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Alex & Me

How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

New York Times Bestseller

The remarkable true story of an extraordinary relationship between psychologist Irene M. Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas.

""You be good. I love you,"" were Alex's final words to his owner, research scientist Irene Pepperberg, before his premature death at age thirty-one on September 6, 2007. An African Grey parrot, Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, understand concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none, and he disproved the widely accepted idea that birds possess no potential for language or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence.

Alex & Me is the incredible story of an amazing, irascible parrot and his best friend who stayed together through thick and thin for thirty years—the astonishing, moving, and unforgettable story of a landmark scientific achievement and a beautiful relationship.

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      After 30 years of language research using her pet parrot, Alex, as the principal subject, Dr. Pepperberg contends that her bird's level of comprehension equaled that of chimps and dolphins. Using a technique called "appropriate labeling," she came to believe that Alex's accomplishments proved he had cognitive function. Although her work and conclusions have not been widely accepted, she provides enough data from her records for listeners to evaluate her methods and decide for themselves. Narrator Julia Gibson chooses a diminutive voice as her rendition of the author speaking, maybe because she wants to emphasize the warm relationship of owner and pet more than the rigorous science of the story. Gibson makes no attempt to imitate Alex as he works on his lessons, missing a precious opportunity for characterization. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 8, 2008
      Alex is the African gray parrot whose ability to master a vocabulary of more than 100 words and answer questions about the color, shape and number of objects—garnered wide notice during his life as well as obituaries in worldwide media after his death in September 2007. Pepperberg, who teaches animal cognition, has previously documented the results of her 30-year relationship with Alex in The Alex Studies
      . While this book inevitably covers some of the same ground, it is a moving tribute that beautifully evokes “the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements” during a groundbreaking scientific endeavor spent “uncovering cognitive abilities in Alex that no one believed were possible, and challenging science's deepest assumptions about the origin of human cognitive abilities.” Pepperberg deftly interweaves her own personal narrative—including her struggles to gain recognition for her research—with more intimate scenes of life with Alex than she was able to present in her earlier work, creating a story that scientists and laypeople can equally enjoy, if they can all keep from crying over Alex's untimely death.

    • Library Journal

      November 1, 2008
      Pepperberg, an animal cognitive scientist and associate research professor at Brandeis University, made history with her landmark research involving Alex, an African Grey parrot. Her detailed findings based on two decades of research were published in 1999 in "The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots". She was able to prove that African Greys possess cognitive and communicative abilities beyond what scientists had previously believed possible in animals other than humans. After her previous book, Pepperberg had almost another decade of interactions with Alex before his sudden death in September 2007. Her latest is more memoir than research work, focusing on her personal relationship with Alex while introducing lay readers to her extensive research on these remarkable birds. This is a nice companion to Pepperberg's more scientific writings. Recommended for academic and public libraries alike.Diana Hartle, Univ. of Georgia Science Lib., Athens

      Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      October 15, 2008
      Alex, an African gray parrot, died suddenly in his 30s and was mourned the world over. Pepperberg, Alexs owner and researcher, limns the importance of Alexs life and her work with him on the subjects of intelligence, cognition, and language. Pepperberg started her academic career pursuing a doctorate in chemistry, but she changed her focus to animal communication. Choosing to work with an African gray, due to their reputations as clear talkers, the author had the pet store choose a bird for her so that the choice would be random. The result was Alex, a parrot that would forever change the way science looked at the cognitive abilities of birds. In this highly readable, anecdotal book, Pepperberg describes the training techniques she and her assistants used with Alex, the breakthroughs he made, and his growing fame as word began to spread about the brainy parrot who could differentiate colors, count, and describe objects accurately and in human language. The flip side of Alexs fame was the resistance Pepperberg faced from the entrenched scientific community.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

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