NONFICTION

The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion—Surprising Observations of a Hidden World

by Peter Wohlleben
Greystone. Nov. 2017. 272p. notes. index. ISBN 9781771643016. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781771643023. SCI
COPY ISBN
Wohlleben (The Hidden Life of Trees) states that animals have feelings, intelligence, and self-awareness. Although his narrative has keen observations and scientific support, his overall argument lacks coherence, depth, and rigor. Nearly half of the book separates basic information on senses from cognition, and a chapter on knowing animal minds is near the book's end, rather than laying a foundation. The author omits information that completes a picture of featured subjects and species. For example, his chapter on wildness leaves out feral creatures. Also, Wohlleben discusses parental investment without R and K selection and honeybee thermoregulation without mitochondria. Readers interested in animal intelligence will be better served by other works, including Carl Safina's Beyond Words, Mark Bekoff's Minding Animals, and James L. and Carol L. Gould's The Animal Mind.
VERDICT Those wanting fresh insight on animal thought should look elsewhere.
Reviewed by Eileen H. Kramer, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Clarkston , Sep 01, 2017
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

MEDIA

The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams
by Frey, Darcy
NONFICTION

The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture
by Lemmey, Karen & others
NONFICTION

A Guide to Medical Cannabis: Your Roadmap to Understanding and Using Cannabis and CBD for Health
by Hasse, Javier & Nicolás Jose Rodriguez
NONFICTION

One Thousand Vines: A New Way To Understand Wine
by Lepeltier, Pascaline
NONFICTION

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024
by McKibben, Bill & Jaime Green
NONFICTION

Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan
by Halteman, Matthew C.
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?