Product Description

"Kanzi offers any number of crucial insights into the workings of the mind."––The New York Times Book Review

The remarkable story of the "talking" ape who is proving animals can think

Though he cannot physically speak, Kanzi understands an impressive amount of spoken English and communicates by punching symbols on a special keyboard. This book tells Kanzi′s incredible story and explores its intriguing ramifications.

SUE SAVAGE–RUMBAUGH (Decatur, Georgia) is one of the world′s leading ape–language researchers. ROGER LEWIN (Cambridge, Massachusetts) is the author of 12 books, including co–authorship of the best–selling Origins with Richard Leakey.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #315070 in Books
• Published on: 1996-09-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From the Back Cover
The remarkable story of a "talking" chimp, a leading scientist, and the profound insights they have uncovered about our species

He has been featured in cover stories in Time, Newsweek, and National Geographic, and has been the subject of a "NOVA" documentary. He is directly responsible for discoveries that have forced the scientific community to recast its thinking about the nature of the mind and the origins of language. He is Kanzi, an extraordinary bonobo chimpanzee who has overturned the idea that symbolic language is unique to our species. This is the moving story of how Kanzi learned to converse with humans and the profound lessons he has taught us about our animal cousins, and ourselves.

". . . The underlying thesis is informative and well argued . . . Savage–Rumbaugh′s results are impressive." — The Washington Post

"This popular, absorbing, and controversial account is recommended." — Library Journal

About the Author
SUE SAVAGE–RUMBAUGH, Ph.D., is one of the world′s leading ape–language researchers. She is an Associate Professor of Biology at Georgia State University and Associate Research Professor at Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center at Emory University.

ROGER LEWIN is an award–winning writer and author of twelve books, including the bestselling Origins, which he coauthored with Richard Leakey.

Customer Reviews

A "have to read" for developmental psychologists.
This is the story of how serendipity can have just as much impact on scientific research as careful experimentation. It is also a damning critique of the professional jealousies that can come between scientists when precious theories look like being confounded by later research. It is also a heartwarming story of the relationship that developed between a research animal and its keeper. Rival theorists like Chomsky have tried to rubbish Sue Savage-Rumbaugh's work, because it clearly presents difficulties for the Chomskian idea that language acquisition is unique to the human race Read this controversial and groundbreaking book for yourself, and make up your own mind on the evidence presented. You'll never look at apes inthe same light again. The book is one of those great rarities, a book that is scientific, but still a good read for the intelligent layman.

Amazing story of an amazing ape
This fascinating book tells the story of an amazing bonobo chimp who via communication with a large set of symbols proves that chimps have feelings just like humans and are far more intelligent than previously thought.
Would like to see a volume next collecting the memoirs of Mr Shifter of PG Tipps fame.

Highly recommended
First of all, I think the title of this book can be misleading to some- the book isn't solely about Kanzi, but then again could you expect it to? It certainly makes you think twice, and gives good thought to how we acquired language, and what may go on in the minds of non-human primates. I was a touch disappointed that there wasn't more on Kanzi himself, as I bought this book as a result of watching a National Geographic special, but there are other thought provoking issues included. A highly recommended book.