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The Great Apes: A Short History
A unique, beautifully illustrated exploration of our fascination with our closest primate relatives, and the development of primatology as a discipline
This insightful work is a compact but wide-ranging survey of humankind’s relationship to the great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans), from antiquity to the present. Replete with fascinating historical details and anecdotes, it traces twists and turns in our construction of primate knowledge over five hundred years. Chris Herzfeld outlines the development of primatology and its key players and events, including well-known long-term field studies, notably the pioneering work by women such as Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas.
Herzfeld seeks to heighten our understanding of great apes and the many ways they are like us. The reader will encounter apes living in human families, painting apes, apes who use American Sign Language, and chimpanzees who travelled in space.
A philosopher and historian specializing in primatology, Herzfeld offers thought-provoking insights about our perceptions of apes, as well as the boundary between “human” and “ape” and what it means to be either.
This insightful work is a compact but wide-ranging survey of humankind’s relationship to the great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans), from antiquity to the present. Replete with fascinating historical details and anecdotes, it traces twists and turns in our construction of primate knowledge over five hundred years. Chris Herzfeld outlines the development of primatology and its key players and events, including well-known long-term field studies, notably the pioneering work by women such as Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas.
Herzfeld seeks to heighten our understanding of great apes and the many ways they are like us. The reader will encounter apes living in human families, painting apes, apes who use American Sign Language, and chimpanzees who travelled in space.
A philosopher and historian specializing in primatology, Herzfeld offers thought-provoking insights about our perceptions of apes, as well as the boundary between “human” and “ape” and what it means to be either.
344 pages, Hardcover
Published November 14, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 3, 2017
This book is absolutely brilliant. First class research, thoughtful analysis and beautifully written, it’s the best text on primate research I’ve read in years.
The book covers basic “who did what and when” ancient history and then moves on to describe the history and development of the modern science. It takes a broad sweep look into the kinds of research done, and briefly discusses the players and their best work.
Warning: most of the book dwells on happy stuff like painting, signing and observations in the wild but some of the medical and isolation experiments were absolutely foul.
What is absolutely lovely is that you get to stand back and see how the perceptions of the scientists at the time influenced not only how they worked but on their interpretation of what they observed. Herzfeld’s own thoughts and her brief overviews of current academic takes are thought provoking and will have me coming back for a second and third read.
Another delight is that this book is also full of fascinating facts not usually discussed, like pointing out that the publicity in the 60s, 70s and 80s went to women like Diane Fossey and Jane Goodall, but that men made up 80% of researchers and took up all the top university posts.
If you are a psychologist, sociologist, or anthropologist then this book is an absolute most. It should be required reading for everyone taking a college degree in these disciplines. Is it a book for non-academics? I’d say absolutely yes! If you are interested in human nature or an avid nature documentary watcher, then you’re going to totally adore this book.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and am reviewing voluntarily.
The book covers basic “who did what and when” ancient history and then moves on to describe the history and development of the modern science. It takes a broad sweep look into the kinds of research done, and briefly discusses the players and their best work.
Warning: most of the book dwells on happy stuff like painting, signing and observations in the wild but some of the medical and isolation experiments were absolutely foul.
What is absolutely lovely is that you get to stand back and see how the perceptions of the scientists at the time influenced not only how they worked but on their interpretation of what they observed. Herzfeld’s own thoughts and her brief overviews of current academic takes are thought provoking and will have me coming back for a second and third read.
Another delight is that this book is also full of fascinating facts not usually discussed, like pointing out that the publicity in the 60s, 70s and 80s went to women like Diane Fossey and Jane Goodall, but that men made up 80% of researchers and took up all the top university posts.
If you are a psychologist, sociologist, or anthropologist then this book is an absolute most. It should be required reading for everyone taking a college degree in these disciplines. Is it a book for non-academics? I’d say absolutely yes! If you are interested in human nature or an avid nature documentary watcher, then you’re going to totally adore this book.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and am reviewing voluntarily.
October 27, 2017
An excellent intellectual journey into the world of primates, which takes into account not only scientific observations, but equally their mental representations. Although the level is highly scientific, it is written in a way which does not send you back to university to understand. Highly recommended to anyone driven by scientific curiosity about primates and their complex relationship with the human world.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
March 2, 2023
Cool monkey book.
June 30, 2022
I understand that the edition I read was a translation of the original work but at some points it still felt like it wasn’t done very well. Nonetheless, good book that covered the history of the study of the great apes. Would’ve preferred a more detailed discussion of their biology and ecology rather than just the history of the science of them. Some parts felt like it was just a list of scientific studies and what each one showed about apes. Favorite part was the first section which covered how pre-enlightenment peoples thought about and visualized apes and how later scientists ironed out the truth about them.
March 1, 2023
A straightforward book documenting the history of primatology in a condensed format.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews