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Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process | 
| Author: Irene M. Pepperberg
Publisher: Collins
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $13.74
You Save: $10.21 (43%)
New (36) Used (10) from $12.85
Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 519
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0061672475
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.68650929
EAN: 9780061672477
Publication Date: November 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
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 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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| Customer Reviews: Read 78 more reviews...
 The Human Behind the Most Educated Non-Human Ever. January 9, 2009
"Alex and Me" is the story of the personal relationship behind the ground-breaking partnership between Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex, the African Grey Parrot who proved that some Greys possess the intellectual aptitude one would associate with a 6-year-old human before he died in 2007 at the age of 31. Many people have heard of chimpanzees who communicated with sign language or learned to count, but unless you are a bird lover or have an interest in animal cognition, you may not have heard of Dr. Pepperberg's work. I've followed Alex's achievements for years, so most of the stories of his accomplishments are not new to me. But Irene Pepperberg has always been a mystery to Alex's admirers. Due to the controversial nature of her work, she never let much of herself seep into her discussions of Alex. She was careful to maintain a professional distance from her subject. The outpouring of emotions and condolences upon Alex's death cracked the facade. In "Alex and Me", Dr. Pepperberg speaks of her relationship with Alex at long last.
"Alex and Me" is a very readable book, written for laypeople. Those who have never heard of Alex before and have little experience with parrots or corvids will be amazed at what Alex did and said. Those, like me, who eagerly awaited Alex's next big accomplishments during his lifetime will get a glimpse of the personal side of his work and Dr. Pepperberg's struggles to get funding and recognition as she, Alex, and her other parrots moved from Purdue to Northwestern to the University of Arizona to MIT to their current home at Brandeis University. I did learn about a couple of Alex's recent revelations that I had not heard of before: He spontaneously broke down a word into component sounds while learning to read phonemes. And, amazingly, he was able to compare an abstract number value to a concrete one, judging which was bigger. I can only imagine how far Alex would have gone had he not left us prematurely.
"Alex and Me" feels rushed, however, like Dr. Pepperberg or her publisher was trying to get the book out before journalistic interest in Alex faded away. The book succeeds in introducing a broader audience to Dr. Pepperberg and Alex's work, and she reveals her own feelings about Alex publicly for the first time. But I wish Dr. Pepperberg had done more to explain the significance of Alex's various accomplishments. He far surpassed any chimpanzee, and his recent work surpassed Dr. Pepperberg's own expectations and mine. I think birds are brilliant, but Alex was about a half a step away from being able to read. He could grasp that an integer represents a concrete quantity. And he taught himself to add. It just goes to show that even those of us who scrutinize their every action understand very little about animals. But I enjoyed "Alex and Me" a great deal. If you are interested in a more scientific publication about Dr. Pepperberg's work before 2000, see The Alex Studies. There are also some scientific papers available for download on The Alex Foundation web site.
 Wonderfully personal yet scientific January 7, 2009
We bought this book for my son and his family (wife and 2 teens), and read it before wrapping it this Xmas. (I know, that's really cheap, but the times require it!) We were both very impressed with this book and how well-written it is. Pepperberg manages to explain the science of animal communication in terms we can understand, while also letting us peek into the close relationship that develops between her and Alex the parrot. All in all, a very marvelous book.
My daughter-in-law called on New Year's Eve, saying she had read the first chapter and didn't just cry but actually sobbed over the description of Alex's death and Pepperberg's reaction to it. So, yes, it is very affecting as well as informative.
Grateful January 6, 2009
How lucky we are that there are humans who dedicate their time/life to bridging the gaps to understanding the differences (and similarities) between species. My regret... is: not meeting Alex. I believe Irene's book is the next best thing.
Excellent Reading From A Parrot Lover December 30, 2008
I have a 10 year old, female, Umbrella Cockatoo. I have known for many years that she is much more intelligent than people believe. This book proves it.
I fell in love with Alex and the work he did. The book is well written and describes training techniques that I would have never believed would work. It also shoots holes in techniques that present day "experts" believe to be the way to train a parrot, if you can, in fact "train" a parrot.
There is a "feeling" that is transmitted between you and your parrot. You know what she wants and she knows you know. I wish I could explain it but it is sooooo there.
I appreciate this book and hope everyone will read it. BUT don't rush out and buy a parrot. You have a 3-4 year old for 50-60 years. There are many parrots in shelters because people think of them as dogs, or cats or "they are so cute and cuddly. They aren't. This book will show you that. They are the closest thing to a child you can ever imagine.
You don't just get tired of your child and abandon it, so think twice before getting a bird.
Good read December 28, 2008
An informative peek inside what science asks before it can be proven true. It is also a touching story of the relationship that can form in spite of the must have objective view a scientist has to maintain. Sadly this is not a happy ending to the breakthrough work that Irene Pepperberg put so many years in to. Alex was special and gave an enlightening look at how smart other creatures really are.
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