information about the chimpanzees of Arnhem and a selection of color photographs, the supplemental materials adding to what was already an excellent book.

The true strength of Chimpanzee Politics lies in de Waal's ability to guide the reader step-by-step through the complex social interactions of the chimpanzees, the story of the various dominance shifts and reconciliations being fairly easy to follow. Even when some of the interactions become a little confusing, the book includes a smattering of diagrams that help to show how the groups feelings toward a certain member oscillated back and forth over time, for example. These are especially helpful as de Waal shows that while physical strength or the ability to beat another chimpanzee in a one-to-one confrontation is important, coalitions and support from other members of the group can make or break dominance hierarchies in ways that we might not expect. Indeed, the males Luit, Nikki, and Yeroen are the main "characters" of this tale, each having their time at the top (but only through cooperation and coalitions). Ultimately, as reported by de Waal in the paper "The Brutal Elimination of a Rival Among Captive Male Chimpanzees" published in 1986, Luit was fatally injured by Nikki and Yeroen, a fact that is included in the epilouge as de Waal admits he did not want to initially end his book on a dark note.

The power shifts between the three males don't make sense without an understanding of the females in the group, however, and de Waal does spend some time describing the behaviors and social habits of the females. A little more explanation and detail in this area would have strengthened the book, especially since female chimpanzees in the wild disperse from their home populations and are not constantly in close contact with each other, but de Waal does spend some time talking about the rough time the male chimpanzees received when introduced to the group when it was dominated by a female named Mama. Eventually the males achieved dominance, but even so they still relied on the support of females during the periods when one male was on his way to displacing the dominant male as the alpha, so females are not merely relegated to the objects of the males sexual desires and nothing else. In fact, the younger sexually-mature females were sometimes so amorous that they "wore out" the adult males, the interactions between the sexes being just as compelling as the chapters featuring power struggles.

Given the close resemblances, both physical and social, between chimpanzees and our own species it is easy to draw comparisons between the two, but de Waal remains careful not to extend his observations of chimpanzees too far. Even when his writings might land on the anthropomorphic side of the fence, de Waal usually admits that he is doing so up front. Indeed, de Waal's unapologetic attitude for attributing names and personalities to each animal and up-front honesty in making the occasional comparison to human behavior makes Chimpanzee Politics a refreshing read, de Waal overcoming preconceptions that captive chimpanzees are not worth the time spent studying them. While it was right on-time to signal a changing view of primatology when it was first published, Chimpanzee Politics is just as fresh and thought-provoking in 2008 as it was in 1983.

An exciting if not compelling Study

Frans De Waal, a Primatologist of some considerable note, in this exciting report on his most recent research, gives us an insider's view of the social "goings on" within a tribe of Chimps. His research model might be described as a Machiavellian-based political model, one he fashions loosely into a framework for understanding and interpreting the meanings implicit in chimp sexual and political behavior, behavior that De Waal observed in a zoo context and recorded for the better part of seven years.

The author discerns definite hierarchical patterns to Chimp behavior, along lines common across the animal kingdom --especially as regards to how alpha males dominate and sustain their power at the top of their respective social hierarchies. De Waal shows that unlike larger primates, because of their smallness of size, ruling chimp culture requires (almost as a political imperative) that alpha males build coalitions from among the ranks of secondary males and females if they hope to sustain their dominance at the top of the hierarchy for any length of time.

The author vividly walks us thorough several power struggles in which alpha males are replaced. Each of these replacements or "coups" took place either because the dominant male became too greedy, too relaxed in his caolition-building or leadership, or because another male built sounder more enduring and robust coalitions and used them to move against the incumbent.

Making the necessary Freudian extrapolations, one is likely to see in the deeper outlines of these power struggles a remarkable resemblance to similar dramas witnessed everyday in the human political arena. For instance, it take little imagination to guess that Chimp political and sexual behavior is not only Machiavellian in its basic character, but perhaps also Darwinian in its form -- that is to say it is Darwinian in the Sociobiologist's sense of being instinctively driven well beneath cognition. However, it is probably sounder and safer to speculate that such behavior is being driven at the level of "proto-Chimp culture" and socialization rather than at the level of genes.

