Gorilla Doctors:Saving Endangered Great Apes (Scientists in the Field Series)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A close connection
  • Fascinating account of gorilla vets at work
  • You'll feel like you're there
  • Exploring an Endangered Species
Gorilla Doctors:Saving Endangered Great Apes (Scientists in the Field Series)
Pamela S. Turner
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

NonfictionNonfiction | Apes & Monkeys | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0618445552

Book Description

Mountain gorillas are playful, curious, beautiful, and fiercely protective of their families. They are also one of the most endangered species in the world. For many years, mountain gorillas have faced the threat of t death at the hands of poachers. Funds raised by "gorilla tourism'bringing people into the forest to see these majestic animalshave helped protect gorillas. This tourism is vital, but close contact between gorillas and people has brought a new threat to the mountain gorillas: human disease. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is a group of courageous and talented scientists working to save the mountain gorilla population in Rwanda and Uganda. The "Gorilla Doctors" study the effects of human exposure, document the daily lives of the gorillas, provide emergency care to injured animals, and even act as foster parents to an orphaned gorilla baby named Fearless. Through engaging text and stunning photographs, Pamela Turner takes readers on an exploration like no other in this gripping tale of science, nature, and conservation.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A close connection.......2006-03-03

From the compelling portrait on the front cover, the photographs are one of the strongest features of this book. There are full-page photos of gorilla hands and feet that would be wonderful for actual comparison to a young readers' hands and feet. And this comparison would support one of the key messages of this book: humans and gorillas are very much alike. Sometimes that similarity is not such a good thing; for example, as humans and gorillas come into closer contact, the apes are catching human diseases which are hard for them to fight. Gorilla Doctors describes the work of veterinarians and other scientists who are struggling to keep the great apes safe in the wild. The language is very accessible, and could even work for a read-aloud to a younger child who's particuarly interested in gorillas.

5 out of 5 stars Fascinating account of gorilla vets at work.......2005-07-05

This engaging book follows staff members of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project as they provide medical care to endangered gorillas in Rwanda. Turner combines compelling stories of individual gorillas with clear explanations of how diseases are transferred between species. Kids will be intrigued by the detective work required to diagnose gorillas from a distance. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars You'll feel like you're there.......2005-06-07

A vivid portrayal of important work being done by gorilla vets in Rwanda. Written by a science writer who is also a skilled storyteller, it gives the reader a first-hand look at the plight of gorillas and what is being done to help them. Accounts of charming individual animals bring emotion to the fact-packed text.

5 out of 5 stars Exploring an Endangered Species.......2005-05-31

GORILLA DOCTORS takes readers into the amazing world of gorillas and introduces us to a group of dedicated veterinarians who are passionate about saving this endangered species. Pamela Turner does a fabulous job of explaining the problems the doctors face, while giving readers a sense of place for that part of the world that most of us will never see. Well illustrated with touching and informative photos of the scientists and apes.
World Atlas of Great Apes and their Conservation
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Valuable reference
  • Good Overview of Apes and Conservation
  • Most comprehensive great ape conservation book available
World Atlas of Great Apes and their Conservation
Julian Caldecott , and Lera Miles
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  4. Apes of the Impenetrable Forest (The Behavioral Ecology of Sympatiric Chimpanzees and Gorillas) (Primate Field Studies) Apes of the Impenetrable Forest (The Behavioral Ecology of Sympatiric Chimpanzees and Gorillas) (Primate Field Studies)
  5. The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates

ASIN: 0520246330

Book Description

Despite the dedicated efforts of many individuals and organizations, the great apes--our closest living relatives--are on the very edge of extinction. This sweeping atlas provides a comprehensive overview of what is currently known about all six species of great apes--chimpanzee, bonobo, Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, eastern gorilla, and western lowland gorilla. Created in association with The Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), this book gives a thorough background on ape behavior and ecology for each species, including detailed habitat requirements, the apes' ecological role, and the possible consequences of their decline. World Atlas of Great Apes also offers a full description of the threats, current conservation efforts, and additional protection needed for each species across its entire range. Many full-color maps and illustrations make the abundance of information accessible to a broad readership, from specialists and policymakers to general readers concerned about the survival of these charismatic primates.
This book represents the work of a dynamic alliance of many of the world's leading great ape research and conservation organizations. Bringing together United Nations agencies, governments, foundations, and private-sector interests, the project aims to raise the international profile of great ape conservation and to build the political will for further action. Readers learn about work being done by specific organizations in support of great ape conservation, and where conservation is most needed and most likely to be effective.


