On September 6, 2007, an African Grey parrot named Alex died prematurely at age thirty-one. His last words to his owner, Irene Pepperberg, were ‘You be good. I love you.’
What would normally be a quiet, very private event was, in Alex’s case, headline news. Over the thirty years they had worked together, Alex and Irene had become famous — two pioneers who opened an unprecedented window into the hidden yet vast world of animal minds. When Irene and Alex first met, birds were not believed to possess any potential for language, consciousness, or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. Yet, over the years, Alex proved many things. He could add. He could sound out words. He understood concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none. He was capable of thought and intention. Together, Alex and Irene uncovered a startling reality: We live in a world populated by thinking, conscious creatures.
The fame that resulted was extraordinary. Yet there was a side to their relationship that never made the papers. They were emotionally connected to one another. They shared a deep bond far beyond science. Alex missed Irene when she was away. He was jealous when she paid attention to other parrots, or even people. He liked to show her who was boss. He loved to dance. He sometimes became bored by the repetition of his tests, and played jokes on her. Sometimes they sniped at each other. Yet nearly every day, they each said, ‘I love you.’
Alex and Irene stayed together through thick and thin – despite sneers from experts, extraordinary financial sacrifices, and a nomadic existence from one university to another. The story of their thirty-year adventure is a landmark of scientific achievement and of an unforgettable human-animal bond.
‘It is an account of her [Pepperberg’s 30-year collaboration with an African grey parrot called Alex, whose achievements revolutionised our understanding not just of birds and their intellectual capabilities but demanded we set aside millenniums-old beliefs about the privileged nature of human cognition and consciousness. The result is a fascinating portrait of a remarkable and singular being.’
James Bradley, Sydney Morning Herald
‘Pepperberg gives the general reader, older teens included, a peek into a researcher's life and has written a short, happy page-turner. Bird and animal lovers and anyone fascinated by language acquisition and learning processes will especially enjoy Alex and "his" book.’
Courier Mail
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‘... a moving tribute that beautifully evokes the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements during a groundbreaking scientific endeavor spent uncovering cognitive abilities in Alex that no one believed were possible.’
Publisher's Weekly
‘Scientist Dr. Pepperberg's chronicle of her relationship with an African Grey parrot, Alex is intriguing and deeply moving ... Staying together through thick and thin and sneers from the 'experts', this story of a thirty year odyssey between a parrot and his mentor records amazing landmark achievements as well as being a warm, compelling tale of animal–human bonding.’
Toowoomba Chronicle
‘Everybody who loves animals should read this book. Irene Pepperberg has done pioneering work on communication between people and animals. Alex has proved to the world that birds are much smarter than —people think.’
Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation
‘Alex & Me is a wonderful read about the close and enduring bonds that developed between a very bright bird and a very motivated researcher during a long-term collaboration. It provides a rare personal and bird’s-eye view of the ‘ins and outs,’ ‘ups and downs,’ and behind-the-scenes goings-on of scientific research. Irene Pepperberg humanizes science and her dear friend Alex shows that being called a birdbrain is indeed a compliment of the highest order.’
Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado; author of The Emotional Lives of Animals, Animals Matter and Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals
‘This is a brave book. By insisting on treating Alex as her friend — a friend with whom she laughs and must ultimately grieve over — Dr Pepperberg takes a stand defying those who insist on confining the issue of consciousness to cold reductionism. I was fascinated to read the anecdotes about the intellectual capacity of parrots, but the best part of Alex & Me is the story of their friendship.’
Mark Bittner, author of The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
‘A wonderful, touching love story that combines humor, history, intimacy, philosophy, and ground-breaking science; a thoroughly delightful read about the thirty-year relationship of Irene and Alex.’
Joanna Burger, author of The Parrot Who Owns Me
‘Sometimes a single individual changes the world, even if it is a parrot. Together with his tutor, Irene Pepperberg, Alex systematically destroyed the notion — the way he destroyed so many other things — that all that birds can do is mimic human language. Alex clearly had a mind of his own, and a heart to match, as explained in this touching account of scientific perseverance and mutual attachment. Our notion of what a bird is has forever been changed.’
Frans de Waal, author of Our Inner Ape
‘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 in ’07. Irresistible.’
People
‘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
‘Highly readable.’
Booklist
‘A moving tribute that beautifully evokes “the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements” during a groundbreaking scientific endeavour.’
Publishers Weekly
