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The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal
An awe-inspiring tour of bat world by the world’s leading expert
With nearly 1500 species, bats account for more than twenty percent of mammalian species. The most successful and most diverse group of mammals, bats come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Some bats eat fruit and nectar; others eat frogs, scorpions or fish. Vampire bats feed on blood. Bats are the only mammals that can fly; their fingers have elongated through evolution to become wings with a unique super-flexible skin membrane stretched between them. Their robust immune system is one of the reasons for their extreme longevity. A tiny bat can live for forty years.
Yossi Yovel, an ecologist and a neurobiologist, is passionate about deciphering the secrets of bats, including using AI to decipher their communication. In The Genius Bat he brings to vivid life these amazing creatures as well as the obsessive and sometime eccentric people who study them–bat scientists. From muddy rainforests, to star-covered night deserts, from guest houses in Thailand, to museum drawers full of fossils in New York, this is an eye-opening and entertaining account of a might mammal.
9 hrs. 48 mins.
With nearly 1500 species, bats account for more than twenty percent of mammalian species. The most successful and most diverse group of mammals, bats come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Some bats eat fruit and nectar; others eat frogs, scorpions or fish. Vampire bats feed on blood. Bats are the only mammals that can fly; their fingers have elongated through evolution to become wings with a unique super-flexible skin membrane stretched between them. Their robust immune system is one of the reasons for their extreme longevity. A tiny bat can live for forty years.
Yossi Yovel, an ecologist and a neurobiologist, is passionate about deciphering the secrets of bats, including using AI to decipher their communication. In The Genius Bat he brings to vivid life these amazing creatures as well as the obsessive and sometime eccentric people who study them–bat scientists. From muddy rainforests, to star-covered night deserts, from guest houses in Thailand, to museum drawers full of fossils in New York, this is an eye-opening and entertaining account of a might mammal.
9 hrs. 48 mins.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published October 7, 2025
128 people are currently reading
14138 people want to read
About the author
Yossi Yovel
4 books40 followersYossi Yovel is an ecologist and a neurobiologist – a rare combination of disciplines. A professor at Tel-Aviv University and the head of the School of Neuroscience, he has conducted research all around the world, using an arsenal of methods and equipment. His work has been covered by major media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, NPR, BBC, and National Geographic. A sought-after public speaker, he is currently a visiting scholar at McGill University in Montreal.
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November 20, 2025
Some of the animals on the island were thrilled by our presence. The flies discovered us right away. They weren’t here when we arrived, and now they were everywhere. We dipped a cracker in jam and before it reached our mouths, five quivering flies were already wallowing in it. We usually ate it anyway. The centipedes also discovered the camp and lay in ambush everywhere; they crawled inside the tents and between the food utensils, and their claws peeked out of our books like bookmarks. One day, I shook out a carton in search of cookies and a large centipede landed on my hand. We slept with our shoes on at night and waited to see who would be the first to get bitten.--------------------------------------
It’s not hard to become attached to these animals when you’re with them in a dark room for hours and hours. Many researchers give them individual names, and others assign them numbers. I’ve met researchers who’ve claimed to be able to identify individual bats by their scent, and researchers who’ve developed a unique whistle for each bat, with the bats landing on them one after another when summoned by their respective whistle.In The Genius Bat, Dr Yossi Yovel, a true-life Batman, offers an encyclopedic insight into the world of our planet’s only true flying mammals. The order Chiroptera incorporates all bats from bug-sized flyers only a little over an inch long to flying foxes with a wingspan in excess of five feet. There are over 1500 species of bat. Yovel introduces us to a sample. You will learn a vast amount about the second largest mammalian order (after rodents).
Dr. Yossi Yovel - Image from era-indianocean.org
(One of the true disadvantages of reading Advanced Readers Editions is the absence of illustrations. Note is made in the text of images on the pages, but it is necessary to google the species to get an image, and not necessarily the one the author had selected. The ones used here are not taken from the book.)
Greater sac-winged bat - image from Wikipedia
As is common in pop science books, each chapter, for the most part, focuses on one or two researchers in the field, offering details of the subjects they have explored. Many are legends in their areas of study. Yoval folds in tales of his own explorations in the far reaches of the earth. His adventures don’t always end in academic triumph, but he succeeds in providing excellent examples of what it is like to conduct field work in basic science. It’s enough to drive a person…ya know…
We tried hiking up a small gully and again had to climb over fallen trees and wade through pools of water. Everything around us was damp and rotten, and we had to check carefully before each step and before grabbing onto anything. Large tree trunks crumbled under our weight, and vines we gripped clung to our skin. During the first hours, I tried to maintain basic hygiene—mopping the sweat, wiping off the dirt, trying to keep my clothes dry—but I soon realized it was hopeless. Again and again, I wallowed in muddy water up to my knees, the sweat mixing with dirt, spider webs, and thousands of small insects. After two days in the jungle, dry socks are something you can only dream about. “Check carefully that you don’t have any leeches on you,” Boonman reminded me from time to time. “They grab hold of your shoes when you’re walking and then work their way up.”He also offers up tales of urban bat-human interactions. A resident objects to the materials dropped on his property by bats that are drawn to a neighbor’s tree. How to resolve the conflict? A colony of bats have taken residence in a building slated for demolition. What can be done?
The hammer-headed fruit bat - image from iNaturalist
There are larger concerns addressed, in particular, damage from windmills (it is substantial), skyscraper glass, and white nose syndrome. Are bats perilous as a source of disease to humans?
The lesser short-nosed fruit bat - image from Wikipedia
In addition to obvious items of interest, like how do bats do what they do, and do all bats use echolocation? Yovel offers up a host of surprising additions. What might be learned from studying the babble of bat pups? How do moths and bats play Darwinian leapfrog? Do bats exist in time or space? He lets us know about singing bats and bats that hunt at sea. How about bats that engage in oral sex? Wait…what? Yep. How long do bats live? Where do they live? What is social life like for bats? Do they hibernate? The author has a nice ability to put bat behavior in human terms. There are also some surprises in species with which bats interact.
Grasshoppers, for example, have ears on their front legs, and if you remove their legs, they really won’t be able to hear. There are also insects with ears on their chest, on their wings, and sometimes on their head. In general, when you think about insects, forget everything you know about mammals. If aliens ever make their way to Earth, they’ll probably look like insects
The long-tongued fruit bat - image from New Scientist - shot by Murray Cooper
While you will learn that bat echolocation was discovered before sonar was developed or the comparable capacity in dolphins was found not everything is covered. If you were hoping for some extras on Transylvanian royalty or Gotham City heroes, you will be disappointed. That said, there is a decent amount of humor in the book, particularly in relating tales from the field. There are also considerable references to the researchers who have built and are fortifying our knowledgebase about bats and their works. Dr. Yovel has given us plenty of reasons to appreciate and cheer for our flying mammal cousins, from their significance to agriculture, their impressive skill set, which offers considerable inspiration for scientific development, and their diversity of form, size, and talents. On reading The Genius Bat, you may not suddenly feel an urge to hang by your feet at bedtime, but you may find some similarities between our species that will surprise you. This is a delightful, informative read that deserves to be a blip on your sonar.
