Good Night, Gorilla

Average customer rating:

Beautifully illustrated...
Don't get the Picture Puffin Books (Sagebrush) edition
A Must For Your Child's Library
My Daughter's (and Our) Favorite
GREAT BOOK

Good Night, Gorilla
Peggy Rathmann
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Jamberry
Goodnight Moon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book
Time for Bed

ASIN: 0399230033

Book Description:
We share about 98 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees, our closest biological cousins. And never have the similarities between simians and humans been so amusingly and brilliantly captured as in Monkey Portratis. Jill Greenberg has spent 15 years photographing celebrities--from Clint Eastwood to Drew Barrymore--for leading publications, but has recently focused on actors of a different sort. She has been photographing monkeys and apes, many of whom have appeared on film or in television shows. Her intimate portraits of these animals convey a startling range of emotions and personalities, and evoke an almost eerie sense of recognition. Each of these 76 amazingly anthropomorphic photographs will remind you of someone you know. These monkeys in all their glory will cause you to laugh out loud and to wonder just how different we truly are.

Monkey Business

Dax

Pumpkin

Mala

Dax [Exclusive Outtake]

Dax [Exclusive Outtake]

Book Description

Book Description:We share about 98 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees, our closest biological cousins. And never have the similarities between simians and humans been so amusingly and brilliantly captured as in Monkey Portratis. Jill Greenberg has spent 15 years photographing celebrities--from Clint Eastwood to Drew Barrymore--for leading publications, but has recently focused on actors of a different sort. She has been photographing monkeys and apes, many of whom have appeared on film or in television shows. Her intimate portraits of these animals convey a startling range of emotions and personalities, and evoke an almost eerie sense of recognition. Each of these 76 amazingly anthropomorphic photographs will remind you of someone you know. These monkeys in all their glory will cause you to laugh out loud and to wonder just how different we truly are.Monkey Business DaxPumpkin Mala Dax [Exclusive Outtake]Dax [Exclusive Outtake]

Customer Reviews:

Photoshopped?.......2007-10-12

From what I've seen (and I haven't seen the whole book), these portraits are really good. However, some of them look a bit "doctored". Anybody else have this thought?

Only connect........2007-08-31

The response elicited by these stunningly emotional portraits are like nothing I have experienced in years of looking at photographs of animals.
I agree with the reviewer who suggested you ignore the captions. These are prime examples of photographs that transend the 1000 words they may be worth. Priceless.

An array of photographs that are highly original.......2007-08-28

Standout photos of monkeys and great apes that are interesting, funny and in many cases, arresting. The photographer must have had outstanding rapport with her subjects to get such individualistic images.

AWESOME!!!.......2007-07-18

This is a fantastic book of monkey portraits! Every image is a beautiful view into the humanity of ...MONKEYS!!! I love it!

Pride!.......2007-06-18

Ms. Greenberg's extraordinary talent reminds me why I love monkeys and am proud to be related.

Peter Cavanaugh
wildwednesday.com

Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)

Average customer rating:

MY BOY LOVES READING IT
Good Mornig Gorillas
My son has enjoyed all 26 of this series so far!
Wonder-full!
Good Morning Gorillas

Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25)
Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27)
High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House 28)
Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Twister On Tuesday (Magic Tree House #23)

ASIN: 0375806148
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Book Description

The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie off to the mountains of Africa. There they run into a huge mountain gorilla! At first they don’t know whether they should shake hands or turn tail. But the ominous-looking creature turns out to be surprisingly gentle. Not only that, the gorilla may be able to help them learn their next bit of magic, which Morgan has challenged them to do.