In any case, even though it is wise not to read too much into these similarities, I nevertheless believe that in the final analysis it is brain architecture that drives these similarities home. Man does not always want to account for, nor take full responsibility for, the behavioral remnants of his reptilian brain. As a result we live within a self-made delusional bubble made up of layers of self-righteous beliefs and denials, noble ideals and values, all couched in an ideology of self-preservation. This unconscious super-structure is piled atop our reptilian brain masquerading at the conscious level as a much more evolved and complex form of civilized animal than it really is.

I thus share the view of other reviewers that another way to see this is just as another layer super-imposed on top of the more honest chimp model. To the extent this interpretation is valid, it does raise interesting if not frighteningly close similarities about what normally goes disguised as ordinary human sexual and political behavior.

Drawing conclusions about human behavior based on an already human inspired model being applied to chimp political processes, runs dangerously close to introducing a closed theoretical system, in effect a theoretical tautology. It seems clear that the behavior described in this study -- even if viewed only across the rest of the ape family -- shows remarkable variations. To close this circle completely and begin drawing additional conclusions about human based on a single de Waal's study, would be unwarranted, theoretically questionable and slightly more than just a bit irresponsible.

Nevertheless, I put this work in the same class as Wright's "Moral Animal." There are certainly cross-cutting and reinforcing conclusions to be drawn as a result of this research.Five stars ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Recognition
It is the recognition of ourselves in the amazing photo's that Bloom made of these relatives of us. It's the one photobook that I take at hand regularly and that chears me up when needed, while I just look at myself at every page. I already gave away over twenty copies of it to people that are worth it. That kind of book it is.

You know what they say about a picture...
Beautiful, striking, and at times even sad and funny, this book details these amazing animals in wonderfully sharp and colourful professional photography. No review can honestly do it justice... you just have to see it for yourself.

Stunning Photography
This is a book filled with stunning primate photos, particularly of the mountain and low land gorillas.I purchased it after reading a review, and it was well worth buying.One of the best photographic books on primates I have ever seen - excellent value and excellent photos ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Chimpanzee. Ape, Primate cognition, Nim Chimpsky,Tool useby animals, Great ape language, Laughter in animals,List offictional apes, Gorillas in comics, Chimpanzee genomeproject, Great ape personhood, Bonobo, Silvery Gibbon,Kloss's Gibbon, Western Hoolock Gibbon, SouthernWhite-cheeked Gibbon, Bornean Orangutan, SumatranOrangutan,Western Gorilla. ... Read more

Product Description

Understanding the chimpanzee mind is akin to opening a window onto human consciousness. Many of our complex cognitive processes have origins that can be seen in the way that chimpanzees think, learn, and behave. The Mind of the Chimpanzee brings together scores of prominent scientists from around the world to share the most recent research into what goes on inside the mind of our closest living relative.

Intertwining a range of topics—including imitation, tool use, face recognition, culture, cooperation, and reconciliation—with critical commentaries on conservation and welfare, the collection aims to understand how chimpanzees learn, think, and feel, so that researchers can not only gain insight into the origins of human cognition, but also crystallize collective efforts to protect wild chimpanzee populations and ensure appropriate care in captive settings. With a breadth of material on cognition and culture from the lab and the field, The Mind of the Chimpanzee is a first-rate synthesis of contemporary studies of these fascinating mammals that will appeal to all those interested in animal minds and what we can learn from them.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (19)

Great Condition, took too long to get to me though
The book was in new condition I was very pleased with how new it was for only .99 cents.
I know I selected standard shipping, but it did take a while to get to me. but other than that I'm very happy with this product.

Fascinating and moving!
Jane Goodall has said that if the chimpanzees could select a patron saint for themselves, she would be selected!

