Animal Wise

April 29, 2013
Morrell takes listeners on a tour the animal kingdom from ants and fish to elephants and chimps, exploring the wide range of research that shows the common traits humans share with animals, and rectifying common misconceptions about animal intelligence or the lack thereof. With an air of authority and a hint of sternness, Kristen Potter captures the tone and style of Morrell exceptionally well. Potter’s straight and serious reading doesn’t provide room for humor—instead she urges listeners to seriously consider the complexity of animals and the ways in which they are similar to human beings. Potter’s deliberate tone makes it easy to listen to the book’s complex information. And the narrator’s congenial and conversational manner matches that of Morrell’s prose, capturing and maintaining listener attention from beginning to end. A Crown hardcover.

Starred review from February 25, 2013
Morell (Ancestral Passions), laying it out on the first page of her survey of various animals' thought processes, declares: "animals have minds. They have brains, and use them, as we do: for experiencing the world, for thinking and feeling and for solving the problems of life every creature faces." That's a bold statement, considering the widely-held theory that animals do not have feelings or the ability to reason, but Morell passionately and consistently proves her point in this frequently fascinating study of animal behavior. Over the course of the book's 352 pages, Morell reveals that rats dream as humans do (they also love to be tickled and can even grasp the concept of playtime), parrots have conversations, elephants grieve, and monkeys and apes conspire with one another. Careful to avoid the cardinal scientific sin of anthropomorphizing her subjects, Morell interviews a wide range of researchers to learn about their methodology and insights into animal cognition. Tempering her enthusiasm and delight for her material, Morell is a gifted writer with a deep knowledge base that never talks down to the reader or the academic communityâno small feat.