This slender, easy to read volume is really about two characters- Alex and the author. When scientist Irene Pepperberg wanted to study animal cognition and language, she purchased an African Grey Parrot, who she named Alex. What followed was a thirty-year partnership that rocked the foundations of our understanding of animal intelligence and challenged all previous assumptions of the phrase "birdbrain." Pepperberg writes beautifully, bringing the study of language and cognition to an easily-understood level without dumbing down the impact of her work. Beyond science, however, Pepperberg captures the dignity and personality of Alex, a lovable and admirable creature whose early death was a tragic loss.
There are many funny and touching anecdotes about Alex as an individual who did not always choose to cooperate with research and had his own quirks, thoughts, and feelings.
For scientific information about the research completed with Alex, see the author's book entitled "The Alex Studies".