Contrary to widespread belief, there’s no evidence that the [COVID] virus came from bats. The virus found in Chinese bats is apparently unable to infect humans, but there’s solid evidence that the human coronavirus can infect bats.Review posted – 11/14/25
Publication date – 10/07/25
I received an ARE of The Genius Bat from St. Martin’s in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Yovel’s research abstracts at Tel Aviv University, Google Scholar citations, his FB page and The Bat Lab for Neuro-ecology
Profile, – National Geographic Society
Yossi Yovel is an associate professor in the School of Zoology and in the School of Neuroscience in Tel-Aviv University (TAU). He received a B.Sc. in Physics, a BSc in Biology and a M.Sc. in Neuroscience from Tel-Aviv University; and a Ph.D. in Biological cybernetics from The University of Tuebingen, Germany where he applied Machine Learning techniques for classification of Bio-sonar echoes. Before joining Tel-Aviv University as a faculty member, he was a post-doctoral fellow in the Weizmann Institute of Sciences and in the University of Chicago. Yovel leads the Bio-sonar lab in Tel-Aviv University where he studies bat bio-sonar and its application in robotics using state-of-the-art audio and video recording arrays. The lab develops miniature sensors (the smallest in the world of their kind) that can be mounted on echolocating bats in the field. The lab focuses on NeuroEcology - a combination of Neuroscience and Ecology trying to bridge the gap between these two huge disciplines by performing highly controlled experiments in the field. Yovel is the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed publications. He is a recipient of various excellence awards such as the Alon Scholarship and the Krill Prize.Interview
-----Journal of Experimental Biology - Early career researchers: an interview with Yossi Yovel by Kathryn Knight
Items of Interest from the author
-----Interspecies Internet - From Cacophony to Order in Animal Communication with Yossi Yovel
-----The Bat Lab - The Bat Lab for Neuro-Ecology
-----ESI Frankfurt - Yossi Yovel: The bat's point of view | ESI SyNC 23 - lecture with slides
-----Defy Convention - What We Learn From Nature - Bats & Birds. Prof. Yossi Yovel & Prof. Yossi Leshem. DLD LIVE TLV 2020 - lecture with slides and video – 53:52
-----Bioengineer.org - Revolutionary Discovery: Greater Mouse-Tailed Bat’s ‘Walking Cane’ Aids Blind Navigation
Item of Interest
-----Adorable Christmas ornament - I have no commercial interest here, just think it is fabulous
October 26, 2025
⭐⭐⭐.5
Pre-Read Notes:
If you've spent any time with my reviews you might already know that I am an animal person. About the only trigger I cannot handle in books is gratuitous animal cruelty. I read tons of books about animals and ecology. My last was about singing fish, and now I'm into flying mammals who also happen to be disabled-- bats are blind! I'm really excited for this book. I know I will learn a lot because I don't know the first thing about these amazing creatures.🦇
"Voigt doesn’t deny that there’s a climate crisis that needs to be addressed and that green energy is part of the solution. However, he believes that other environmental problems must not be ignored when tackling climate change— such as the mass eradication of animal species, including the slaughter of bats [by wind turbines]. He calls this the “green-green dilemma.” In Voigt’s view, we’re sacrificing the environment for the sake of the climate." p231
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) I learned so much about bats and I loved it. They are extraordinary creatures with extraordinary systems of survival. They live in constant danger of predation, and yet they persist. But like many creatures, they have met their match in humans.
While I loved the subject here, I did not love the author's approach. He's a field scientist, not a conservationist, so he was interested in the bats for reasons of discovery. He experimented on the bats expressly for generating content for this book. To me, his practices felt intrusive and potentially destructive to his subjects and their environment.
I appreciate that Yovel *does* finally address the issue of conservation and the different ways human activity profoundly affects (more like obliterates) the populations of various kinds of bats. It makes me sad that reading about animals, which I've done for forty years, has changed so much.
I recommend THE GENIUS BAT to animal lovers, readers interested in bats, fans of popular science and ecology books. If you enjoy Yuval Noah Harari books, you will enjoy the style and approach here.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ "The vampires in Wilkinson’s experiments, on the other hand, were always from the same colony and selected because they had known each other for years. Carter decided to repeat the experiment with another captive vampire bat colony where the vampires were long acquainted and the full genetic relationships between them were known. “All of a sudden it was easy,” Carter says. “Everyone fed everyone.”" p20 Food altruism amidst members of bat colonies is fascinating and to me, spectacular. Science hasn't assumed that kindness and community mindedness prevailed among many species. Documenting it in bats is important.
✔️ "Our relationship with the sun was complicated: we worshipped its energy, but we also suffered greatly from its power. Shade was one of the most craved-for commodities on the island. Its value skyrocketed in the afternoon hours when we longed for a nap and the sun was at its zenith. We had to wait until it moved low enough to create a human-wide strip of shade. We knew that in any case we’d wake up in a bath of sweat, but shade was still preferable ." p36 The author went to some wild places and endured some intense conditions to do his research.
✔️ This is going to be one of those books where I highlight every page! Animal languages are so cool: "Bats have an enormous range of communication signals. Unlike the echolocation calls they use for sensing, which have to be short and stereotypical, communication calls may be long or short, whistling or chirping, ultrasonic or audible. Some bats sound like a bird or a monkey, and in Thailand, I once heard a bat that wailed like a cat. Bats use these calls for various needs : to scold a neighbor that sticks its nose into their private domain, to sound an alarm when a potential predator enters the colony, or to cry out to a mother that disappeared in the crowded cave." p45
✔️ Smut fans? Lol! "On every tree colony of greater sac- winged bats, there’s a long line of males waiting for a chance to capture a harem. If there’s enough room on the tree trunk, some of them may form a new harem immediately upon reaching maturity. However, the great majority must wait patiently in the bachelors’ section until one of the harem leaders vacates his position. Unlucky bats may have to wait many years for an opportunity to lead a harem." p46
✔️ Yep me too! "They shout at each other when someone enters their private space, when someone tries to take food from their mouth, and when someone wakes them up. Fifty shades of “get the hell out of here,” I like to call it." p49
Content Notes: bats, animal experimentation, cruelty to animals, animal harm, animal death,
Thank you to Yassi Yovel, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE GENIUS BAT. All views are mine.
