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It was a real slice of life type book, covering not only the happy, successful aspects of fieldwork, but also the down and dirty, unhappy times. Though the title clearly states "memoir", I still thought this book would mostly be about baboons and their lives. This was truly an adventure book, with chapters that were at times so exciting I literally had to keep reading to see how he'd get himself out of some given situation.Though I bought it to learn about primates (baboons specifically), it did let me down in that regard. However, that is actually only a component of the book, and a somewhat small component at that.The book opens typically, with background info on the author, and how he got to where he went, what he was doing there, etc. Scattered throughout the chapters are stories of baboons, but the book was largely about Saplosky's adventures in Africa.Stories of desert crossings, gorilla pilgramages to the mountains, encounters with "wild" bushman, etc etc. However, as a whole, the book might have taught me even more. Plus it made me laugh out loud, and any book that can make me laugh (not smile, not smirk, not giggle) is always worth a read.
A friend gave me this book to read. I loved this book. I'm convinced that is the best way to get a book recommendation. Your friends know you best. It's funny. It's sad and you learn so much about a country and its people and animals to which most of us will never be exposed.
and Robert M. Sapolsky is a little understated about the dangers baboons face (cf.
He enjoys both people and nature. As a younger man (memoir spans many years), he is too adventurous: I was almost offended by his hitchhiking adventures, in which his naiveté could easily have gotten him killed.
Sapolsky is a hero: courageous, conscientious, well intentioned, adaptable, sensitive, hardworking. Many elements of Massai tradition are difficult for a Western liberal to accept.The most significant aspect of baboon behavior, for me, is that there is room for marked difference in individual personality unrelated to status or circumstance.
This is a fascinating memoir, written in a light, wry style. The picture Sapolsky paints of East African life is filled with many good people, but endemic corruption, and at the end Sapolsky allows his anger to show.
Cheney, Dorothy L. Seyfarth: Baboon Metaphysics), but perhaps this varies by location - Sapolsky's troop did not have to worry about crocodiles for example; and Sapolsky is understated about the dangers he himself faced.
This book isn't about baboons, it's about Sapolsky and happens to contain baboons in it. But if you wanted to get a book to read about baboons, be warned that they're only a part of this one. Even in the non-baboon chapters, Sapolsky seems intent on telling us how this or that made him feel and interestingly seems to have remarkable (and questionable) insight into how others are feeling or thinking.
Sapolsky applaudably abandons the rigid, old-style scientific "objectivity" in describing the stories of the baboons and tells them as they should be told. But much of it is just I went here and there etc. I like Sapolsky's style of writing about the baboons, but the amount of pages on them are really not very much.
With such subjective banter one might very well wonder if it doesn't also reflect into the chapters on the baboons. I liked how he spoke of who and what actions he liked and disliked (even what baboons he fancied). However he shows no remorse or acknowledgement of issues with darting and anesthetizing the baboons.
I suppose those parts can be good if you're into the "adventure in the savannas and other strange lands of Africa" type of book, and the rest if you can take Sapolsky's word on some things. And it's a shame because he does write very well on them.
Indeed, most stress baboons experience is social in nature rather than that imposed by predators. By giving them biblical names, Sapolsky allows the reader to connect to these baboons and recognize them as individuals. His motivation was simple; find a model organism in which stress is most similarly related to that of the human. This is a truly inspiring account of life among humans and baboons in Africa during the 70s. My wife, who does not normally read popular science books, loved reading it. Not only does he talk about the science, but he discusses the personalities of these baboons.
It is simply hilarious.
Thus, by understanding the nature of that stress and its consequences on physiology, Sapolsky thought he'd start off his scientific career.Sapolsky documents the behavior of a particular individual, paying close attention to his/her rank in the tribe.
There are so many of these stories that they could have been written up as a whole other book.
Robert Sapolsky, a McArthur Foundation genius fellow, takes us on this amazing trip during times of intense political turmoil in the region.Sapolsky had the intuition and insight to study the effect of stress on physical health long before the topic became widely recognized in medicine.
Sapolsky additionally describes his interactions with the people who were involved in his work and others whom he dealt with throughout his travels.
At some point, he darts that individual with an anesthetic and collects physiological data such as cortisol level, blood pressure, etc.
By correlating the behavior with the physiology, Sapolsky tries to synthesize a model by which social stress (and status) contributes to one's overall health.Sapolsky has one of the most entertaining styles of writing I have ever come across.
Their merger with the baboon stories is appropriate though and gives context to Sapolsky's life among these fascinating creatures.This book is accessible to everyone.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn about the humanity through the eyes of a close primate relative.
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