chimaysmommy Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I am loving this book! And I am really REALLY not a reader. When it comes to stories, my boyfriend will read the book and I'll see the movie. Ha ha... I'm hoping that a lot of other people out there have read it as well and enjoyed it as much as I am. I didn't know much about Alex other than what couple clips are availble on YouTube, and I had no idea how incredibly smart he was and how blatant it was that he really understood everything he was saying. That model/rival training technique really worked a miracle. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Read it! Loved it! And agree; it's a great read and every grey lover should read it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I read that book in a couple of days, loved it but I will warn you, I cried at the end for we all know how it ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 What's the name of the book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 It's called "Alex & Me" by Dr. Irene Pepperberg. She worked with her grey Alex for like 30 years to prove the intelligence and vocal abilities of the Grey. Alex was an amazing bird...I highly, highly recommend you pick it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Ohh ok Thank You, I am going to have to add that one to my growing list of books :woohoo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 It really is a must-read...please let me know what you think when/if you get it! I'm anxious to see if my boyf and I can successfully execute the training techniques she talks about using in the book once our Chimay arrives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I sure will let you know! Aww im so happy for you with BOTH of your babies coming your way. You have a DOUBLE blessing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 Aw I'm sorry if I misled somewhere, we're actually getting one grey. Our first!! Right now our apartment is only big enough for one, but you never know...when a house comes along we might just have to get Chimay a playmate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eckobird Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I loved that book! I cried at the end, one because it was sad and two because it was over lol! I want a continued version! Hopefully she teaches Griffin to be as smart as Alex! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 It is a great book, that made laugh, cry and ponder deeply on the intelligence and understanding, these wonderful sentient beings we calls "Ours" have and what it means it terms of how we should respect them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 chimaysmommy wrote: Aw I'm sorry if I misled somewhere, we're actually getting one grey. Our first!! Right now our apartment is only big enough for one, but you never know...when a house comes along we might just have to get Chimay a playmate! Aww that's ok it was probably something that I read on here from someone else :pinch: . I don't never sleep so the topics are starting to blend in now lol. I can't wait to read the book... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 chimaysmommy wrote: I am loving this book! And I am really REALLY not a reader. When it comes to stories, my boyfriend will read the book and I'll see the movie. Ha ha... I'm hoping that a lot of other people out there have read it as well and enjoyed it as much as I am. I didn't know much about Alex other than what couple clips are availble on YouTube, and I had no idea how incredibly smart he was and how blatant it was that he really understood everything he was saying. That model/rival training technique really worked a miracle. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it! Ok I finally broke down and bought the book yesterday it was a belated present for myself I will let you know what I think of it. It looks like a wonderful book so far, I can't wait to read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandische Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I read this book in a couple of days and I cried too. It was amazing to see how much love and respect Alex & Dr. Pepperberg had for each other. To know for certain just how smart these guys are is an amazing thing for Mankind to discover in the name of science. But to realize that as smart as they are they're still content to hang around with us even through the tough times - well, that's a lesson humans EVERYWHERE could benefit from! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sallas Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I just got it on Audio CD (I like to listen to audio books when I drive in rush hour traffic, I find i do not get as irritated as i do when I listen to music). Anyway, I had just started the first CD on my way to work this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 You guys are really going to love it...Once it gets to the point where she begins talking about her childhood forward it really gets good. Some of the concepts that Alex seemed to understand were just incredible. Please be sure to let me know what you think!!! I really believe it's a must-read for anyone who owns a grey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovethatgrey Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I'm looking forward to reading it too. I'm a member of another forum so what we are doing right now is - The Alex and Me book - all around the world. A member purchased it, read it:) and now she is passing it on to another member. Once that member is done with it ... it will be mailed to another member and so forth. This book will travel to so many countries and we will all sign it. It's going to be so neat when I receive it... the same book will have touched so many african grey owners.<br><br>Post edited by: lovethatgrey, at: 2009/03/14 02:00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannon Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Great book, I agree. I,too, cried at the end even though I well knew how it would end. Gosh it was good though. I found this on YouTube of Griffin, taken after Alex' death. Griffin sounds so much like Alex it is eerie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Fpad20Zbk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Shannon thanks for sharing the video of Griffin. It's nice to know Alex's work is continued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 chimaysmommy If you actually mislead people here, your punishment is that you must get 2 greys so that people won't think you actually mislead them. I know you'll feel better by showing them that you would never mislead them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Shannon thank you so much for posting that youtube link! I loved the video, and I'm so glad Griffin is working in Alex's footsteps. Dave007 we'd love to get a second grey if you're willing to cough up the money for the bird and a bigger cage...j/k! Lol... I certainly wouldn't want my reputation on this board to be that of someone who would misrepresent herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Great video, Shannon! Thanks. I learned something valuable: I notice that Dr. Pepperburg is really in Griffin's face when she talks to him -- up close and personal. I haven't really spoken to Shanti that way, but I'm going to start. I'm sure Dr. P. developed that technique after years of experimentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilosMom Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I don’t understand why Alex is a plucker? At first I thought Alex might be a rescue but Dr.P had mentioned she got Alex when he was 1. If she is such an expert at what she is doing, Isn't a healthy bird in a healthy environment is not suppose to developed plucking problem? (I don't mean to sound like I m criticizing her or her work.) Or are some birds just born to be a plucker? Also how did alex die? It didn't say anything in the book about how he died? I m just curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimaysmommy Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 *****SPOILER ALERT***** LilosMom it's so funny you ask that question, because my boyfriend posed the exact same question to me last night while we were perch/toy shopping! Ha ha... Dr. P took advantage of an opportunity to spend a year at MIT's Consumer Electronics Laboratory in Boston, which stressed Alex considerably (check out the chapter "Alex Goes Hi-Tech." Alex didn't go with her and the stress of seperation, though Dr. P visited took a lot out of Alex. She described how hard it was for both Alex and Griffin when she finally was able to get them on a plane and travel 12 hours to Boston, and how Alex was a chewed up mess by the time they made it to Boston. As far as how he died, I have no idea. It's a tragedy that he did, and as morbid as it sounds I was really hoping that there would be a medical explanation as to the cause of his death at the end of the book. If I had to make an assumption based on the "feel" of the book as a whole, it seems that Dr. P may have wanted to keep the focus on Alex and his accomplishments in the Avian Learning Experiment and not on the cause of his demise. This I can understand, but I still was just slightly disappointed that we didn't find out why he passed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 It was indeed a great book. Thanks for sharing the video document of Dr. Pepperbergs with with Alex and Griffith. Alex died of heart failure according to the autopsy results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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