Pre-Read Notes:
If you've spent any time with my reviews you might already know that I am an animal person. About the only trigger I cannot handle in books is gratuitous animal cruelty. I read tons of books about animals and ecology. My last was about singing fish, and now I'm into flying mammals who also happen to be disabled-- bats are blind! I'm really excited for this book. I know I will learn a lot because I don't know the first thing about these amazing creatures.🦇
"Voigt doesn’t deny that there’s a climate crisis that needs to be addressed and that green energy is part of the solution. However, he believes that other environmental problems must not be ignored when tackling climate change— such as the mass eradication of animal species, including the slaughter of bats [by wind turbines]. He calls this the “green-green dilemma.” In Voigt’s view, we’re sacrificing the environment for the sake of the climate." p231
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) I learned so much about bats and I loved it. They are extraordinary creatures with extraordinary systems of survival. They live in constant danger of predation, and yet they persist. But like many creatures, they have met their match in humans.
While I loved the subject here, I did not love the author's approach. He's a field scientist, not a conservationist, so he was interested in the bats for reasons of discovery. He experimented on the bats expressly for generating content for this book. To me, his practices felt intrusive and potentially destructive to his subjects and their environment.
I appreciate that Yovel *does* finally address the issue of conservation and the different ways human activity profoundly affects (more like obliterates) the populations of various kinds of bats. It makes me sad that reading about animals, which I've done for forty years, has changed so much.
I recommend THE GENIUS BAT to animal lovers, readers interested in bats, fans of popular science and ecology books. If you enjoy Yuval Noah Harari books, you will enjoy the style and approach here.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ "The vampires in Wilkinson’s experiments, on the other hand, were always from the same colony and selected because they had known each other for years. Carter decided to repeat the experiment with another captive vampire bat colony where the vampires were long acquainted and the full genetic relationships between them were known. “All of a sudden it was easy,” Carter says. “Everyone fed everyone.”" p20 Food altruism amidst members of bat colonies is fascinating and to me, spectacular. Science hasn't assumed that kindness and community mindedness prevailed among many species. Documenting it in bats is important.
✔️ "Our relationship with the sun was complicated: we worshipped its energy, but we also suffered greatly from its power. Shade was one of the most craved-for commodities on the island. Its value skyrocketed in the afternoon hours when we longed for a nap and the sun was at its zenith. We had to wait until it moved low enough to create a human-wide strip of shade. We knew that in any case we’d wake up in a bath of sweat, but shade was still preferable ." p36 The author went to some wild places and endured some intense conditions to do his research.
✔️ This is going to be one of those books where I highlight every page! Animal languages are so cool: "Bats have an enormous range of communication signals. Unlike the echolocation calls they use for sensing, which have to be short and stereotypical, communication calls may be long or short, whistling or chirping, ultrasonic or audible. Some bats sound like a bird or a monkey, and in Thailand, I once heard a bat that wailed like a cat. Bats use these calls for various needs : to scold a neighbor that sticks its nose into their private domain, to sound an alarm when a potential predator enters the colony, or to cry out to a mother that disappeared in the crowded cave." p45
✔️ Smut fans? Lol! "On every tree colony of greater sac- winged bats, there’s a long line of males waiting for a chance to capture a harem. If there’s enough room on the tree trunk, some of them may form a new harem immediately upon reaching maturity. However, the great majority must wait patiently in the bachelors’ section until one of the harem leaders vacates his position. Unlucky bats may have to wait many years for an opportunity to lead a harem." p46
✔️ Yep me too! "They shout at each other when someone enters their private space, when someone tries to take food from their mouth, and when someone wakes them up. Fifty shades of “get the hell out of here,” I like to call it." p49
Content Notes: bats, animal experimentation, cruelty to animals, animal harm, animal death,
Thank you to Yassi Yovel, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE GENIUS BAT. All views are mine.
September 24, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Oct. 7, 2025
Ecologist, neurobiologist and academic Yossi Yovel has penned a detailed, informative book about the world’s only flying mammal, the bat. “The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal” provides an educational view of the biological makeup and habits of some of the worlds over 1500 bat species.
Broken down into four sections; sociality, echolocation, evolution and nature conservation, Yovel discusses how bats socialize, communication and procreate, and what the biggest environmental threats to bats are (here’s a shocker, human beings are their biggest threat) . He doesn’t cover all bat species, for obvious reasons, but he does ensure that a wide variety of bats from various parts of the world are highlighted. Yovel’s research takes him to almost every continent although, due to the ideal bat climate and Yovel’s familiarity, the majority of bat research takes place in Israel and Egypt.
For me, I found the sections on sociality and nature conservation to be the most interesting. Obviously, I know very little about bats, and I enjoyed learning about how they formed colonies and what methods of protection are established to keep various bat species alive and thriving. The section on echolocation was a bit thick for me and very scientific, as it broke down how bats do this biologically and anatomically. There were some bits throughout that I did enjoy, especially when talking about the research undertaken with other species and discovering what, if any, of them used echolocation, but I found this section difficult to get through.
Yovel uses stories of his own adventures, interspersed with studies from other bat researchers, and goes back and forth between them. This method encouraged me to keep reading, as Yovel’s adventure started off a chapter and I had to continue reading through the research of others and their anecdotes before Yovel’s adventure was resumed.
“Genius” is definitely a book for a specific genre, geared to those with an interest in biology, ecology, or bats in general. Yovel’s story definitely taught me a lot, about bats in general but also about disease transmission, environmental threats and a little bit about insects and other small mammals. “Genius” is a unique examination of the overlooked, underappreciated and misjudged bat species and it sheds new light on the tiny cave-dwellers.
Expected publication date: Oct. 7, 2025
Ecologist, neurobiologist and academic Yossi Yovel has penned a detailed, informative book about the world’s only flying mammal, the bat. “The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal” provides an educational view of the biological makeup and habits of some of the worlds over 1500 bat species.
Broken down into four sections; sociality, echolocation, evolution and nature conservation, Yovel discusses how bats socialize, communication and procreate, and what the biggest environmental threats to bats are (here’s a shocker, human beings are their biggest threat) . He doesn’t cover all bat species, for obvious reasons, but he does ensure that a wide variety of bats from various parts of the world are highlighted. Yovel’s research takes him to almost every continent although, due to the ideal bat climate and Yovel’s familiarity, the majority of bat research takes place in Israel and Egypt.