¥Covers all six species of great apes
¥Provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive data available
¥More than 150 full-color photos
¥More than 50 full-color maps and diagrams

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Valuable reference.......2007-05-10

The World Atlas of Great Apes and their Conservation is a welcomed and appreciated publication. The material contained within is well researched and well presented, making it an invaluable reference for anyone wanting to know about the biology of great apes, their distribution, threats to their survival and actions being taken with respect conservation of Great Apes. The title has many applications - from those working in fields of zoology through to those wanting to develop educational information about Great Apes. It also provides insight into those factors that contribute to the success of conservation endeavours. I'd have no hestitation in recommending this reference.

4 out of 5 stars Good Overview of Apes and Conservation.......2006-03-14

This book contains good information for anyone who is interested in an overview of apes and conservation. It provides behavioral descriptions of the different ape species, and gives a good analysis of the many different issues affecting conservation in today's ape environments. I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in either apes or conservation efforts around the world.

5 out of 5 stars Most comprehensive great ape conservation book available.......2006-03-01

This book is amazing. It is the most comprehensive and up-to-date great ape conservation book available. It is easy to understand even if you aren't a biologist and filled with wonderful photos and maps. I recommend this book to anyone with a love for great apes or the environment in general. Plus, royalties go to the Great Apes Survival Project so you feel good when you buy the book.
The Great Ape Project: Equality Beyond Humanity
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • good collection
  • Tearing down the walls that divide
  • Compelling Case for Sentience Rights
  • Well written and fascinating
  • Fascinating
The Great Ape Project: Equality Beyond Humanity

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 031211818X

Book Description

A compelling and revolutionary work that calls for the immediate extension of our human rights to the great apes.

The Great Ape Project looks forward to a new stage in the development of the community of equals, whereby the great apes-chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans-will actually receive many of the same protections and rights that are already accorded to humans.

This profound collection of thirty-one essays by the world's most distinguished observers of free-living apes make up a uniquely satisfying whole, blending observation and interpretation in a highly persuasive case for a complete reassessment of the moral status of our closest kin.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars good collection.......2002-05-20

"The Great Ape Project" is a good collection of reasons for supporting the project of the same name.

5 out of 5 stars Tearing down the walls that divide.......2000-10-09

This book is an excellent source of information provided by a variety of scientific and legal experts. The authors show us the rich emotional and cultural lives of non-human great apes. Researchers who use other apes because of their genetic and psychological complexity ought to be required to read this book. Indeed, the one flaw of this book is the fact that a few chapters are the works of researchers who have used, for example, the linguistic talents of other apes to advance their own careers. Other sections of the book, including a chapter vividly comparing the non-human and human slave trade, and a description of the case for legal rights based on the personhood of hominids, underscore that flaw with haunting and brilliant sensitivity.

Overall, The Great Ape Project lucidly demonstrates the unconscionability of continuing to use the other apes for experimentation, for teaching, for trade in their body parts, and in the entertainment industry. Moreover, it inspires us to broaden our definition of slavery to include our nearest living relatives.

5 out of 5 stars Compelling Case for Sentience Rights.......1999-07-06

The contributors make a compelling case for sentience rights for higher primates based on strong empirical evidence and demonstrable harm caused to other higher primates that infringes on their rights claims as sentient beings. I would ask if the authors might consider a similar work that expands the case for cetacean rights on the same basis, though.

4 out of 5 stars Well written and fascinating.......1999-05-16

The essays in this book are remarkable and well done. A very important work for the animal rights movement. I did find it a little repetitive at times, but this did not detract from the point of the book, to make us aware of how closely related great apes really are to us, and their capacity to communicate in a human language.

