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Alex & Me LP: How A Scientist And A Parrot Discovered A Hidden World Of Animal Intelligence--and Formed A Deep Bond In The Process (2008)

by Irene M. Pepperberg(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0061734845 (ISBN13: 9780061734847)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

HarperLuxe

review 1: A very readable and interesting book about Irene Pepperberg's work with an African Grey parrot. Since I am a hobby scientist I figured I should start with this book before moving onto the more detailed book of studies (which I am very interested to read now that I have the gist of the work.)Alex and Me is actually rather a fluffy read but still conveys the importance of the work as well as the struggles Pepperberg has in maintaining the studies. There are only minor "memoir" aspects to the book so even though the author mentions a little about her childhood experiences with birds and her failing marriage, there is no dwelling on her personal life per se (career moves aside). Some of the anecdotes are hilarious, especially for those familiar with bird antics of any kind, bu... moret the tone of the book is quite bittersweet since it was written in the wake of Alex's unexpected death. 8 pages of black and white photos are a nice addition.
review 2: I found this book engaging but profoundly depressing. I also have an African Grey parrot and I know first hand what intelligent, perceptive, funny, curious, exhausting, fascinating and demanding individuals they are. I don't doubt for a second Alex's intelligence or his understanding of what he was taught. What I found so depressing was that the book is so clinical, and so oddly without much empathy at all for Alex as an independent being outside the experiment. Kudos to Dr. Pepperburg for increasing awareness of how intelligent parrots are, but I almost had to stop reading at the part where Alex wistfully says "tree" when he sees one out the window from the lab - never having been allowed outside. less

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