For me, I found the sections on sociality and nature conservation to be the most interesting. Obviously, I know very little about bats, and I enjoyed learning about how they formed colonies and what methods of protection are established to keep various bat species alive and thriving. The section on echolocation was a bit thick for me and very scientific, as it broke down how bats do this biologically and anatomically. There were some bits throughout that I did enjoy, especially when talking about the research undertaken with other species and discovering what, if any, of them used echolocation, but I found this section difficult to get through.
Yovel uses stories of his own adventures, interspersed with studies from other bat researchers, and goes back and forth between them. This method encouraged me to keep reading, as Yovel’s adventure started off a chapter and I had to continue reading through the research of others and their anecdotes before Yovel’s adventure was resumed.
“Genius” is definitely a book for a specific genre, geared to those with an interest in biology, ecology, or bats in general. Yovel’s story definitely taught me a lot, about bats in general but also about disease transmission, environmental threats and a little bit about insects and other small mammals. “Genius” is a unique examination of the overlooked, underappreciated and misjudged bat species and it sheds new light on the tiny cave-dwellers.
July 12, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Genius Bat, by Yossi Yovel, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have never been a fan of bats, but the author Yossi is fascinated by bats. I did not realize how many different types of bats there are. This is an interesting read on bats, I learned a lot about them.
October 7, 2025
The Genius Bat immediately piqued my interest first by the title and secondly the cover art. There are more than 1500 species of bats and they have a unique way of communicating and socializing. Fitted with tracking devices, researchers are able to follow. Something that doesn’t come to mind when thinking of bats.
The organization of the book makes it easy to read. Divided in four parts with the second, Echolocation, my favorite. The book as a whole is heavy on research. If bats and research findings are of interest or wanting to learn more about these creatures then I would highly recommend. A very fascinating read!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy.
The organization of the book makes it easy to read. Divided in four parts with the second, Echolocation, my favorite. The book as a whole is heavy on research. If bats and research findings are of interest or wanting to learn more about these creatures then I would highly recommend. A very fascinating read!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy.
October 7, 2025
I went into this book not knowing much about bats, but being a fan of a good science book. I found The Genius Bat to be absolutely fascinating. It is full of the most interesting tiny details, while still being accessible to someone with little knowledge on the topic. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience, and putting this book on my list of great books to gift for the holiday season. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 1, 2025
4.5 stars
I am likely the ideal demographic for this book as an ecologist and self proclaimed bat enthusiast.
I had a very big leg up on understanding much of the science in this book. I was a student of one the professors featured in this book and took his bat course in University. That being said, I found this book very interesting. I liked that the author presented all the scientific facts in an easy palatable way. Can we also take a moment to appreciate this cover art? I simply love it.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary copy.
I am likely the ideal demographic for this book as an ecologist and self proclaimed bat enthusiast.
I had a very big leg up on understanding much of the science in this book. I was a student of one the professors featured in this book and took his bat course in University. That being said, I found this book very interesting. I liked that the author presented all the scientific facts in an easy palatable way. Can we also take a moment to appreciate this cover art? I simply love it.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary copy.
February 1, 2026
easily digestible and fun to read, an absolute banger if you ask me!!
November 10, 2025
2.25 ⭐️s. I’ve always had an interest in bats, for many reasons. As an adult & homeowner, I’ve struggled to keep them out of my attic, with limited success at times & ultimately complete success, at least for now. During that time I have had a couple of close contacts with these creatures & have caught one that I feared may have bitten me. I don’t know if I was bitten but I caught the bat & had it tested for rabies and it tested negative, allowing me to bypass the rabies shots regimen that would have been administered as a precautionary measure had it tested positive.
Enough about that … I looked forward to learning more about these creatures & my attic nemesis when I got this book from my local library.
There are a lot of interesting facts about many different species of bats in the book. Some are:
• There are around 1,500 different species of bats. These make up over 20% of all mammalian species, including their wide range of sizes, diets (some eat insects, fruit/nectar, others fish/frogs, or blood), and their habitats.
• There is extensive discussion of echolocation, used by many (most) bats to navigate and hunt.
• The author also spends a fair amount of time discussing the social behavior of certain bats, particularly vampire bats, which engage in something called ‘reciprocal altruism,’ which is the sharing of food with those who have shared with them in the past.
• Also there’s a lot of talk about the evolution of research techniques, from early methods to modern technology like using AI to decipher communication and attaching GPS devices to track movements.
• Yovel also briefly touches on bat conservation & threats that bats face, including a fungus called white-nose syndrome, habitat destruction, and wind turbines, as well as the bat’s role in our ecosystems as pollinators and insect controllers.
• Lastly, there is detailed discussion of the history of the study of bats and the "obsessive and eccentric" people who study them.
Sounds great right? Then why the not so generous 2.25 star rating? Well there are quite a few reasons:
• This reminded me of another book I read … The Underworld by Susan Casey … where the focus is less on the topic (in this case bats) & more on the people (in this case the researchers & their methodologies). I wanted more bats & less promotion of the characters involved in the research.
• One of my common complaints about many nonfiction books is that they are good periodical articles masquerading as books. If one whittled down the ‘bat’ content in this book it would have been 50-75 pages out of what is a 300 page book.
• An annoyance (maybe just to me) is that the author often seemed to see just how many times he could get the word ‘echolocation’ onto a page. I understand it was a major part of the discussion but I simply got sick and tired of seeing & reading it.
• Rather than picking a story/setting and sticking with it, the author annoyingly and constantly jumped around between them, often to the detriment of the story and information being presented. I was waiting for a ‘oh look, a squirrel’ moment.
• A lot of what seemed to be irrelevant information thrown in for a reason I simply don’t get. Filler??
So, add that all up and it equals a difficult, laborious and very disappointing read. If I knew before I started, what I know now, after dragging myself to finish the book, I would have passed.
Enough about that … I looked forward to learning more about these creatures & my attic nemesis when I got this book from my local library.
There are a lot of interesting facts about many different species of bats in the book. Some are:
• There are around 1,500 different species of bats. These make up over 20% of all mammalian species, including their wide range of sizes, diets (some eat insects, fruit/nectar, others fish/frogs, or blood), and their habitats.
• There is extensive discussion of echolocation, used by many (most) bats to navigate and hunt.
• The author also spends a fair amount of time discussing the social behavior of certain bats, particularly vampire bats, which engage in something called ‘reciprocal altruism,’ which is the sharing of food with those who have shared with them in the past.
• Also there’s a lot of talk about the evolution of research techniques, from early methods to modern technology like using AI to decipher communication and attaching GPS devices to track movements.
• Yovel also briefly touches on bat conservation & threats that bats face, including a fungus called white-nose syndrome, habitat destruction, and wind turbines, as well as the bat’s role in our ecosystems as pollinators and insect controllers.
