The Genius Bat, Yossi Yovel
The Genius Bat, Yossi Yovel
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The Genius Bat
The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal

Author: Yossi Yovel

Narrator: Max Meyers

Unabridged: 11 hr 45 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/07/2025

Synopsis

An awe-inspiring tour of bat world by the world’s leading expert

With nearly 1500 species, bats account for more than twenty percent of mammalian species. The most successful and most diverse group of mammals, bats come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Some bats eat fruit and nectar; others eat frogs, scorpions, or fish. Vampire bats feed on blood. Bats are the only mammals that can fly; their fingers have elongated through evolution to become wings with a unique, super-flexible skin membrane stretched between them. Their robust immune system is one of the reasons for their extreme longevity. A tiny bat can live for forty years.

Yossi Yovel, an ecologist and a neurobiologist, is passionate about deciphering the secrets of bats, including using AI to decipher their communication. In The Genius Bat, he brings to vivid life these amazing creatures as well as the obsessive and sometimes eccentric people who study them–bat scientists. From muddy rainforests to star-covered night deserts, from guest houses in Thailand to museum drawers full of fossils in New York, this is an eye-opening and entertaining account of a mighty mammal.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press

About Yossi Yovel

Yossi Yovel is an ecologist and a neurobiologist – a rare combination of disciplines. A professor at Tel-Aviv University and the head of the School of Neuroscience, he has conducted research all around the world, using an arsenal of methods and equipment. His work has been covered by major media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, NPR, BBC, and National Geographic. A sought-after public speaker, he is currently a visiting scholar at McGill University in Montreal.

About Max Meyers

Max Meyers (AEA/SAG-AFTRA) is a multi-hyphenate storyteller with training in classical and musical theatre and a deep commitment to facilitating expansion of the artist inside each of us through their creative work. An Audie Award-Winning Narrator and recipient of several AudioFile Earphones Awards, they have recorded over 60 titles since beginning this work in 2021. Their narration style can be described as warm, engaging, and dynamic; flexible to fit stories across genres, genders, ages, languages, and dialects. They have a particular passion for the surreal, subversive, and countercultural, as well as an interest in natural science, history, and trauma informed healing practices. Outside of their narration work, Max’s music can be found on your favorite streaming platform. For more information, visit maxmeyersonline.com @heyitsmaxmeyers

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sheila on July 12, 2025

I received a free copy of, The Genius Bat, by Yossi Yovel, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have never been a fan of bats, but the author Yossi is fascinated by bats. I did not realize how many different types of bats there are. This is an interesting read on bats......more

Goodreads review by Katie on September 01, 2025

As a self-proclaimed bat lover, I was thrilled to receive this ARC. Bats have always fascinated me, and I've always found it interesting just how each species of bat differs from the next. This book offered great insight on different species of bats, how they're researched, and ended on a note about......more

Goodreads review by Jackie on September 12, 2025

Say the word, “bats” and immediately my heart beat climbs into the 100s. I am not alone. Many people have creepy feelings about bats with the impression that they are blood-sucking vampires. This book is effective in reversing the negative image and shows how these animals are actually our friends.......more

Goodreads review by Bill on September 19, 2025

(5.0 Stars) Thank you #NetGalley for making this book available for reading and review. I absolutely loved this book! For a non-fiction book, it is surprisingly narrative. You can tell the author is passionate about his work, and his words. He starts each chapter with a personal note or story, then go......more

Goodreads review by Critter on September 16, 2025

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC. This was a fantastic book. I already love bats so I was super excited to see this book. The way the information is presented was really interesting. I loved getting to know some different species of bats better. I a......more

Quotes

"Yovel’s enthusiasm for these little creatures is infectious."
—Library Journal

"Yovel's passion and curiosity will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the wonders and mysteries of the bat world. This is a revelation."
—Publisher's Weekly (starred)

“A marvelous book. If you are at all curious about bats and the scientists who study them, this is the book for you.”
—Nancy Simmons, Curator of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History

"You will never think of bats (or zoologists) in the same way. The book is a masterpiece of story-
telling.”
—Ron Milo, Weizmann Institute, author of Biology by the Numbers

“In this excellent book, Yovel draws you into the lives of bats. He provides many astonishing details of what bats do and why.”
—Brock Fenton, Emeritus Professor, Western University, Ontario, author of A Miscellany of Bats

"Follows the secret lives of these flying creatures, and not least the crazy people who study them. Full of knowledge and amazing details, and written almost like a thriller; the enthusiasm is evident in every sentence." —Udi Ben Saadia, Walla News

"A love story for the only mammal endowed with the ability to fly. The book is fascinating throughout, and it combines stories of exotic journeys to distant islands that resonate like adventures from world literature."
—The Bernstein Literature Prize Committee

"Fascinating...Yovel clearly explains bats' vital contributions to a healthier planet... and provides an insider view of what motivates scientists to study bats."
—Merlin Tuttle, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin

"Accessible, engaging, and inspiring."
—Winifred Frick, Chief Scientist, Bat Conservation International

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