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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 Paperback – Illustrated, September 1, 2009

by Irene Pepperberg (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,281 ratings
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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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Previous page
  1. Print length
    232 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    September 1, 2009
  4. Dimensions
    0.8 x 5.2 x 7.9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    9780061673986
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0061673986
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Pepperberg’s] book movingly combines the scientific detail of a researcher. . . with the affectionate understanding that children instinctively possess.” — Michiko Kakutani, New York Times

“To anyone who’s dreamed of talking with the animals, Dr. Doolittle style, Alex was a revelation…This ornery reviewer tried to resist Alex’s charms on principle. But his achievements got the better of me…Alex was a celebrity, and this book will surely please his legions of fans.” — New York Times Book Review

“A moving tribute that beautifully evokes ‘the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements’ during a groundbreaking scientific endeavor.” — Publishers Weekly

“A fascinating look at animal intelligence, Pepperberg’s tale is also a love story between beings who sometimes ‘squabble like an old married couple’ but whose bond broke only with Alex’s death at 31. Irresistible.” — People

From the Back Cover

"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 remarkable true account 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.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0061673986
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780061673986
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061673986
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.8 x 5.2 x 7.9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,281 ratings

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Irene M. Pepperberg

Irene M. Pepperberg

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
3,281 global ratings
My daughter is crazy about this book!
5 Stars
My daughter is crazy about this book!
My daughter loves parrots and reads every book she can get her hands on, this is one of her favorites.
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Top reviews from the United States

M.J.Lawicki
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, Heartwarming, and Thought-Provoking…
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2022
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Alex & Me is an engaging and often entertaining narrative about Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s thirty year endeavor to understand the communication and cognitive abilities of her research subject Alex- the African Grey Parrot. Dr. Pepperberg's arduous studies over the course of three plus decades helped pioneer a greater understanding of animal sentience- a controversial subject among scientists even into the twenty first century.

Much of the appeal of Alex & Me relates to the fascinating confluence of genius between the Doctor and her irascible, feathered subject. The two developed the rarest of bonds between human and animal. I found myself chuckling along with Dr. Pepperberg, astounded as fragments of Alex’s remarkable ‘personality’ were revealed in this story. To say that Alex was a unique would be a gross understatement. His remarkable capacity for learning and communication was rivaled only at times by his mischief-making. The narrative reveals many of the experiments Alex was subjected to over the course of his lifetime, but the main emphasis here is on the extraordinary relationship development between Dr. Pepperberg and her good friend Alex.

It is fortunate for the world that Dr. Pepperberg recognized something unique and fascinating about birds in her childhood. Her curiosity and stalwart determination to pursue her research objectives gifted the world with undeniable, significant proof that human beings and primates aren’t the only animals capable of language on this planet. In fact, her research with Alex helped pave the way for the current scientific recognition of sentience in many other animal species.

There are many take-aways in this wonderful book. The Alex studies helped to significantly deconstruct prevalent behaviorist notions that human beings are unique in the Animal Kingdom and therefore seperate from and superior to all other life forms in nature. The intellectual feats of Alex spanning three decades seem to reveal quite the opposite: human beings are not so unique in the realm of cognitive abilities or consciousness and are, like other animals, merely a part of natural order. Like any human being, Alex was unique in his own way and gifted with a distinguishable personality and abilities. The last words of Alex to Dr. Pepperberg were “I love you. You be good.”

We love you too Alex. You may have flown over the rainbow bridge, but you will never be forgotten!
2 people found this helpful
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Marguerite Floyd
4.0 out of 5 stars Alex, We Loved You Well
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2008
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I learned about Alex about 10 years ago; not long after I had purchased my first parrot. My first parrot quickly taught me that she was most likely more intelligent than me, so learning about Alex's intelligence was no big surprise.

What did surprise me at the time was that the work and the findings were so novel to the world. How could anyone live with a parrot and not know how intelligent they are? Had no one else ever considered measuring the intelligence of a parrot?

Ah, but I'm forgetting human arrogance and belief that we are the superior species. No one had bothered to do such research because everyone "knew" parrots were just mimics.

Alex and Pepperberg made a huge dent in that belief in The Alex Studies, a scientific, methodical, and careful accounting of Pepperberg's work with Alex. All reason and no messy passion to interfere with the data.

But you cannot live with a parrot for any length of time without being touched, on some deep primal level, by that creature.

That is what this book is about. The 30 year relationship Pepperberg had with Alex -- the relationship beyond the rival/model method and plastic refrigerator numbers and television specials.

Despite the deep emotion with which Pepperberg explains her relationship with Alex, this book is an easy read and will improve with each subsequent reading. I cried when Alex died. And I cried again while reading this book to think of all that Alex could have brought us had he lived. And for what Pepperberg has lost.

Those of us who love parrots and the magic they bring us owe a great deal to Alex and Pepperberg. They helped push back a bit more the blindness and egotism of humans who fancy themselves separate and superior to all the other creatures on Earth.

We may finally one day live in a world that respects all life and all creatures for what they are and not how they can serve humans. When that day comes, I hope we remember that Alex and Pepperberg helped lead the way.
5 people found this helpful
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Julieth
5.0 out of 5 stars You should read this book …
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
I really liked this book, even though we are in the year 2024, many people think that animals only act by “stimulus and response” and that is not the case and Alex's story shows us this once again. It was very gratifying to read all the achievements that Alex achieved, it made me understand that my pets do understand me both cognitively and emotionally, clearly in their own way. It was also a book that accompanied me in my grief, since I lost my dog in a sudden way and this reading made me feel supported and understood.
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HiLo
5.0 out of 5 stars Exemplary
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024
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In its genre, popular science with a personal angle, it is unsurpassed. It precisely tells of an important scientific event, but also of the oftest man made obstacles it met. A profound and touching forever-classic.
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Susan L. Stone
5.0 out of 5 stars Really Amazing Read
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024
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This is a great book - very hard to put down. What you learn about the intelligence of parrots will be a real attitude changer for a lot of people. Alex had intelligence far beyond what most of us would expect from a parrot, even an intelligent one. It's hard to read this book and not fall in love with Alex. He does many things that made us (both my husband and me) laugh out loud. And we were equally sad when he died suddenly. I can't recommend this book enough.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Cliente Kindle
5.0 out of 5 stars História Linda e Real
Reviewed in Brazil on March 17, 2024
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Livro maravilhoso... Uma história linda, real e muito bem narrada. Pra quem gosta de animais e possui aves é preciso estar preparado pra se emocionar bastante...
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Cliente Kindle
5.0 out of 5 stars História Linda e Real
Reviewed in Brazil on March 17, 2024
Livro maravilhoso... Uma história linda, real e muito bem narrada. Pra quem gosta de animais e possui aves é preciso estar preparado pra se emocionar bastante...
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Ioulia Chiotaki
5.0 out of 5 stars It was never delivered!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed in Germany on March 28, 2024
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It was never delivered to me unfortunately!!! I never got money back too. I loved the book, but never got it. I heard it all as an audio book!!! It is brilliant!!! But it was the first time Amazon didn't deliver to me.
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Hnand
5.0 out of 5 stars Il libro è molto bello, scrittura semplice e lettura scorrevole
Reviewed in Italy on February 16, 2024
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Bel libro, ho preso la versione rigida del 2008 di seconda mano, con i segni del tempo e la prima pagina scarabocchiata, ma per il resto è in ottimo stato. Sapendo che viene dal 2008 i piccoli segni di usura e l'ingiallimento delle pagine danno quel fascino e piacevolezza di scorrere le pagine che solo un libro vecchio sa darti. Le pagine sono molto spesse e la scrittura grande. Si percepisce davvero tanto l'amore riversato in questo libro dedicato a Alex. Per il costo esiguo vi consiglio di comprarlo
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E. L. Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars Totally absorbing book
Reviewed in Australia on April 28, 2017
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I read it in one sitting, could not put it down. For 22 years, I shared my home with a gregarious, loquacious galah. This story of Alex and Irene reduced me to tears.
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Jonathan Harlow
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
This good book tells several stories. Central is the author's work with Alex the African grey parrot, her achievements and his - including learning to add and 'spelling out' a word in phonemes for emphasis. And with this goes the story of Alex's development and their personal relationship. Behind the work itself were years of struggle, for a place and funding to do the work. And this was very hard at the beginning because her project went in the face of the received dogmas of the time: animals could not think, still less communicate with humans: conditioned reflexes and cued responses, if not cooked results, were all that were to be expected. On that major front, a success story; but on the personal side, a sad one as Alex died prematurely - and earned an obituary in the Economist. On all fronts, inspiring.
3 people found this helpful
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