• Lastly, there is detailed discussion of the history of the study of bats and the "obsessive and eccentric" people who study them.
Sounds great right? Then why the not so generous 2.25 star rating? Well there are quite a few reasons:
• This reminded me of another book I read … The Underworld by Susan Casey … where the focus is less on the topic (in this case bats) & more on the people (in this case the researchers & their methodologies). I wanted more bats & less promotion of the characters involved in the research.
• One of my common complaints about many nonfiction books is that they are good periodical articles masquerading as books. If one whittled down the ‘bat’ content in this book it would have been 50-75 pages out of what is a 300 page book.
• An annoyance (maybe just to me) is that the author often seemed to see just how many times he could get the word ‘echolocation’ onto a page. I understand it was a major part of the discussion but I simply got sick and tired of seeing & reading it.
• Rather than picking a story/setting and sticking with it, the author annoyingly and constantly jumped around between them, often to the detriment of the story and information being presented. I was waiting for a ‘oh look, a squirrel’ moment.
• A lot of what seemed to be irrelevant information thrown in for a reason I simply don’t get. Filler??
So, add that all up and it equals a difficult, laborious and very disappointing read. If I knew before I started, what I know now, after dragging myself to finish the book, I would have passed.
September 23, 2025
DNF at 12%
This book was poorly organized in the extreme. I could not stand how scatterbrained the author was, or how mind-numbingly stupid some of his observations were (they let anyone get a PhD and teach university in Tel-Aviv, huh?). This guy is so cocky about his own research (who even is he?), but shows so little respect for any other scientists who aren't Israeli or American, and he's pretty gross about people from Mexico and Australia/NZ in particular. If I'd known this book was by such a moron, I wouldn't have requested it. Thanks anyway, NetGalley.
This book was poorly organized in the extreme. I could not stand how scatterbrained the author was, or how mind-numbingly stupid some of his observations were (they let anyone get a PhD and teach university in Tel-Aviv, huh?). This guy is so cocky about his own research (who even is he?), but shows so little respect for any other scientists who aren't Israeli or American, and he's pretty gross about people from Mexico and Australia/NZ in particular. If I'd known this book was by such a moron, I wouldn't have requested it. Thanks anyway, NetGalley.
September 1, 2025
As a self-proclaimed bat lover, I was thrilled to receive this ARC. Bats have always fascinated me, and I've always found it interesting just how each species of bat differs from the next. This book offered great insight on different species of bats, how they're researched, and ended on a note about bat conservation that left me thinking about bats I've encountered and my previous knowledge of them. However, it is very science-dense— if you do not think in-depth explanations of the mechanics behind experiments and their findings are interesting, this may not be the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🦇
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🦇
November 13, 2025
I suppose if I was going to read a non-fiction about animals, one about bats is on brand for me.
This was cute. I mean I know bats are cool already. I think they're neat, and although I didn't really care about the war of academics (though I do understand the need of them in order for the science to go further), the rest though, was delightful.
Could have it been organized a little differently? Sure, but it was fun enough that after I while I didn't care.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for an e-copy.
This was cute. I mean I know bats are cool already. I think they're neat, and although I didn't really care about the war of academics (though I do understand the need of them in order for the science to go further), the rest though, was delightful.
Could have it been organized a little differently? Sure, but it was fun enough that after I while I didn't care.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for an e-copy.
July 11, 2025
I always think it is interesting to learn more about the animals in the world around us, especially if little is known about them or they are misunderstood. Bats certainly fall into the latter category, so I decided to read Yossi Yovel’s The Genius Bat.
There were parts of the book that were interesting, but it felt like just as much of the book was focused on the community of people that research bats, and the various experiments that Yovel was a part of. I think it’s great that he points out that not all experiments are successful, either because they failed or because they’re inconclusive. But I go back to the fact that I picked up this book to learn about bats, not read about the adventures and anecdotes of the people who study them.
When he is focused on the bats, much of the book is heavily focused on echolocation. To be fair, this is a trait while not entirely unique to bats, is one that many of them specialize in that makes the trait stand out for the species. But, with the exception of one type of fruit bat, none of the fruit bats utilize it, putting a heavy emphasis on something throughout the course of the book that many bats don’t actually utilize. I wish that there had been more about their biological makeup, habitats, and even the history of their relationship with humans.
Yovel also has what was for me the very distracting habit of going back and forth between two storylines within a single chapter and the only thing they share in common is bats. Chapter 12 for example, which is titled ‘On Bat Diseases’ goes back and forth between people in Yovel’s home country of Israel fighting about cutting down trees that attract bats, which has nothing to do with disease, and the “white-nose syndrome” infecting little brown bats in the United States, which is absolutely on the mark with the title.
I think there are pieces of the book that are good, and parts of the last few chapters that show how humans need to think about how the way they change the environment has an impact on bats, and look for a way to positively coexist. But I don’t think it reads cohesively, it spends too much time on humans doing research, it occasionally veers off topic altogether to look too deeply into adaptations of prey, and focuses too heavily on echolocation.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable in the field finds all of these things a great way to have a well-rounded story about bats and the people who love them, but I was looking for a more well-rounded exploration of the species itself.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There were parts of the book that were interesting, but it felt like just as much of the book was focused on the community of people that research bats, and the various experiments that Yovel was a part of. I think it’s great that he points out that not all experiments are successful, either because they failed or because they’re inconclusive. But I go back to the fact that I picked up this book to learn about bats, not read about the adventures and anecdotes of the people who study them.
When he is focused on the bats, much of the book is heavily focused on echolocation. To be fair, this is a trait while not entirely unique to bats, is one that many of them specialize in that makes the trait stand out for the species. But, with the exception of one type of fruit bat, none of the fruit bats utilize it, putting a heavy emphasis on something throughout the course of the book that many bats don’t actually utilize. I wish that there had been more about their biological makeup, habitats, and even the history of their relationship with humans.
Yovel also has what was for me the very distracting habit of going back and forth between two storylines within a single chapter and the only thing they share in common is bats. Chapter 12 for example, which is titled ‘On Bat Diseases’ goes back and forth between people in Yovel’s home country of Israel fighting about cutting down trees that attract bats, which has nothing to do with disease, and the “white-nose syndrome” infecting little brown bats in the United States, which is absolutely on the mark with the title.