"Through a Window" is the story of wild chimpanzees, and they become as incredibly vivid as characters in a biography. They can act so human like it'll make you gasp! Love and hate, fear, bravado, jealousy and murder and even cannibalism are all there. You empathize with poor Gilka when her babies are snatched and eaten by Passion, when old Flo succumbs to old age, her teeth gone, her ears in shreds, when the alpha male Mike is dethroned by the younger Figan, when Getty perches on his mother's back, grinning with juvenile high spirits.

Goodall makes you think deeply about these creatures, whose DNA is 99% the same as ours. She writes with charm and uses vivid description. You follow the lives of the chimpanzees laid out before you in a fine biographical feast. You'll be hooked. You'll care. Highly recommended!

Brand new book at a used book price!
The book I purchased was in excellent condition. I could hardly believe it was used. Shipping didn't take very long and I'd likely shop from this user again!

A Wonderful Reflection by Dr. Goodall on her later years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe
This book, a followup to "In The Shadow Of Man", tells what happened in Gombe after the first 10 years of Dr. Goodall's study of the chimps.A lot of her discoveries occurred during this later period.The reader is introduced to the chimps making war upon another group as well as dealing with cannabalism amongst its own members.

Her stories are related as if she is talking about real human persons rather than about our closest relative in the animal kingdom.She writes with a compassion that bridges the gap between our species and makes the reader really care about the good and bad things that happens to them.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about how our species are similar and what is happening to these wonderfull creatures.Be sure to read her earlier book "In The Shadow Of Man" as well to get the whole story.

Laughter and Tears Between the Covers
I read "In The Shadow Of Man", and was quite impressed with it. When I purchased it, I also got this book. Being so enamored with Flo, Mike, and all the other chimps I "met" in the first book, I immediately dove headlong into the sequel.

The first book, while I found interesting, didn't incite the emotions that this one did. The closing chapters of "In The Shadow Of Man" were sad at times, but "Through A Window" definitely magnifies those emotions.

Some passages from the book set me into fits of laughter, as I imagined these creatures, so alike us, going about their daily lives. Other, darker chapters, brought the sting of tears to my eyes as tragedy befell the very chimps I had come to feel as if I knew.

In the end, this book left me feeling very reflective. The thing I reflect most on, is how we treat those who are our closest relatives. How we judge them. How we view them. What if we are being observed from afar and categorized and judged the same way we judge these creatures?

I would challenge anyone to read this book, and have it not move them, not change their views on chimpanzees (and perhaps animals in general). A well deserved 5 stars. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a fascinating analysis of chimpanzee behavior--based on an incredible 15-year long study.It sheds light on some of the central questions in human evolution and combines rigorous scientific observation and analysis with entertaining, first-hand experiences. It will appeal to anthropologists, behavior ecologists, primatologists, and anyone interested in human evolution. ... Read more

Product Description
At the heart of this moving and vibrant book is Fouts' magical, 30-year friendship with Washoe--the chimp whom Fouts has taught American Sign Language--whose dialogues with the author have opened a window into chimpanzee consciousness. Movie rights sold to 20th century Fox. of photos.Amazon.com Review
For three decades, primatologist Roger Fouts has been involvedin language studies of the chimpanzee, the animal most closely relatedto human beings. Among his subjects was the renowned Washoe, who was"endowed with a powerful need to learn and communicate," andwho developed an extraordinary vocabulary in American SignLanguage. Another chimpanzee, Fouts writes, "never made agrammatical error," which turned a whole school of linguistictheory upside down. While reporting these successes, Fouts also notesthat chimpanzees are regularly abused in laboratory settings and thatin the wild their number has fallen from 5,000,000 to fewer than175,000 in the last century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (58)

The Injustice Of Man
There's a good reason this book is rated so highly, and that's because it's a very well told story.