4 out of 5 stars Fascinating.......1997-04-22

I have to admit, our family's copy of the Great Ape Project sat on the shelf for a few years before I got around to looking at it.I had deep reservations about the book, fearing that it would lead to a reinforcement of anthropocentric criteria for moral standing.However, once I started reading I was hooked. The huge number of contributors with many different viewpoints ranging from rather anthropocentric to radical animal rights make for a lively read. In addition, the book is chockablock full of fascinating information about the great apes--they really are more similar to us than even I, an animal rightist for years, would have thought possible. A challenging book that raises the questions: what does it mean to be human? And how can we justify treating our fellow great apes the way we do?
Three Men Seeking Monsters: Six Weeks in Pursuit of Werewolves, Lake Monsters, Giant Cats, Ghostly Devil Dogs, and Ape-Men
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • You cannot say it's not entertaining
  • Scooby Doo-ish activities
  • A fun book
  • A Rollicking Good Time For All
  • Great read for adolescents... not so good for adults...
Three Men Seeking Monsters: Six Weeks in Pursuit of Werewolves, Lake Monsters, Giant Cats, Ghostly Devil Dogs, and Ape-Men
Nick Redfern
Manufacturer: Paraview Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743482549

Book Description

They sought out the strange.

They investigated the inexplicable.

They had one hell of a hangover.

On an odyssey of oddities that would take them all to the very limits of their imagination (and inebriation), bestselling author Nick Redfern teamed up with professional monster-hunters Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman. For six weeks in the summer of 2001, the intrepid-yet-hard-partying trio rampaged across the remote wilds of Great Britain in hot pursuit of werewolves, lake monsters, giant cats, ghostly devil dogs, and ape-men. Their adventures led them deep into ancient forests, into the dark corridors of a mansion hiding a wild man, and to the shores of the legendary Loch Ness -- along the way encountering all manner of curious characters, including witches, government agents, and eyewitnesses who claim to have seen monsters firsthand. And only at journey's end did the hard questions posed at the start of their quest begin to reveal some mind-bending answers. That monsters truly do exist in our world. And that we are responsible for their existence!

Whether you're seeking a glimpse into the bizarre reaches of reality, or just looking for a good time, Three Men Seeking Monsters is a uniquely gonzo trek with a trio of adventurers who pushed themselves to the edge -- and went right over it.

Download Description

"They sought out the strange. They investigated the inexplicable. They had one hell of a hangover. On an odyssey of oddities that would take them all to the very limits of their imagination (and inebriation), bestselling author Nick Redfern teamed up with professional monster-hunters Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman. For six weeks in the summer of 2001, the intrepid-yet-hard-partying trio rampaged across the remote wilds of Great Britain in hot pursuit of werewolves, lake monsters, giant cats, ghostly devil dogs, and ape-men. Their adventures led them deep into ancient forests, into the dark corridors of a mansion hiding a wild man, and to the shores of the legendary Loch Ness -- along the way encountering all manner of curious characters, including witches, government agents, and eyewitnesses who claim to have seen monsters firsthand. And only at journey's end did the hard questions posed at the start of their quest begin to reveal some mind-bending answers. That monsters truly do exist in our world. And that we are responsible for their existence! Whether you're seeking a glimpse into the bizarre reaches of reality, or just looking for a good time, Three Men Seeking Monsters is a uniquely gonzo trek with a trio of adventurers who pushed themselves to the edge -- and went right over it. "

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars You cannot say it's not entertaining.......2006-10-14

During the summer of 2001, Nick Redfern, a British ufologist and author, went on a six-week adventure together with his two friends Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman from The Centre for Fortean Zoology, a British cryptozoological organization. Redfern was in the middle of moving to America, but his friends weren't going to allow him to leave without a last great adventure together. Initially they "only" planned on investigating a creature known as The Man Monkey of Ranton, but it soon became apparent that the British Isles hade many more mysteries for the adventurous trio. Accompanied by various punk rock and enormous quantities of beer the three companions traveled the countryside in a car they named The Mystery Machine and interviewed all sorts of people, ending up in one bizarre situation after the other.

After having had a strange encounter with a witch, spent a night in a mysterious mansion, searched for werewolves, monkey men, the Loch Ness monster, devil dogs, giant cats, and so on, something becomes clear to them. Is it possible that some, perhaps all, of those strange beings that are seen from time to time all over world have some sort of paranormal origin? Instead of being "normal" physical beings, is it possible that they're in fact psychic manifestations, who feed on emotional reactions of human beings and come from an alternative or parallel dimension? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Hmm... does this sound a little too out there for you? Well, don't worry. This book is highly entertaining, nonetheless.