I think there are pieces of the book that are good, and parts of the last few chapters that show how humans need to think about how the way they change the environment has an impact on bats, and look for a way to positively coexist. But I don’t think it reads cohesively, it spends too much time on humans doing research, it occasionally veers off topic altogether to look too deeply into adaptations of prey, and focuses too heavily on echolocation.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable in the field finds all of these things a great way to have a well-rounded story about bats and the people who love them, but I was looking for a more well-rounded exploration of the species itself.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 23, 2025
*The Genius Bat* left me feeling blind as a bat. The book reads like a hybrid of doctoral thesis, lab gossip and travel blog. That is so much raw material to build endlessly entertaining and engaging writing from and yet the combination ultimately falls flat. Despite the potential for a compelling narrative, it ends up as a disjointed collection of facts and events. Even the most extraordinary stories are presented in a way that fails to animate them for the reader.
The author’s expertise in the history and practice of bat research is undeniable. However, I found myself wishing for stronger editorial guidance to shape these insights into an overarching storyline. Instead, it’s like you’re the partner living with a grad student getting drips and drabs of research breakthroughs, conference highlights and scattered inside jokes. But there’s never enough to fully understand the bigger picture. I kept hoping for a cohesive thread to tie the material together, but that clarity never came.
The technical details are clearly and accessibly explained, making aspects of bat research understandable for any reader. Sadly, the galley version I received didn’t include the oft-referenced photos of adorable bat faces, which I was longing to see.
The author’s expertise in the history and practice of bat research is undeniable. However, I found myself wishing for stronger editorial guidance to shape these insights into an overarching storyline. Instead, it’s like you’re the partner living with a grad student getting drips and drabs of research breakthroughs, conference highlights and scattered inside jokes. But there’s never enough to fully understand the bigger picture. I kept hoping for a cohesive thread to tie the material together, but that clarity never came.
The technical details are clearly and accessibly explained, making aspects of bat research understandable for any reader. Sadly, the galley version I received didn’t include the oft-referenced photos of adorable bat faces, which I was longing to see.
January 8, 2026
I learnt a lot from reading this, but more often than not it had the feel of a learning experience, a text book almost. It lacked in the background, some more detail of the characters involved, and anecdotes in that regard.
It’s a hard balance to get, the appropriate level of language necessary, neither beginner nor expert, and a personal feel to the narrative.
It’s a hard balance to get, the appropriate level of language necessary, neither beginner nor expert, and a personal feel to the narrative.
October 1, 2025
I was able to enjoy this ARC on audio. This is such an interesting subject to read about & the structure of the book made it very easy to get invested in. I found the deeper I got the more I wanted to know. Bonus points for releasing during spooky season. The perfect non fiction read for October.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this ARC.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this ARC.
December 6, 2025
absolute fucking heater
November 13, 2025
It’s clear to me that Yovel loves bats of all sorts, and finds them endlessly fascinating, and they are. BUT this is all over the place and often hard to follow. While I truly appreciate that Yovel points out the many many people involved in research and study it makes things more confusing and disjointed.
November 25, 2025
I was excited to learn more about bats, but this book contains only 50% bat content. The other half is about the author, his life, his experiments, and info about other scientists. His writing is not compelling enough to make any of this come alive for the reader. It is also so disorganized that it feels like we're never actually getting anywhere.
September 9, 2025
I usually love non-fiction about niche topics but this one didn’t keep me hooked. There’s lots of interesting information presented but I found the structure disorganized and hard to keep track of. DNF around 25% as I knew at this point I knew it wasn’t my thing.
Thanks to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. Overall, this is a very thorough introduction to the history of bat research in particular and some cool facts about all kinds of bats and their abilities.
What I liked was the exploration of how research on bats has evolved over time and the explanations of their many unique abilities, as well as the descriptions of all the bats mentioned. You can tell they really admire these little creatures, and I bet the published version with all the included photos of the various species (not available in the ARC) will make it even more enjoyable for animal enthusiasts to read.
There were two things I didn't like about this book, and one was just a small personal preference. This book delves really deep into the history of bat research and the timeline of important discoveries, as well as a lot about the specific scientists involved. I am not a fan of this biographical focus and prefer books about animals to focus on the animals and science rather than the researchers (like in An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us). However, if you like learning primarily about the key players involved in scientific discoveries (like in Chaos: Making a New Science or The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History) then you would really enjoy this since the author interviews most of the people he writes about himself, and has experience working with many of them as well (bat research is a small circle).
The main thing I did not like was the author's descriptions of his travels and how he talks about the local people in the various exotic locations he goes for research. He has a sort of condescending or elitist attitude and as someone who normally enjoys travel writing this just really annoyed me. Some comments he made were entirely unnecessary and gave a weird vibe to an otherwise interesting description of a trip to a remote island or jungle to look for bats.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. Overall, this is a very thorough introduction to the history of bat research in particular and some cool facts about all kinds of bats and their abilities.
What I liked was the exploration of how research on bats has evolved over time and the explanations of their many unique abilities, as well as the descriptions of all the bats mentioned. You can tell they really admire these little creatures, and I bet the published version with all the included photos of the various species (not available in the ARC) will make it even more enjoyable for animal enthusiasts to read.
There were two things I didn't like about this book, and one was just a small personal preference. This book delves really deep into the history of bat research and the timeline of important discoveries, as well as a lot about the specific scientists involved. I am not a fan of this biographical focus and prefer books about animals to focus on the animals and science rather than the researchers (like in An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us). However, if you like learning primarily about the key players involved in scientific discoveries (like in Chaos: Making a New Science or The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History) then you would really enjoy this since the author interviews most of the people he writes about himself, and has experience working with many of them as well (bat research is a small circle).
The main thing I did not like was the author's descriptions of his travels and how he talks about the local people in the various exotic locations he goes for research. He has a sort of condescending or elitist attitude and as someone who normally enjoys travel writing this just really annoyed me. Some comments he made were entirely unnecessary and gave a weird vibe to an otherwise interesting description of a trip to a remote island or jungle to look for bats.
October 6, 2025
What is a bat? Should we fear them and consider them pests as some pest control company advertisers want us to? Yossi Yovel, professor of zoology and head of the BAT LAB for Neuro-Ecology at Tel Aviv University, The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal seeks to explain what a bat is by detailing decades of research and discovery balanced with entries exploring his own work and experiences. The joys of dis-entangling a bat from a net, disputes between neighbors over a bat attracting fruit tree, to the technological advances that made it possible to 'hear' and understand bat echolocation.
The narrative is arranged in four major sections, sociality, echolocation, evolution and nature conservation. Each of these sections has 3 to 4 chapters, all focused on a particular topic. Yovel narrates the experiments and backgrounds of different academics, scientists or bat enthusiasts inter cut with narrations of his own work or development. Unsurprisingly, it starts with vampire bats, but takes that more infamous example to discuss bat society, notably how family or social groups are willing to share regurgitated blood for those in need. Echolocation looks at the famed way bats 'see' the world and how we know, which transitions well in to the section about how insects and bats are constantly evolving or adapting in a continual race for survival. The concluding section is focused on white nose syndrome, a North American bat disease that has been causing high mortality in bat populations. This section also segues to discussions of fears and ignorance about how bats help farmers and cities by their daily eating of a high number of insects.