The story follow Roger Fouts' career, from a young graduate student, to a world authority on chimpanzee communication and behavior. Where Jane Goodall got to observe wild chimps in Gombe, and study their natural lives, Fouts works with "domestic" chimps, with the goal of teaching them sign language, and studying how they learn and use it.

The books is very entertaining and very engaging, and at times, heart breaking. It described the plight of chimps used in medical research, how these intelligent, sentient creatures spend their whole lives, which can be decades, in small cages with no contact with their own kind, and no mental stimulation.

Through his career are trials and troubles, but Fouts always tries his best to overcome them, while keeping his chimpanzee charges interests in mind. Unfortunately, this leads him to be forced to choose between his chimp friends, and his fellow scientific peers.

The most touching part was his reunion after a 13 year separation with his friend Booee, who remembered him, and remembered his signs, though he presumably hadn't used them in so long. Booee was taken away from him, and used in a biomedical lab, where he was injected with Hepatitis.

An interesting point is made in regards to humans using animals for tests, and that is that we seek to dehumanize that which we don't fully understand. Humans have used humans for slaves, Nazis used Jews for medical experiments, and up until the 1970s the US government was running a syphilis study on unknowing black men. All of this is condemned now, and is unthinkable in today's world, but as we move from one thing, we replace it with another, and it seems that we've moved to chimps now.

I believe in the future we'll look back and not be able to imagine how we imprisoned and experimented on our evolutionary cousins. I just hope that day isn't too far off.

The book ultimately ends on a fairly happy note, but the separations are agonizing to read about, and I found my eyes welling with tears on more than one occasion. Despite that (because of that?) this book is one of my favorites in my library, and I highly suggest it.

Chimpanzee Intelligence
The traditional religious view was that we were created by God in His image, separate from the animal kingdom and special. When Darwin formulated the theory of evolution, we were not immediately associated as being related to other animals however over time we bit the bullet and accepted our place in the animal kingdom with our closest relatives being the chimpanzees.

Despite admitting we are animals, the common viewpoint was that all other animals were effectively robots, merely responding to stimuli and showing no indication of intelligence. Thanks to the works of the likes of Fouts, we are now forced to admit that even animals have levels of intelligence which match our youngest children and instead of intelligence being a binary yes or no, there is a continuum.

Now that we know that chimpanzees are intelligent, we have to ask ourself serious ethical questions about the treatment of animals. Fouts leaves no doubt in the minds of his readers that chimpanzees, as intelligent animals, should not suffer at the hands of humans who keep them in small cages or by testing chemicals or drugs on them.

This book is a roller-coaster ride of emotion, (mostly heart-breaking) of a scientist with his experiment and buddy Washoe who challenge the status quo to fight for those who have no voice and to give them a voice in the form of American Sign Language.

Without the likes of Fouts and Jane Goodall, we humans would be much worse off and we need to preserve our next of kin, who are dwindling in numbers. It's also a reminder to scientists who can often ignore ethical concerns either due to lack of funding or obliviousness.

We can learn so much from this book
Twenty-five years ago I volunteered in a primate lab that was teaching chimpanzees a symbolic language. I eagerly anticipated meeting the famous chimpanzee, Sarah, whom I read about in my college psychology text book. She, however, was not eager to meet me or anyone else. Confined permanently, she was no longer learning language skills, and she was isolated from humans and chimps alike because she was too dangerous to interact except through the bars of her cage. I had had no idea that this was her fate. It never occurred to me that teaching chimps language might not be in their best interests. The results were so fascinating and taught us so much about ourselves as humans; it seemed benevolent.

Reading Next of Kin, we receive a rare glimpse into the lives of primates in research - even seemingly benign research like language acquisition - from a researcher himself. Dr. Fouts is exceptional: he's a rigorous scientist who is also compassionate toward his research subjects, recognizing their plight and working to stop the incarceration and cruel treatment of primates in labs. He risks his career and threatens his own family's welfare through his integrity, and he never abandons Washoe, the first chimp to whom he taught sign language.