Because, even though the trio end up in bizarre situations and discuss freaky ideas, the level of discussion still remains both sober (except for the beer...) and reasonable. Each chapter begins with lyrics from a song by the Ramones and the dialogue is filled with great humor. It might not be the most scholarly book in the world, but it sure is entertaining.

So I'm really glad I got the chance to read it.

2 out of 5 stars Scooby Doo-ish activities.......2005-10-27

This book is like sneaking into a graveyard at night, you find that, yes it is spooky, but nothing much exciting really occurs. I found the book to lack any revelation other than some tall tales I hadn't heard before, which Redfern seems to leave with the reader as the reward for buying his book. It's a light read and more about his two buddies hanging out with him drinking than any serious adventure. This would of been the type of adventure you probably would of liked to have had in college, so it's not unentertaining...but I would not see this as a must buy unless you feel Nick needs the donation.

5 out of 5 stars A fun book.......2005-05-02

Whether you believe in monsters or not this is a very enjoyable book to read. I happen to like the Hunter S.Thompson school of writing and this book was a little gem.

5 out of 5 stars A Rollicking Good Time For All.......2004-09-27

Mr. Redfern and his merrie band of British fortean eccentrics takes us on a journey the likes of which we have not seen since the days of Dr. Johnson sojourning to the north or the askew tales of Laurence Sterne. These blokes are the kind that you'd like to know for serious drinking and tale telling round a fireplace. Yet their historical research is sound, students of local fortean folklore will note. I find the tulpa theory neither "tired" nor overworked in throwing light on incidents of the unexplained. What Mr. Redfern & company do is synthesize the "passport to magonia' ideas of Jacque Vallee with the trickster/metamind theories of John Keel along with their own experiences while on this madcap road trip. The tulpa idea has merit and is worthy of further exploration. The cast of characters encountered in this work range from the frighteningly memorable to the freakish and pathetic. On the whole this is not a scholarly exploration of the paranormal, but if you're as weary as I am of anal retentive pontification or blind belief as with most paranormal books today, this is refreshing & fun.

2 out of 5 stars Great read for adolescents... not so good for adults..........2004-08-01

A childhood friend bought this book for me purely out of nostalgia and I grudgingly read it over the course of a weekend.
As a kid, I really enjoyed reading monster and UFO books. Tales of Bigfoot and Yeti fascinated me. As I got older these sorts of books fell out of style with me, mainly because by the time I entered High School I had gained a fairly good grasp on the scientific process and skepticism.

Looking back I realize that my youthful fascination with this type of literature had more to do with an over all fascination with Science Fiction and Fantasy. I consider these books to be ?reality fantasy? ? completely unverifiable, yet spooky stories best to be read for the fun of it and not to be taken seriously.

The book puts forth the tired Tupla theory, which is that strange creatures and UFOs are not physical but rather are thought projections. As the book tells it, there is a realm of immaterial sprits all around us who somehow feed off our emotions by visual manifesting themselves as Aliens, Werewolves and Wild Men. It?s very contrived to say the least and ultimately causes the book to fail. Not once throughout the book does the author mention mental illness, hallucinogenic drugs or other more down to earth causes for some of the phenomena he recounts, although he does mention that some eye witnesses may have been influenced by works of fiction and over obsessive imaginations. Still, the author cannot escape painting himself into a corner of discredit due to a simple lack of believability.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the exact things I enjoyed about other Fortean style literature as a child: the chilling second hand accounts of strange sightings and events. Sadly, this book is only partly about historical accounts of Wild Men and Unexplained Big Cats. The majority of the book is an amateurish attempt at recounting drunken (and possibly drug induced) misadventures of a trio of English misfits.

At times, the book is very bloated as the author meanders off subject to relate a nightmare or other experience he or someone he knew had. Overall, the book could probably be cut to half the size and made infinitely more readable. I?ve personally read better self published works before and I?m led to wonder if the editor was asleep at the wheel on this one, or perhaps thought the readership wouldn?t be expecting too much anyway.

