Almost Chimpanzee: Searching for What Makes Us Human, in Rainforests, Labs, Sanctuaries, and Zoos

by Jon Cohen

The captivating story of how a band of scientists has redrawn the genetic and behavioral lines that separate humans from our nearest cousins In the fall of 2005, a band of researchers cracked the code of the chimpanzee genome and provided a startling new window into the differences between humans and our closest primate cousins. For the past several years, acclaimed Science reporter Jon Cohen has been following the DNA hunt, as well as eye-opening new studies in ape communication, human evolution, disease, diet, and more. In Almost Chimpanzee , Cohen invites us on a captivating scientific journey, taking us behind the scenes in cutting-edge genetics labs, rain forests in Uganda, sanctuaries in Iowa, experimental enclaves in Japan, even the Detroit Zoo. Along the way, he ferries fresh chimp sperm for a time-sensitive analysis, gets greeted by pant-hoots and chimp feces, and investigates an audacious attempt to breed a humanzee. Cohen offers a fresh and often frankly humorous insider's tour of the latest research, which promises to lead to everything from insights about the unique ways our bodies work to shedding light on stubborn human-only problems, ranging from infertility and asthma to speech disorders. And in the end, Cohen explains why it's time to move on from Jane Goodall's plea that we focus on how the two species are alike and turns to examining why our differences matter in vital ways—for understanding humans and for increasing the chances to save the endangered chimpanzee.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Evolution, Animals, Biology, Nature, Anthropology

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2010

Reviews

[AJ Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to read books about humanity, evolution, and apes - and this book didn't disappoint. The whole premise is to get away from the comparison between chimps and humans. Through the past 150 years (or even more) people have claimed that chimps are almost like humans, and thus we should save them, and give them rights, etc. This author claims that people are nothing like chimps and the comparison should go the other way around, the humans, but for some genetic evolution and quirks of nature could have been chimpanzees.

He leads us through the ways the chimps and humans differ, and why, beginning with the smallest parts of us (the genes) up through the blood, the brain, and the body. He goes through all of the modern theories in evolution and in the difference between humans and chimps. It's very readable and interesting, but it's not a whole lot different than any other book about humans and apes - though it is a bit more skeptical in it's review of research, which I enjoyed. It is very thorough and a great broad view of the current state of research into chimpanzees mostly, but also of the research of chimpanzee differences compared to humans.

I recommend it!

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think Jon Cohen, who is a science journalist, has raised an important question in this report on chimp science: that is, what makes us human? The gap between ape and hominid is vast even though we have a lot in common with this animal relative. This question can't be answered because it seems that research into the human/ape genome, brain anatomy, physiology, cognition, etc. hasn't yielded enough indisputable information. Unfortunately Cohen uses this book to report on progress to date in mind-numbing detail. He is not good at synthesis or summary. In the last chapter he tries to summarize the current state of chimpanzee conservation, but he left me puzzled. Are chimpanzees threatened or endangered or not? Is there hope for the species in preserves? zoos? reintroductions? I just don't have the patience to sift through so much conflicting opinion to find the facts in this book. This work was a sincere and ambitious undertaking, and it was even well written, but it wasn't well done.

[Andrea Stenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken with our not so distant cousins, I've been reading a great deal about chimpanzees. ALMOST CHIMPANZEE is one of the better books with a wider outlook. Cohen looks at the difference between humans and chimpanzee(in the wild and in captivity). He gives some of the history of chimp study, appreciating Goodall, but aware of her lack of rigor in some of her studies and in her political stances. The book is divided into three major sections: Blood, Brains, and Bodies. Some of the topics covered are different antibodies in the two species, language and communication skills and different types of movements, eg. chimps do not have the ability to swim.
In the main, Cohen's descriptions and explanations are clear, though a few sections don't support his arguments.

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author looks into some of the differences and similarities between chimpanzees and humans. I found it interesting, but thought Cohen failed to find a rhythm and stick to it. Some chapters are highly scientific, while others feel like they are written by a random bystander getting the chance to watch chimps for a day. The flow doesn't seem to match from chapter to chapter at times and it's hard to figure out what point the author is trying to make. The book at times ignores the comparison to humans and the book ends with d scussion about the possibility of the chimps species being wiped out by extinctions. Without a cute final line thrown in, you could be mistaken for thinking this was the main topic of the book.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Probably outdated ten years later. There’s a lot of fascinating information and a good case made for how chimpanzees are different from humans and why that matters. The writing was disappointing though. It felt like a bunch of articles strung together with a lot of names and dates, rather than a clear and compelling journey through what we know.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get past the first chapter. Engaging, but had enough small/medium errors that made the anthropologist inside me cringe. There is quite a bit of evidence for teaching and learning among chimpanzees, particularly with tool use.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, it just couldn't hold my interest, despite being an interesting subject. I gave up at page 167. YMMV

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

All that you would ever want to know about chimpanzees, plus a lot that you might not want to know. The book covers most of the history of interaction between humans and chimps -- medical experimentation, zoos, studies in the wild, conservation efforts.

I was surprised to learn that chimps can't swim. They drown quickly. Chimps have been trained to knit, but no one has taught them to swim.

Conferences of chimpanzee researchers can begin with participants panting and hooting at each other.

There has been a lot of exaggerations of chimp abilities, for example in language. They just don't get the basic ideas. Chimps are about our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, but there is a chasm between us.

[Barb Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended to more informed science readers--it's very readable for the most part, but I was at a loss with some of the genetics and physiology. Good overview of the worldwide research efforts, what we (think we) know and what we don't know. Ends with the dilemma over future research when wild populations and captive populations are both endangered, and a slightly hopeful note regarding preservation efforts in various reserves in Africa. Interesting, funny, insightful.

[Alexandra Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers a lot of ground, and impressively, still gets into a lot of specific detail, introducing specific people, projects and places related to great apes. The author is adept at summarizing key studies (Rilling et al. 2008, etc.). The book is divided into three unique sections: Blood, Brains and Bodies.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the details of all the research that was done to result in this book is a bit much for someone not involved in the work. The summing up makes it well worth the effort. The ending is beautiful! We now know so much more about who we really are.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting overview of the researching comparing chimpanzees and other apes to humans. Cohen nicely combines first hand observation with scientific detail to make this an enjoyable and easily digestible read.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on "Science Friday".

[Belinda Jonak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative- the updates on genetic research were quite well done.

[Jenny Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read, though disjointed and at times frustrating because of the superficial way that author explains the science he's touching on.

[Stephanie]

Bah. I didn't finish it. What I read was interesting, but life got in the way. Hope to try again later when things slow down (Ha!).

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just ok. Lots of information- but the science was very superficial and I feel like Cohen could have dug a little deeper.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the current state of chimpanzee research, and a nice antidote to Franz der Waal's romanticism of the bonobo species.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but some chapters got way too scientific for me to follow clearly.