This revealing book teaches us so much about who we are as humans, and who our closest genetic relatives are. It teaches us about integrity and dedication. It invites our compassion.

I'm adopting this book as required reading in our Master of Education program in Humane Education at the Institute for Humane Education ([...]). It's that good and that important.

Although I was warned not to get too close to Sarah's cage those many years ago, I wanted to befriend her. One day as she stood across from me behind her bars, I twirled my finger and said to Sarah, "Turn around and I'll scratch your back." Sure enough, Sarah turned, pressed her back to the bars, and sank down to sit on the floor. I walked up to her cage and scratched her back. Although I didn't understand chimp; Sarah understood English.

Zoe Weil, President
Institute for Humane Education
[...]
[...]

Insightful for understanding autism & other human primate thinking processes
A very readable & enjoyable book. I especially enjoyed the chapter on autism & the origin of language.Fritjof Capra's book "Hidden Connections" referenced this informative & amusing text including the link between brain function involved with hand gesture, signing, & tongue movements that unexpectedly led to the promotion the uptake of speech in autistic.
There are many insights into the shared psychology of humans & other primates.Despite the physiological and genetic similarities of all primates that have made chimps attractive model organisms for research,it was interesting to read about the reluctance of biological scientists to accept the anthropomorphic traits of chimps. There can be little room for a claim to "value-free" objectivity by biomedical researchers who can apparently dismiss the psychological effects of enforced confinement & sensory deprivation, on the effectiveness of anti-viral medications, or a range of other pharmaceuticals.The author has shown considerable bravery & commitment to expanding this area of learning, despite the threats against his personal career by people with vested interests in ignoring or denying the contradictions to their implicit or explicit values.

Animals are people, too!
"Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees" is one of the most amazing, heartbreaking, and inspirational books I've ever read. The book is written by Roger Fouts, a primatologist who devoted his life to studying the language patterns of chimpanzees. While in graduate school, Roger was introduced to Washoe, a precocious young chimp who became fluent in American Sign Language. Eventually "Project Washoe" expanded to include many chimpanzees, all who learned to communicate with humans using ASL and demonstrated unique personalities, complex emotions, and astounding intelligence.

I've always been a big animal lover, but reading this book taught me so many things that I never knew before. Anyone who questions an animal's ability to think or feel will get a sharp reality check after reading this book. Chimpanzees are people, too, just as much as human beings are. Unfortunately, the majority if humans in this world don't agree with that logic, and thousands of animals, including chimpanzees, are routinely kidnapped from their natural habitats and bred in captivity for the sole purpose of participating in biomedical research. In many cases, medical laboratories house animals in appalling conditions and literally torture them to death. "Next of Kin" details the horrors that go on behind closed doors at biomedical laboratories, and chronicles the steps Fouts and other animal activists have taken to protect chimpanzees from being treated inhumanely.

I absolutely loved this book. Reading it made me feel close to Washoe and her chimpanzee friends, even though I never met any of them before. (Sadly, Washoe passed away last fall at the age of 42, but I hope to visit members of her family at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute in Washington someday.) Parts of this book are incredibly depressing and difficult to read, but hopefully learning about the terrible ways animals are treated will inspire people to take action. I admire everything that Fouts, his family, and his colleagues have done to protect chimpanzees, who are our next of kin on the great evolutionary scale. I hope other readers get as much out of this book as I did. ... Read more