I give the book two stars instead of one because I think that young readers ? perhaps middle school age ? would enjoy it. Over all, the book isn?t too poorly written, although the author?s habit of starting each chapter off with a lyric from a Ramones song grew old quickly and flags him as having poor style.
Great Ape Societies
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Great Ape Societies

    Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    Apes & MonkeysApes & Monkeys | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0521555361

    Book Description

    The Great Apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) are our closest living relatives, sharing a common ancestor only five million years ago. We also share key features such as high intelligence, omnivorous diets, prolonged child-rearing and rich social lives. The Great Apes show a surprising diversity of adaptations, particularly in social life, ranging from the solitary life of orangutans, through patriarchy in gorillas to complex but different social organizations in bonobos and chimpanzees. As Great Apes are so close to humans, comparisons yield essential knowledge for modeling human evolutionary origins. Great Ape Societies provides comprehensive up-to-date syntheses of work on all four species, drawing on decades of international field work, zoo and laboratory studies. It will be essential reading for students and researchers in primatology, anthropology, psychology and human evolution.
    Great Apes
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Great Apes

      Manufacturer: Yale University
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000HMQFNW
      The great bustard and other people;: Containing: How to tell your friends from the apes and How to become extinct,
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        The great bustard and other people;: Containing: How to tell your friends from the apes and How to become extinct,
        Will Cuppy
        Manufacturer: Murray Hill Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding

        GeneralGeneral | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: B0007DW5N0
        Great Apes (Self, Will)
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Not your father's Gulliver's Travels
        • Just a waste of time
        • brilliant
        • beneath the planet of the humans
        • Alternative reality?
        Great Apes (Self, Will)
        Will Self
        Manufacturer: Grove Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        Self, WillSelf, Will | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0802135765

        Book Description

        Like Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, Great Apes is a strange and twisted tale, a surreal satire on the human condition, and an omen for those who wander too far. After a long night of partying, Simon Dykes, a successful British painter, wakes up to find that his girlfriend has turned into a chimpanzee. In fact, the world Simon once knew has become a planet of apes. Convinced he is still human, Simon is confined to the emergency ward of a hospital and put under the care of Dr. Zack Busner, clinical psychologist, radical psychoanalyst, maverick drug researcher, and media personality. Written with the glittering satiric edge that is Self's hallmark, Great Apes is a hilarious, disturbing, and truly unforgettable novel.

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Not your father's Gulliver's Travels.......2007-08-15

        One of the funniest, most dazzling linguistic and intellectual displays I've read in years. Self's gleefully coprolalic, vertiginously fluid command of the English language recalls Joyce; his skillfully wrought satiric vision, Swift or perhaps Vonnegut. He takes what seems to be a simple conceit--what if chimpanzees had become the dominant culture instead of humans?--and uses it to explore and to challenge our cherished notions of what makes us human. I wasn't completely satisfied with the "cute" ending, though (and this book is definitely NOT one to recommend to polite company; e.g., anyone whose idea of social satire is Jane Austen). From prose rhythm to prodigious vocabulary, Self pays attention to the little things that separate literature from beach reading (though I'll admit I did read this on the beach, and guffawed loudly enough to scare off many flocks of seagulls).

        2 out of 5 stars Just a waste of time.......2005-07-29

        Great Apes was a waste of time to read. The author was obviously trying to comment on modern society through a "Planet Of The Apes" type gimmick, but the payoff isn't worth the effort. The author really doesn't have much of anything important to say, and comes off as more interested in painting a picture of what the world would be like if chimps were dominant, rather than saying anything new about what humans are like. It would have worked better as light reading sci-fi where the fantasy setting *is* the story. When I got to the end I thought "Is that it?". Self thinks he's pretty clever but the gimmick gets in the way. In the end, it wasn't worth my time.

        4 out of 5 stars brilliant.......2004-07-12

        There really isn't too much to add to what others have said in reviewing the book. This is a world weary cynical satire of human life which is one of the funniest things I have read in years. Having said that boy oh boy does it make you think. As I read about life through the eyes of a chimp that which is initially hysterically funny becomes less so when you realise what you are reading parallels aspects of your own life.
        Despite my review seeming somewhat contradictory in its 'effulgence' of this book I would recommend it to anyone and all my friends have had it for Christmas or a birthday and now they are passing it on to others.

        4 out of 5 stars beneath the planet of the humans.......2004-03-07

        A wicked view of humanity and its hypocrisies. A great novel to make you think about humans, their genetic programming and their place in the world. It also satirises the contemporary art scene in London and the academic world ruthlessly.

