On September 6, 2007, an African Grey parrot named Alex died prematurely at age thirty-one. His last words to his owner, Irene Pepperberg, were “You be good. I love you.”What would normally be a quiet, very private event was, in Alex’s case, headline news. Over the thirty years they had worked together, Alex and Irene had become famous—two pioneers who opened an unprecedented window into the … into the hidden yet vast world of animal minds. Alex’s brain was the size of a shelled walnut, and when Irene and Alex first met, birds were not believed to possess any potential for language, consciousness, or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. Yet, over the years, Alex proved many things. He could add. He could sound out words. He understood concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none. He was capable of thought and intention. Together, Alex and Irene uncovered a startling reality: We live in a world populated by thinking, conscious creatures.
The fame that resulted was extraordinary. Yet there was a side to their relationship that never made the papers. They were emotionally connected to one another. They shared a deep bond far beyond science. Alex missed Irene when she was away. He was jealous when she paid attention to other parrots, or even people. He liked to show her who was boss. He loved to dance. He sometimes became bored by the repetition of his tests, and played jokes on her. Sometimes they sniped at each other. Yet nearly every day, they each said, “I love you.”
Alex and Irene stayed together through thick and thin—despite sneers from experts, extraordinary financial sacrifices, and a nomadic existence from one university to another. The story of their thirty-year adventure is equally a landmark of scientific achievement and of an unforgettable human-animal bond.
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Always been fascinated by greys.
Amazing work with an African gray parrot over thirty years to study his ability to understand words and concepts such as size, color, number, and same/different. The tragedy was Alex’s sudden death, about twenty years before his expected lifespan. The author had worked with the bird nearly every day and was devastated by his death, although she …
This book made me aware of how little I know about animal intelligence studies. It is very interesting, sometimes funny and a little sad. What great strides were made in this area during the time period covered in this book.
Loved it!
You can’t help bonding with a bird who talks like a person. Loved the Alex story, but it is sad that he did not make it past age 31 years, very young for a parrot to die. You can’t help but wonder how much more he could have learned over time.
Wanted to hear more about Alex and less about the author. Lost patience with the author as Alex clearly demonstrated himself to be an intelligent being, and she continued to treat him as a test subject.
This just wasn’t my cup of tea (and I really like parrots!). A bit to much detail and in depth for my tastes. Your mileage my vary.
Loved it. Very surprising at times. Held my interest. Enjoyable and incredible. Avery good read.
Something everyone should read.
Start at end of chapter 2
then it’s great
Very interesting. I was intrigued by the idea of birds’ intelligence and teaching them to speak words. This book actually explained the daily life of a person working with a bird that she loves. But, I felt very sad at the end.
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. I fell in love with Alex and wish I could have met him. This book is funny, fascinating and a bit sad. I was amazed at what I learned from this story.
Wonderful but heartbreaking.
One of the most inspiring books I’ve read in a long time. The patience that the author/scientist exhibited was amazing as was her fight to keep the project alive. Alex is a hero who opened our eyes to what animals are capable of.
My cockatiel loves this movie and I play it for him and he just talks back to the TV and enjoys himself.
This true story about an extraordinary scientist and a true character of an African Grey Parrot had me crying in the first chapter, laughing through most of the rest and saddened at the end of the story. I remember watching programs about Alex on PBS and this was the icing on the cake for me. Recommend this to anyone who wants a great read.
I enjoy reading anything regarding animals. I had a Grey (Beemer) for over 23 years and could relate so much of what Dr Pepperburg said. Yes, her story brought tears many times, but so many happy memories. I had to give my ‘ baby ‘ away after my health declined and I can still hear him say ” I love you.” They get along with any animals that you …
We are all One!
Couldn’t finish, way too technical.
The detailed process of how to raise a Grey Parrot. I was fascinated with the training process and the knowledge that it netted.