Product Description
Chimpanzees, with their family and community life, group politics, and manual abilities, fascinate humans and provide up with many clues to our own evolution. In captivity, some chimpanzees have been taught to communicate using sign language or symbols. Such achievements, however, are little more than tricks compared to the remarkable skills they show in their own wild environment. Chimpanzees explores the lives of the chimpanzees and describes the differences between two species--the common chimpanzee and the pygmy chimpanzee, also known as the bonobo. The chapters cover: the daily life of chimpanzees, traveling, foraging, and socializing in their forest habitat; the stages of a young chimpanzee's development; the importance of experience in successful motherhood; the controlling hierarchy of male and female behavior, particularly in mating strategies; how chimpanzees use tools to solve problems of daily life; how they work as a team for hunting and protection; and how they use their social intelligence. With its lively narrative style, attractive design, and appealing photographs Chimpanzees informs and delights the reader.The intriguing world of our closest animal cousins, the chimpanzees, is explored in this richly detailed text and collection of superb photographs. From the intricacies of social organization and mating strategies to the making and using of tools, Chimpanzees builds a lively picture of the lives of these remarkable creatures. Author Tamsin Constable uses the latest research, new case studies, and her own observations of their everyday activities and interactions to provide this account. Packed with fascinating facts and extraordinary photographs, this book is one of three titles in a series about our primate relatives. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Stunning photographs, good text
For those who love chimpanzees, MAHALE is the perfect photographic look into their lives. Most of the 160 pages consist of full-page, glossy photographs of chimps and their habitat, taken in the Mahale Mountains National Park in Tanzania.You'll see a contemplative young chimp dabbling his fingers in a mountain stream, five chimps arranged in a grooming line, a female lounging in her day nest, chimps feeding and hunting, nurturing, playing. Much of their social lives are captured within these pages. Perhaps unfortunately, the accompanying text, while well-written and interesting, is overshadowed by the first-rate photography. The text supplies insights into the lives studied here:diet, social behavior, self-medicating techniques, adaptive behavior, and much more.As with most books about chimpanzees, MAHALE has a foreword written by Jane Goodall.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in chimpanzees and other non-human primates.

BEAUTIFUL
To anyone who loves chimpanzees: This book is wonderful!The pictures are absolutely beautiful! There are even little bits and pieces about researching chimps in the wild.To anyone who doesn't already love chimps: Read this book and you will! ... Read more

Product Description
Sheila Siddle's life was changed forever one fateful day in 1983 when a local game ranger brought a battered, malnourished chimpanzee to the door of her cattle ranch in central Zambia and asked her to do whatever possible to save it. As Sheila and her husband nursed it back to health, they treated the young chimp they would name Pal as if he were a human infant -- feeding him medicine and bottled milk, sharing their bed with him at night, and carrying him on their backs until he regained the strength to survive on his own. From these humble beginnings Sheila and David Siddle would go on to launch the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, an internationally acclaimed animal refuge that has grown to become the home for more than eighty chimps, one disarmingly domesticated hippopotamus named Billy, and a variety of other endangered animals. Currently the largest primate sanctuary in the world, Chimfunshi has been honored by the United Nations Environmental Programme as one of the Global 500 and called by Jane Goodall "the most wonderful place on earth." In My Family Tree is the uplifting story behind one woman's transformation from a grandmother on the brink of retirement to an international animal-rights activist -- and the unforgettable chimpanzees she has come to know and love along the way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Heart-Warming, Inspiring, and Compassionate
Sheila Siddle and her husband, David, are an amazing couple. They show that life is not over when you are at a "retirement" age. They created a whole chimpanzee sanctuary at such an age. Love, compassion, determination, and strong opinions of what is right and wrong all allowed the Siddles to reach out to animals in desperate need. In doing this, they also touch everyone with whom they come in to contact. Mrs. Siddle's book allows them to touch a great deal more of us. Thank you for all of your efforts and for this great book Mrs. Siddle!!

A Must Read
In this beautiful memoir, Sheila Siddle takes readers on magical journey--to Chimfunshi, a wildlife sanctuary Sheila and Dave Siddle founded in Zambia in 1983.Siddle's honest account of their work on behalf of chimpanzees will make you laugh out loud at the wonder and joy of working with wildlife.Siddle's prose also brings the battle for chimpanzees, which is far from won, into vivid and tragic relief.Filled with both humor and profound courage, this book is an inspiring must read for anyone who loves chimpanzees and all wildlife.

You can learn more about Chimfunshi at [the website] ... Read more