Customer Reviews:

MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

Good Mornig Gorillas.......2006-12-15

Good Morning gorillas
Good Morning Gorillas is by Mary Pope Osborne. In this magic tree house book, the main Characters are Jack and Annie is in the rain forest. This book is about jack and Annie meeting a little gorilla who leads them to his family and becoming close friends. What I think the author is saying is you can become friends with animals. I can't tell my favorite part because it's the end and I don't want to give away the ending. But even though it was sad I loved it. I think it would be a good book for people who love animals.
-Michelle, 9

My son has enjoyed all 26 of this series so far!.......2006-12-03

I am not sure what else my 6 yrs old son has stayed with for so long! We read a chapter every night at bedtime. He looks forward to it every night. He has enjoyed very book and he gets excited for the next one. We are up to #26 now and he shows no sign of losing interest!

He has learned about earthquakes, Roman empire, Shakespeare, Indians, American Revolutionary war, etc.

Excellent series...entertaining and educational.

Wonder-full!.......2006-11-10

This whole series is absolutely "the best" ! In our family, children under eight have loved listening to each of them as read-alouds, and as they get older, they've devoured them again while reading on their own. Each one is a guaranteed hit as a birthday or holiday gift too.

Good Morning Gorillas.......2006-02-28

Gorillas in the Mountains of Africa!

Good Morning Gorillas by Mary Pope Osborne is an adventurous animal fiction story. The two main characters are Jack who takes notes wherever he goes and Annie who is very adventurous in finding new friends and clues. Jack and Annie travel in the magic tree house to go to the jungle in the mountains of Africa. They are going to Africa to save gorillas from extinction. I liked this book because it is an exciting story about Jack and Annie's encounter with huge gorillas. It is a very brave and nice thing to save the gorillas because they are an endangered species. I recommend this book for all children ages nine and up. You can learn about gorillas and their suprising gentle nature. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.

Average customer rating:

All my kids love this book
Hug is the Greatest
This is a GREAT book....
This is good but not great
we love this author!

Hug

Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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Good Night, Gorilla
Tall
Time for Bed
Jamberry
Yes

ASIN: 0763615765
Release Date: 2001-11-12

Amazon.co.uk

How can it be that a book with only one word--hug--repeated throughout, can be so good? The proof is in the pudding (or the wilds of Africa) in Jez Alborough's picture book Hug, a delightful mini odyssey of a baby chimpanzee on the hunt for his mum and a cuddle.

Our little friend wanders through the trees, witnessing many other animals from chameleons to giraffes as they snuggle together. "Hug," he says, happily, at first, but then with growing despair as he sees there are no hugs for him. The story is told purely by the expression on the little chimp's face as his hopes are built up and dashed again until eventually, with a huge smile, he finds his mum and reaps the reward.

Hug is a clever, unusual book that portrays the art of children's illustration at its very best: a story brought to life with the stroke of a brush through facial expressions and body language that children will immediately understand.

Ideal for sharing with small ones, this lovely book is a warm, comforting read that cannot fail to please. (Ages 1 to 4)

Book Description

"Alborough's simplicity results in another gem."
—School Library Journal

Bobo needs a hug. But his friends don't seem to understand. "Hug," he implores, time and again. Time and again his puzzled pals—from the smallest chameleon to the tallest giraffe—shrug and cuddle with their jungle mothers. As the lonely chimp's plea escalates, his friends grow concerned. Can the elephants lead Bobo to his heart's desire? Jez Alborough, the acclaimed author-illustrator of WHERE'S MY TEDDY?, IT'S THE BEAR!, and MY FRIEND BEAR transforms a total of three words—and some of the most tenderly expressive animals ever created—into an endearing tribute to love and belonging.

Customer Reviews:

All my kids love this book.......2007-07-20

I have three kids: 5,3,and1 year(s) old. They all love this book and because there isn't really much text, besides the word "hug" they can all read the story. After reading it to them it always gives us a reason to hug....and don't we all need a little reason to do that more?

Hug is the Greatest.......2007-04-19

Few childrens' books are as tender and entertaining as this one. Just goes to show that all a kid really needs is a hug from someone they love, in this case Mommy.

A monkey is lost in the jungle. As he/she tries to find Mom the reader meets many colorful and fascinating animals. These exotic creatures are a great learning opportunity for younger readers to identify, imitate, even spell the names of each animal. And of course we are treated to a touching reunion with Mom.