By having the biographical elements, Yovel is able to demonstrate his own learning and advancement, as well as some humor over happenstance or, as in the introduction, the fraught challenges of driving through highly militarized zones with an antenna sticking out of the vehicle to track bats.
Recommended to readers of animal science, nature or the scientific process.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
The narrative is arranged in four major sections, sociality, echolocation, evolution and nature conservation. Each of these sections has 3 to 4 chapters, all focused on a particular topic. Yovel narrates the experiments and backgrounds of different academics, scientists or bat enthusiasts inter cut with narrations of his own work or development. Unsurprisingly, it starts with vampire bats, but takes that more infamous example to discuss bat society, notably how family or social groups are willing to share regurgitated blood for those in need. Echolocation looks at the famed way bats 'see' the world and how we know, which transitions well in to the section about how insects and bats are constantly evolving or adapting in a continual race for survival. The concluding section is focused on white nose syndrome, a North American bat disease that has been causing high mortality in bat populations. This section also segues to discussions of fears and ignorance about how bats help farmers and cities by their daily eating of a high number of insects.
By having the biographical elements, Yovel is able to demonstrate his own learning and advancement, as well as some humor over happenstance or, as in the introduction, the fraught challenges of driving through highly militarized zones with an antenna sticking out of the vehicle to track bats.
Recommended to readers of animal science, nature or the scientific process.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
November 18, 2025
As an avid bat-lover, I suppose I’m a bit biased. I love learning more about these fascinating little creatures and so I will find something to love about any book on them, whether for children or for adults.
Here, I learned SO MUCH about how bats perceive their world and about how WE perceive the world of bats.
It was very interesting to learn what we don’t yet know or fully understand how bats communicate, socialize, or inhabit their environments. There’s even more we don’t know about their evolution.
I’m just so inspired by everything we don’t know—it makes this world feel so much bigger and more curious than we may be led to believe.
More, I love how bats—these seemingly innocuous and often unfairly maligned creatures—embody so much about us as people. They reveal both our fears and our fascinations.
After reading this book, I’m so excited for what the next fangtastic discovery may be.
Big bat love aside, I could see why the style of this book may not be for all readers.
This author has a sense of humor, let’s say.
Much like how I don’t always want a funny doctor, I don’t always want a funny scientist.
Comedy is an art and humor can be very “hit or miss”. Here, I’d say the humor is toeing the fine line between being charming or obnoxious.
Granted, this is a translated work so maybe something is being lost? But, still.
Be aware—the humor is an acquired taste.
Also, this author is Israeli and is based in the country. While the author recounts much research from around the world, much of this book takes place in Israel. He’s focused on the science and bat conservation efforts.
It’s pretty innocuous and it’s not like the bats know geopolitics?
But, just be mindful if this is a sensitive topic for you.
Otherwise, I thought this was neat. If you also like learning about bats, you probably will too~
Here, I learned SO MUCH about how bats perceive their world and about how WE perceive the world of bats.
It was very interesting to learn what we don’t yet know or fully understand how bats communicate, socialize, or inhabit their environments. There’s even more we don’t know about their evolution.
I’m just so inspired by everything we don’t know—it makes this world feel so much bigger and more curious than we may be led to believe.
More, I love how bats—these seemingly innocuous and often unfairly maligned creatures—embody so much about us as people. They reveal both our fears and our fascinations.
After reading this book, I’m so excited for what the next fangtastic discovery may be.
Big bat love aside, I could see why the style of this book may not be for all readers.
This author has a sense of humor, let’s say.
Much like how I don’t always want a funny doctor, I don’t always want a funny scientist.
Comedy is an art and humor can be very “hit or miss”. Here, I’d say the humor is toeing the fine line between being charming or obnoxious.
Granted, this is a translated work so maybe something is being lost? But, still.
Be aware—the humor is an acquired taste.
Also, this author is Israeli and is based in the country. While the author recounts much research from around the world, much of this book takes place in Israel. He’s focused on the science and bat conservation efforts.
It’s pretty innocuous and it’s not like the bats know geopolitics?
But, just be mindful if this is a sensitive topic for you.
Otherwise, I thought this was neat. If you also like learning about bats, you probably will too~
September 13, 2025
Say the word, “bats” and immediately my heart beat climbs into the 100s. I am not alone.
Many people have creepy feelings about bats with the impression that they are blood-sucking vampires. This book is effective in reversing the negative image and shows how these animals are actually our friends.
Yossi Yovel has spent years studying and teaching students about these flying mammals. He gives readers a solid glimpse of his research along with several other scientists. He described one study of bats on an island of Mexico surrounded by dangerous waters. They miraculously were able to place tiny electronic devices on animals in caves to track their moves. It’s eye-opening research.
There’s much more about the socialization of bats, how they are able to travel for miles and how they track sound waves much like dolphins. I was shocked to learn that wind turbines have had a negative effect killing not only birds but also bats. What we believed was good for the environment is turning out to be ironically harmful. Few people are aware that bats have saved American farmers billions by eating hazardous insects. And then he addressed bats with diseases. It makes us naturally think of COVID-19.
It was interesting to a point and then I felt overwhelmed by the various research studies. It’s such a highly visible subject and it would make a greater impact to see photos of some of the species. However, for those who are curious about bats with the background, contributions from researchers and the progress that has been made, then this is a great resource.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this advanced book with an expected release date of October 7, 2025.
Many people have creepy feelings about bats with the impression that they are blood-sucking vampires. This book is effective in reversing the negative image and shows how these animals are actually our friends.
Yossi Yovel has spent years studying and teaching students about these flying mammals. He gives readers a solid glimpse of his research along with several other scientists. He described one study of bats on an island of Mexico surrounded by dangerous waters. They miraculously were able to place tiny electronic devices on animals in caves to track their moves. It’s eye-opening research.
There’s much more about the socialization of bats, how they are able to travel for miles and how they track sound waves much like dolphins. I was shocked to learn that wind turbines have had a negative effect killing not only birds but also bats. What we believed was good for the environment is turning out to be ironically harmful. Few people are aware that bats have saved American farmers billions by eating hazardous insects. And then he addressed bats with diseases. It makes us naturally think of COVID-19.
It was interesting to a point and then I felt overwhelmed by the various research studies. It’s such a highly visible subject and it would make a greater impact to see photos of some of the species. However, for those who are curious about bats with the background, contributions from researchers and the progress that has been made, then this is a great resource.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this advanced book with an expected release date of October 7, 2025.
