Alex  Me, Irene Pepperberg
Alex  Me, Irene Pepperberg
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Alex & Me

Author: Irene Pepperberg

Narrator: Julia Gibson

Unabridged: 5 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 10/28/2008


Synopsis

New York Times BestsellerThe 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.

About Irene Pepperberg

Irene M. Pepperberg is an associate research professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and teaches animal cognition at Harvard University. She is head of the Alex Foundation and author of The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Will on March 10, 2018

Ms. Pepperberg began doing research on the cognitive capacities of a Gray parrot, Alex, in the 1970s, a time when animals were widely believed to be little more than bio-automatons, lacking not only intellectual capability, but emotions as well. Pepperberg endured years, decades of ridicule, scorn,......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on August 22, 2010

So, here's what I expected: a touching memoir about the trials and tribulations -- and joys and moments of wonder -- of working closely with a remarkable creature. I've heard it said that children often have an easier time bonding with animals than adults. If I were going to theorize, I'd say that ma......more

Goodreads review by Lena on January 15, 2009

Irene Pepperberg was just finishing up a PhD in chemistry when a nature program on animal cognition caused her to abruptly change fields and begin the life-long study of the learning abilities of African Gray parrots. At the time she first purchased a 13-month old Gray from a Chicago pet store, prev......more

Goodreads review by Leanne on October 26, 2015

I loved it! I tried to read The Alex Studies years ago, but it was so heavy on the scientific detail and analysis that I lost interest. This is written for the non-scientist with such a lovely, human voice. As a long-time bird lover who is very aware of how intelligent birds can be, I still found my......more

Goodreads review by Sandra on January 04, 2009

I'm on p.40--and very surprised that the author is taking so long to get into her and Alex's story. These 40 pages could have been condensed into an Introduction. Okay, I finished this. And once Dr. Pepperberg got past talking about herself, Alex came to life. The degree of communication that he deve......more