A simple story, told with tenderness and sincerity.

This is a GREAT book...........2007-04-11

My now 2 year old niece has had to have this book read to her every since she was about 11 months old. She still loves it to this day!! As a matter of fact she loves all the Jez Alborough books with little "Bobo" in them!! ANd any monkey is "Bobo" and needs a hug!!!

This is good but not great.......2007-04-07

I bought this due to good reviews and great pictures but I have to say, I got bored with it quickly. My daughter just now 3 is just starting to get it.

we love this author!.......2007-02-06

The illustrations are amazing! What's great about this book is that because of the limited use of words, a parent can embellish and vary the story each time it's read. It's also nice that the words are illustrated as opposed to written at the bottom of the page in a typestyle. It is SUCH a special book that conveys a sweet, simple message.

Average customer rating:

CG is PHAT
george is wonderful
Just as good as the original stories

Curious George Goes to the Beach
H. A. Rey , H.A. , Margaret Rey , Vipah Interactive , and Margret Rey
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Curious George in the Snow
Curious George Makes Pancakes (Curious George)
Curious George and the Birthday Surprise (Curious George)
Curious George and the Puppies
Curious George Visits the Zoo (Curious George)

ASIN: 0395978386

Product Description

Sunburst Type through Time Single

Customer Reviews:

CG is PHAT.......2007-05-09

My son and I love to read about the curious monkey. This book is great!

george is wonderful.......2002-10-16

George is good to read after an exasperating day with your toddler or preschooler. It reminds you that it could be worse, you could REALLY have a monkey to care for, and your monkeys don't really mean to get into mischief, they are just very very curiouus.

Just as good as the original stories.......2000-06-22

To date my daughter has been reading the "Curious George" books that belonged to my husband when he was a child. I was a little skeptical that the newly written stories would capture the same spirit as those written more than 30 years ago. However, my daughter absolutely loved it especially as both the storyline and the illustrations were more detailed than usual and made it fun for her to point out different things and extend into a discussion with us about beaches, lifesaving etc. Like her other "George" books she has reread this one over and over.

Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex among Apes

Average customer rating:

An exciting if not compelling Study
DISTURBING BUT USEFUL
Lots about Chimpazee Erections
Fascinating parallels to human behavior
Greatly informs evolutionary psychology

Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex among Apes
Frans de Waal
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Our Inner Ape
Peacemaking among Primates
Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape
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ASIN: 0801863368

Amazon.com

The great apes, like humans, can recognize themselves in mirrors. They communicate by sound and gesture, form bands along what can only be called political lines, and sometimes engage in what is very clearly organized warfare. (Less frequently, too, they practice cannibalism.) In Chimpanzee Politics Frans de Waal, a longtime student of simian behavior, analyzes the behavior of a captive tribe of chimpanzees, comparing its actions with those of ape societies in the wild. What he finds is often not pleasant: chimps seem capable of astonishing deviousness and savagery, which has obvious implications for the behavior their human cousins sometimes exhibit.

Book 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:

An exciting if not compelling Study.......2007-10-15

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

DISTURBING BUT USEFUL.......2006-05-24

Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex among Apes was a very disturbing book to read. Perhaps this is because of the way Franz de Waal chose to end the book. The story about how Luit finished his reign as "alpha male" was extremely upsetting.

One of the key themes in the book is that so called political behavior is rooted at a level of development that is below cognitive and is as much instinctive as it is learned. Learning about the male chimpanzee's quest for dominance, it makes one wonder how much our behavior is motivated by inherent drives that are not only irrelevant in modern cultures, but are unknowable by those who experience the motivation.

This book has changed the way I look at and understand the word around me.

I strongly recommend this book, but it is not for the faint-hearted.