October 7, 2025
I never expected to enjoy a nonfiction book about bats this much, but this one completely kept me interested. It’s packed with fascinating stories and little discoveries that make you see these animals in a whole new way. I went in thinking I’d learn a few random facts…I came out genuinely invested in how smart and complex bats are.
The author balances the science with storytelling in a way that feels easy to follow. It’s interesting without being dry, and I liked how he shares research through real observations. You learn a lot without realizing how much you’re actually taking in.
That said, it’s definitely a book for readers who enjoy learning as they go. Some chapters dig deep into the science, and the pacing can slow down if you’re not in that curious mindset. But I didn’t realize how curious I actually was until I started reading. Once I got into it, I couldn’t stop sharing random bat facts with everyone around me.
If you love nature writing, or just want to pick up something a little different, this one’s worth it. Informative, smart, and full of those moments that remind you how incredible the natural world is. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The author balances the science with storytelling in a way that feels easy to follow. It’s interesting without being dry, and I liked how he shares research through real observations. You learn a lot without realizing how much you’re actually taking in.
That said, it’s definitely a book for readers who enjoy learning as they go. Some chapters dig deep into the science, and the pacing can slow down if you’re not in that curious mindset. But I didn’t realize how curious I actually was until I started reading. Once I got into it, I couldn’t stop sharing random bat facts with everyone around me.
If you love nature writing, or just want to pick up something a little different, this one’s worth it. Informative, smart, and full of those moments that remind you how incredible the natural world is. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 15, 2025
I was provided an ALC and ARC of this book via Netgalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I had no idea there were so many different types of bats. While not a bat enthusiast myself, this was such a well crafted and detailed book about the creatures, their habits, habitats, and interactions. The author is clearly passionate about their work and research and that shows through in the book. I enjoyed learning about the various types of bats and how they are all very different. I especially enjoyed learning about echolocation
At no point did I feel that the subject matter was too hard to understand or too academic. I felt it was very well written to explain the science behind the research and any one could pick this up and learn about bats without needing a high level of understanding in science. The author did a great job keeping the science content readable and interesting which I find is not always the case with non-fiction.
If you are interested in bats, or a very well written non-fiction about a topic you know nothing about this is a good one the pick up. I certainly learned quite a bit of new information. The audio is very well narrated.
I had no idea there were so many different types of bats. While not a bat enthusiast myself, this was such a well crafted and detailed book about the creatures, their habits, habitats, and interactions. The author is clearly passionate about their work and research and that shows through in the book. I enjoyed learning about the various types of bats and how they are all very different. I especially enjoyed learning about echolocation
At no point did I feel that the subject matter was too hard to understand or too academic. I felt it was very well written to explain the science behind the research and any one could pick this up and learn about bats without needing a high level of understanding in science. The author did a great job keeping the science content readable and interesting which I find is not always the case with non-fiction.
If you are interested in bats, or a very well written non-fiction about a topic you know nothing about this is a good one the pick up. I certainly learned quite a bit of new information. The audio is very well narrated.
September 23, 2025
4.25/5. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Yossi Yovel for the ARC!
What a perfect time of year to read about one of the creatures that are "creepy," "scary," and "spooky." Bats! While I will say this book is a mixture of scientific experimentation (and the scientists involved) and the bats themselves, as a fellow scientist, I thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition. We learn through success, but we may learn even more through failure.
If someone is coming to this looking for a strict exploration of bats as a species, they may find this book to be somewhat lacking. Yovel does spend time describing the scientific community around bats and their additions to the field through their experiments. However, sometimes the tangents that the author goes on do have a winding way back to the main point.
Overall, if you are scientifically inclined and interested in the history of the research into the why of bats, highly recommended.
What a perfect time of year to read about one of the creatures that are "creepy," "scary," and "spooky." Bats! While I will say this book is a mixture of scientific experimentation (and the scientists involved) and the bats themselves, as a fellow scientist, I thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition. We learn through success, but we may learn even more through failure.
If someone is coming to this looking for a strict exploration of bats as a species, they may find this book to be somewhat lacking. Yovel does spend time describing the scientific community around bats and their additions to the field through their experiments. However, sometimes the tangents that the author goes on do have a winding way back to the main point.
Overall, if you are scientifically inclined and interested in the history of the research into the why of bats, highly recommended.
September 19, 2025
(5.0 Stars)
Thank you #NetGalley for making this book available for reading and review.
I absolutely loved this book! For a non-fiction book, it is surprisingly narrative. You can tell the author is passionate about his work, and his words. He starts each chapter with a personal note or story, then goes off on a tangent, always relevant, always interesting, then winds his way back to his original point. But on those tangents you get history, backstory, anecdote, science, and all delivered in an enjoyable flow.
The narration is done well in the audiobook, and it all comes across like the most interesting conversation you've ever had. This was a moderately long book, but I feel like it was over too quickly.
If you like Bats, Nature, Science, or any combination... you should read this book.
Thank you #NetGalley for making this book available for reading and review.
I absolutely loved this book! For a non-fiction book, it is surprisingly narrative. You can tell the author is passionate about his work, and his words. He starts each chapter with a personal note or story, then goes off on a tangent, always relevant, always interesting, then winds his way back to his original point. But on those tangents you get history, backstory, anecdote, science, and all delivered in an enjoyable flow.
The narration is done well in the audiobook, and it all comes across like the most interesting conversation you've ever had. This was a moderately long book, but I feel like it was over too quickly.
If you like Bats, Nature, Science, or any combination... you should read this book.
October 31, 2025
The Genius Bat is clearly a love story to the creatures the author has devoted a career and lifetime of study to. As a field researcher, his cataloging and descriptions of their behavior are just amazing as he tries to think like a bat in his research. While the content could have been overly academic and dry, it was interspersed with quips and stories about the researchers that made it interesting. “Politically correct” it is not, and there were a few stories about local communities and scientist behavior that were very cringy… but that is also something we can all learn from if our intent is to do better. So, in a way, I think it was authentic that not everything was sugar coated. It gives one opportunity to pick out and call out bad and unproductive behavior.
I learned so much about these wonderful creatures through this book. The science battles were also interesting and lent insight into the world of research nerds. The book is written in an accessible format that doesn’t require a legion of science background to understand or appreciate. Definitely pick this one up if you are interested in bats or animals in general or just want to learn something random today!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I learned so much about these wonderful creatures through this book. The science battles were also interesting and lent insight into the world of research nerds. The book is written in an accessible format that doesn’t require a legion of science background to understand or appreciate. Definitely pick this one up if you are interested in bats or animals in general or just want to learn something random today!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
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