        A substantial and important work, even if it is extremely seamy and seedy. It reminded me of visions like Anthony Burgess's Clockwork Orange and seems to sit well in the British tradition of satire going back to Swift.

        5 out of 5 stars Alternative reality?.......2003-03-02

        For those who've journeyed before into Will Self's London, there's bound to be lots that's familiar in "Great Apes": the themes of drug abuse, psychiatry, obsession with sex and so on. Indeed, you could view "Great Apes" as a mere variation on the stories in "The Quantity Theory of Insanity" and "Grey Area" (the characters will ring lots of bells).

        The plot centres on the chimpanzee artist Simon Dykes, who imagines he's really a human, and finds help in the shape of the eminent psychiatrist/academic/TV personality Dr Zack Busner. Part of Busner's therapy is to take Dykes to meet real humans at London Zoo, in the hope that when confronted with humanity, Dykes will recover his real (chimp) nature. Will Busner succeed?

        The big attraction of "Great Apes" is its sheer imaginativeness: the London is this novel is a chimpanzee-based society. The interest and sheer fun of the novel derive from that - it's great to be carried along on Self's outrageous imagination, enjoying his identification of differences between the real world and his imagined "chimpworld" (but far more enjoyable than that is spotting where things are pretty much the same!).

        Great fun.

        G Rodgers
        The Heart of the Beast: Eight Great Gorilla Stories
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Fun and informative
        • Very educational and entertaining book
        • The Heart of the Beast -- Loved It!!
        The Heart of the Beast: Eight Great Gorilla Stories
        Nancy Roe-Pimm
        Manufacturer: Darby Creek Publishing
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        NonfictionNonfiction | Apes & Monkeys | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        ZoologyZoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 1581960549

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Fun and informative .......2007-06-11

        "The Heart Of The Beast: Eight Great Gorilla Stories" by animal enthusiast Nancy Roe Pimm (who once worked as a docent at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio, giving tours of the zoo and eventually serving as an animal handler at local school assemblies) has compiled eight true stories featuring well-known gorillas that reveal the ability of these powerful animals to be caring, communicating, protecting, and grieving. Mostly docile animals that like to spend their days caring for and playing with their young, foraging for plants, and even 'singing', children will learn about the history, behaviors and nature of these largest members of the ape family. Replete with facts and anecdotes, expertly illustrated with color photography, "The Heart Of The Beast" is a fun and informative addition recommended for inclusion into family, elementary school, and community library Pets & Wildlife collections.

        5 out of 5 stars Very educational and entertaining book.......2007-05-30

        My family thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was informative yet written in terms we could understand. My youngest son read it twice.

        5 out of 5 stars The Heart of the Beast -- Loved It!!.......2007-03-22

        This is a great book for readers of any age. Even if you don't think you have a particular interest in gorillas, you cannot help but become more interested as you read these stories. They are informative,surprising, and even touching. I found myself teary-eyed after reading some of these gorillas' stories. This is not a book for children only -- adults will enjoy it just as much. The stories and facts are broken into short sections, so it's very easy to pick up and put down if you don't have a lot of time to read all at once. You will probably find yourself wanting to go to your local zoo to observe the gorillas after learning more about them in this book.
        The Nature of Play: Great Apes and Humans
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Nature of Play: Great Apes and Humans

          Manufacturer: The Guilford Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          Child PsychologyChild Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | Development | Psychology
          Developmental PsychologyDevelopmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
          PrimatologyPrimatology | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
          PrimatologyPrimatology | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits (Bradford Books) The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits (Bradford Books)
          2. Animal Play: Evolutionary, Comparative and Ecological Perspectives Animal Play: Evolutionary, Comparative and Ecological Perspectives

          ASIN: 1593851170

          Book Description

          This uniquely integrative volume brings together leading experts in developmental psychology and animal behavior to provide a new perspective on the nature and functions of play. In an introductory chapter, distinguished ethologist Patrick Bateson describes how youthful exploration and games contribute to both individual development and group survival--not only in humans, but in other species as well. Parallel chapters then examine social play, object play, and pretend play in humans and great apes, providing a broader context for understanding why human children behave the way they do. While much of the knowledge on human play comes from industrialized Western societies, the book also features important chapters on hunter-gatherer and pastoral cultures. Throughout, a rich array of black-and-white photographs and other illustrations enliven this authoritative work.

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