Lots about Chimpazee Erections.......2006-04-07

De Waal investigates chimpanzee behavior in a zoo, which is at odds with chimpanzee behavior in the wild. The main difference is that the female chimps live together instead of foraging alone, which leads them to participate more in politics than usual. The book is about coalitions, how they're formed, and between whom. The longest part details how leadership changed from chimp to chimp to chimp. There is quite a bit about chimpanzee sex, especially how male chimps thrusts their hips forward and bounce their penises up and down to attract women. There is a nude shot of a chimpanzee penis, but you have to be told what it is. There is a lesbian monkey, and an ape rape, and they go together. A big arrow would have been helpful. The very best part is the postscript which depicts something that is treated fully in another book (de Waal is a salesman as well as a biologist); one of the chimps is murdered when the other chimps bite off his balls. It has some good pictures, it's kind of fun, but I wouldn't buy it.

Fascinating parallels to human behavior.......2006-02-25

The parallels de Waal draws between human and chimp politics are interesting, ironic, and often amusing. They seem so valid--if one can look objectively and without prejudice--that I found myself both fascinated and amused throughout the whole book at the similarities between both chimp and human customs and politics. The difference between us and the chimps is that a thin surface veneer of ideology and beliefs hides the true nature of politics for us, and the sex and the money which are really at the root of it.

There lies the real difference between us and chimps. Beneath the slightly polished surface veneer, and a very thin veneer it is--are the same motivations that drive the chimps. Humans like to pretend to high ideals and noble beliefs and values, but the sad fact is that all too often, despite our more evolved brains, we live down to our lower natures rather than up to our higher consciousness (assuming that even exists, which I'm not convinced it does) and values.

There is a reason for that, which is that our brains still contain those more primitive structures and areas of the brain, such as the limbic system, which still control and drive and motivate and control our behavior on a day to day level, and so we retain that core of "chimp" or paleomammalian behavior despite our supposedly more evolved cerebral cortices.

I've had the opportunity to observe mating rituals by a troop of mandrills (which are related to baboons) and also rhesus macaques, and I noticed many resemblances to de Waal's chimps, except that the mandrills and macaques probably aren't as intelligent or quite as varied in their behavior. But the basic elements of power and sex, which de Waal discusses in regard to the chimps, were still there. One difference was I noticed that many times a female would present to a male mandrill or macaque, and the male would refuse, although the female was obviously receptive. Such refusals seem less common among chimps.

As you may know, chimps are more promiscuous than humans, humans being somewhat more monogamous--but probably not as monogamous as we're all brought up to believe. So perhaps male mandrills and macaques are more choosy than chimps, which is something one associates more with female sexual behavior. Since all mandrill and macaque females pretty much look alike (well, at least to us :-)), I presume this had something to do with the female's place in the social hierarchy.

But getting back to de Waal's book, his research dovetails very well with the neurobiology (which was my field) and there is no better or more interesting writer on the subject. Overall this is a fascinating and well written book on the subject.

Greatly informs evolutionary psychology.......2005-01-22

Chimpanzee Politics tells the story of a colony of chimps in captivity. Frans De Waal observed them for years and soon saw that each chimp had a personality and that there was a definite pattern to their behavior. He shows that they have innate desires and goals and that they act politically to attain them. The astounding thing is that the chimps were seemingly very human in their actions.

This book is very accessible and engaging. From the perspective of evolutionary psychology, De Waal shows an unquestionable chimp nature at work. It is then not much of a leap to suggest that there is a human nature and that, like the chimps, we act predictably and politically in pursuit of our goals.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in human behavior or evolutionary psychology. It is a great piece of popular science writing that is nevertheless very serious.

Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are

Average customer rating:

Fascinating Similarities
OUR SOCIAL CONSCIENCE
Important book
Our Inner Ape
Excellent!

Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are
Frans De Waal
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved (The University Center for Human Values Series)
Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals
Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape
Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex Among Apes
Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong

ASIN: 1594481962

Amazon.com

Power, sex, violence and kindness: these four broad-spectrum categories encompass much of human behavior, so it's only fitting that they're also the primary subject material for Frans de Waal's (The Ape and The Sushi Master) book Our Inner Ape. The few (but deeply detailed) chapters are a mesmerizing read that spans biology, child psychology, postmodern theorists and fundamental morality, using tales of stern chimps, and sexy bonobos to examine humans' place between them. In the process, he examines why we need to know our place in the world, how our body language communicates feelings, and where the roots of empathy lie in mammalian life.

De Waal's respect for both his readers and his research subjects come shining through in the simple clarity he uses when describing both the endless sex of bonobo apes and the heartrending violence occasionally present in chimp hierarchal structure. By illustrating his points with a mixture of straight-from-research experiences and jokes at the expense of modern politicians, he keeps his ideas compelling for anyone with a basic understanding of evolutionary science without drifting towards the academic drone that could be expected of by a researcher of his experience.

You won't find specific conclusions concerning human nature, but instead a gentle, almost rambling look at two primate species with vastly different social networks and how, perhaps, humanity can learn from each to our benefit. A few of de Waal's lovely duotone photos (My Family Album: 30 Years of Primate Photography grace the end of the book, featuring close-up shots of the folks he's been writing about--chimps like Yeroen, Nikkie and Mama, and bonobo Kuif and adopted daughter Roosje are downright thrilling to see after reading such interesting stories about their lives. Jill Lightner

Book Description

From "one of the world's greatest experts on primate behavior" (Desmond Morris) comes a look at the most provocative aspects of human nature-power, sex, violence, kindness, and morality-through our closest cousins. For nearly twenty years, Frans De Waal has studied both the famously aggressive chimpanzee and the egalitarian, matriarchal bonobo, two species whose DNA is nearly identical to ours. The result is an engrossing narrative that reveals what their behavior can teach us about ourselves.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Similarities.......2007-09-19

Our Inner Ape compares the social behavior of apes to that of humans. It focuses mainly on bonobos and chimpanzees although various monkeys and other apes make brief appearances throughout. This book provides a large number of ape stories, many of which are drawn from Frans de Waal's own experiences as a primatologist, to give an overview of power, sex, violence and kindness in primate communities.

I enjoyed the stories given in this book; I did not realize that apes were either as violent or as compassionate as de Waal portrays them. Many of the parallels that de Waal draws between ape behavior and human behavior were intriguing to me (such as the basic roles of empathy and reciprocity in stabilizing social communities). I found this book to be an instructive read on ape-human similarities; de Waal's presentation of the human as the "bi-polar ape" provides much food for thought. I would recommend this book to others.

OUR SOCIAL CONSCIENCE.......2007-08-14

The great enjoyment of this book lies in its clear uncomplicated language. It gives us the opportunity of reflection on our place on earth. This may be the occasion to put our 'uniqueness' in perspective. Revelations on our biological heritage give us the comfort of knowing about our inherent endless potential for adaption in a rapidly changing physical and social environment. Such thoughts should give us an optimistic outlook into the future.

Important book.......2007-08-09

This book is an important tool in understanding who we are as a species. It is written for the intelligent layman who does not suffer from religious hangups about our evolution. It is written in an engaging style by a serious and important scientist who makes the reader share his love for his chimp, bonobo and human subjects. This book makes me more determined than ever to seek my own sense of "spirituality" by finding more eays to enjoy being a primate, and the more bonobo like the better!

Our Inner Ape.......2007-07-28

A strength of this book is that the author develops concepts which are
unknown by the reading public. For instance, bonobos understand and can
empathize with each others' needs. Coalitions of chimps are key for leaders
to develop allies. Sometimes, death is the ultimate price to reach the
top. The author believes that if chimps had guns and knew how to use them-
they would be violent enough to do so.

The book makes for interesting reading; however, I don't whether or not
the conclusions reached can be mapped to human behavior.

Excellent!.......2007-06-26

This is an excellent book written by a knowledgeable professor. It is very interesting, and clearly shows through his research that we still have a lot of ape in us. It is a book that should not be missed.

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