The Alex Studies/Alex & Me by Irene Pepperberg.

[Cheshire Cat]

I'd absolutely LOVE to read these books and have been looking for anywhere in the UK that sells them. Thankfully, I actually found them on the Waterstone's website (UK book shop). I was curious who else had read the books (either one of them or both) and what your thoughts are on them?

 

I found out about Alex after watching video after video of African Greys on YouTube before bringing my own Grey home. I actually put one video on for my mom which I believe was aired on Animal Planet and was documenting the cognition and language capabilities of Greys. Alex, of course, was featured and also Einstein who I know has amazing language capability. The video actually made my mom cry which I was very surprised by as she's never been as interested in birds as me. Although my Tui has captured her heart.

 

I know Alex and Me is all about Dr. Pepperberg's relationship with Alex more so than the actual studies which is actually more appealing to me. I was captured more by their relationship than his intelligence in all honesty.

 

I'm just curious as to your reviews on these books before reading them myself.

 

This was also the video I first watched which introduced Alex just in case anyone hasn't seen it. I'm sure a lot of you have.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Fpad20Zbk

Edited August 5, 2010 by Cheshire Cat

[Jayd]

Their wonderful........Here is to of my favorite link's other then the Grey Forum :http://www.alexfoundation.org/ http://www.africangreys.com/

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm just looking up prices now on eBay and they're quite decent for brand new editions. I think I might invest in them soon!

 

I've visit The Alex Foundation and the site you linked me to, I believe. I've been to nearly every Grey site online. Lol.

[danmcq]

They are both GreYt books. However, I do prefer the up-close and personal look into their lives in Alex and Me.

[Birdnut]

I read Alex & Me and loved it. Some of the anecdotes are amazing! I love the one where Alex purposefully gives wrong answers when he's tired of working or being obstinate.

 

BTW: We were in a local jewelers today, who is also a bird lover, and he mentioned that he read that Einstein had recently died. I wondered if anyone else had heard of this.

[Jayd]

There's two Einstein Greys on the net. Here's the link to the right one....lol, Still alive... http://www.knoxville-zoo.org/case-studies/49

[animalINSPIRED]

They're both wonderful books! I love Alex and Me, but The Alex Studies were a great insight into Alex's training. Irene, Alex, Kyaaro (sp?), Alo, and Griffin were also featured in the training video, Training Your Parrot The Alex Way. It was really good and very entertaining. My grey, Averi, watched the entire thing while sitting on my knee; which is crazy considering she's an overly adventurous, get in to everything type bird. Gotta love her!

[tarm]

Make sure to get the hardback versions of them They both come in soft and hard back. Any book you plan to keep in a collection should be hardback. Even the page paper is higher quailty as is the ink. It is always worth it to pay the extra for hardback IMO.

[reggieroo]

Alex & Me is a great book, not long read it & put a post on here about it.