Our Inner Ape
by Frans De Waal
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Book Summary Information
Author: Frans De WaalEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2005-10-06
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 288
Book Reviews of Our Inner Ape
Book Review: A little heavy on the ape stories, but a delightful book
Summary: 5 Stars
Ouch. Some reviewers clearly did not like Our Inner Ape. But I did. It's delightful.
Frans De Waal writes thoughtfully, using many, many (perhaps a few too many) stories from his long experience watching chimps and bonobos as a springboard into his analysis of human society. Unlike most who write about fields that they love -- and De Waal clearly loves his study of primates (ape and human) -- De Waal does not force his conclusions. Instead, he leads the reader along, and acknowledges that many of his ideas could well be a little off base.
For me, the chapter on sex provoked the most thought. If any of us could be impartial observers of sex and human society, it would probably seem hilarious. (Lord Chesterfield's comment that "the expense is exorbitant, the pleasure transitory, and the position ridiculous" seems a pretty accurate statement of how we should view sex. But of course we don't.) De Waal's description of the hedonism of bonobo society, contrasted with the chimp's approach to sex, gives some interesting clues as to why we human males and females act the strange way that we do.
Whether you like Our Inner Ape depends on what you expect. I came across the book in the library, picked it up, started reading, and was captivated. It took me little time to decide I was buying a copy for myself. But if you are looking for something scientific, with extensive footnotes, De Waal's somewhat rambling and anecdotal approach will probably leave you unsatisfied. And some of the things De Waal states as fact should be taken with a grain of salt. This is not a rigorous book of scholarship.
All in all, though, I would ask myself this: Do I want to read a book that will keep my interest and get me thinking? Our Inner Ape will do that. Give it a read.
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