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Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom
It is exactly like Isaiah 11:6: ""The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid . . . " "Written by "National Geographic "magazine writer Jennifer Holland, "Unlikely Friendships" documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a f...more
ebook, 160 pages
Published
June 15th 2011
by Workman Publishing
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shut up. it's adorable.
So according to Merriam-Webster, a friend is “one attached to another by affection or esteem.” In the book Unlikely Friendships, I think this definition occasionally gets stretched a little.
I mean, we’ve got a picture of “the author befriend[ing] a potato cod in Australia.” I just… I just don’t think that’s friendship. That’s a stunned fish wondering why he’s being taken advantage of, perhaps. But I don’t… I don’t… think there’s an actual bond forming, there. Probably.
Seriously, no means no, la...more
I mean, we’ve got a picture of “the author befriend[ing] a potato cod in Australia.” I just… I just don’t think that’s friendship. That’s a stunned fish wondering why he’s being taken advantage of, perhaps. But I don’t… I don’t… think there’s an actual bond forming, there. Probably.
Seriously, no means no, la...more
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The many colorful photographs of various animals are indeed beautiful, and, together with the brief anecdotes that accompany each section, Jennifer Holland's book does inspire that "awwwww" response that beautiful or cute animals so often do. UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIPS was a gift, certainly not the kind of book I would buy. I read it in less than two hours. The unusual so-called friendships are often stretched from what was more than likely a posed or serendipity photo op, like "The Bobcat Kitten and...more
A wonderful set of stories and photos. The theme plot seems to be - very young animal loses its mother or clan, gets saved by a wildlife sanctuary or family, is terribly lonely, gets a new friend in the form of a cat, dog, goat, sheep, warthog, monkey, ... and finds new meaning in life, starts eating again, and either lives happily there, or gets reintroduced to the wild when old enough. The pairings are quite diverse, showing that any friend will do in a pinch. There are some friendships that d...more
I fully believe animals have much to offer to each other, and to humans, in many ways. We can learn from them. This book illustrates this fact.
Jennifer Holland has captured 47 truly incredible stories of bonds between animals. These are stories of true, heartfelt connections. Accompanying each story is amazing photography of the animals showing their bond.
Some of these unlikely friendships are those between a cat and a lizard, a monkey and a dove, a dog and a fish, and even a friendship between...more
Jennifer Holland has captured 47 truly incredible stories of bonds between animals. These are stories of true, heartfelt connections. Accompanying each story is amazing photography of the animals showing their bond.
Some of these unlikely friendships are those between a cat and a lizard, a monkey and a dove, a dog and a fish, and even a friendship between...more
No one loves anthropomorphisization more than me. So Unlikely Friendships is just the kind of book I like to savor over a warm mug of cocoa.
Holland describes “friendships” between species, sometimes even predators with prey. Everyone knows about the gorilla Koko and her kittens, which are included here. But my favorites include the hippopotamus and the pygmy goat (seriously, what’s funnier than a goat standing on a hippo?), the macaque and the kitten, the elephant and the stray dog, the salty do...more
Holland describes “friendships” between species, sometimes even predators with prey. Everyone knows about the gorilla Koko and her kittens, which are included here. But my favorites include the hippopotamus and the pygmy goat (seriously, what’s funnier than a goat standing on a hippo?), the macaque and the kitten, the elephant and the stray dog, the salty do...more
I received Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom as a Christmas gift this year. It was a book I almost didn't want to like just for the cutesy factor alone. But, I have to admit that I was quickly sucked in and spent the next few hours devouring the photos and the short tales of the bonds between unexpected animal pairs and slightly larger animal groupings. It's perhaps a leap to call these bonds "friendships," especially in the tales describing simple one-time enco...more
Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland is subtitled "47 remarkable stories from the Animal Kingdom." The cover shows a white dove being hugged by a tiny monkey. This is definitely a book you can judge by its cover. The most relevant word in this review is going to be "awww."
The book contains cute and touching stories about odd relationships between animals like an iguana and a house cat, a lioness and an oryx, and a tortoise and a hippo. The stories are accompanied by photos that will...more
The book contains cute and touching stories about odd relationships between animals like an iguana and a house cat, a lioness and an oryx, and a tortoise and a hippo. The stories are accompanied by photos that will...more
Nov 13, 2011
Aubrey Tate
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult-non-fiction
When this came into the library my co-workers and I "awwwwwwwed" all over the pictures in it. I think that the pictures of these "unlikely friendships" were just remarkable and touching. Pictures sure do leave an impression. The cat cuddling up with the iguana was one of my favorites. There were just so many to choose from. My only gripe, like some of my fellow reviews, was that the written part didn't really add much to the story. I learned a couple of things here and there, like how May is mat...more
Not surprisingly, this is the greatest work of literature every written by man or woman.
Unlikely Friendships
by Jennifer S. Holland
Non-fiction
Breif Summary: This book is a collection of 47 very touching and heartwarming animal bonds from cat and cockatoo, to snake and hamster. All of these stories are true and very good to retell. Some stories are very famous, but some are little known, but all are very real. Most of these animals have passed, but they will be remembered forever for their compassion and friends.
My Thinking: Being an animal lover myself, I really enjoyed reading all...more
by Jennifer S. Holland
Non-fiction
Breif Summary: This book is a collection of 47 very touching and heartwarming animal bonds from cat and cockatoo, to snake and hamster. All of these stories are true and very good to retell. Some stories are very famous, but some are little known, but all are very real. Most of these animals have passed, but they will be remembered forever for their compassion and friends.
My Thinking: Being an animal lover myself, I really enjoyed reading all...more
Sometimes, especially during an ugly, contentious election year, what you really want is a short, easy-to-read book about animals who get along far better than we humans seem to be able to. And here it is! With dozens of little stories and big, gorgeous full-color photos (if the photo of the pit bull napping with his ferret buddy doesn’t melt your heart, you don’t have one), the author explores unusual animal relationships—Owlet and Greyhound, Hippo and Tortoise, Elephant and Sheep, Dog and Dolp...more
If you need to buy a gift for someone who loves animals, this is the one to buy this Christmas. This small paperback has the most beautiful photos and short little descriptions of 47 different pairs of animals who against all the laws of nature developed a loving relationship with each other. The cover picture itself is precious beyond description: a baby monkey (macaque) cuddling with a white dove, and is just the tip of the iceberg.
There are stories and photos of an iguana and house cats; an o...more
There are stories and photos of an iguana and house cats; an o...more
Overall a great book and a quick read. I agree with some of the other reviews that not all the stories should be described as friendships but that wasn't enough for me to rate the book poorly. I understand rating books low that aren't enjoyable or knowledgeable about their topic but really guys, was there any really high expectations about this book? These are heartwarming stories about animals. I doubt this book will go down as one of the great literary works of our time, but it makes a great c...more
Last week when I picked up my library hold of Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom I knew that there would be no chance in me resisting the book after I got home and wouldn't you know it an hour and a half after I got in the door I was smiling and flipping the last page of the book.
I thought that this was a delightful read. It was quick to read with very cute heart warming stories from all walks of life in the animal kingdom from all over the globe. There are 47 di...more
I thought that this was a delightful read. It was quick to read with very cute heart warming stories from all walks of life in the animal kingdom from all over the globe. There are 47 di...more
I fell in love with this book by just looking at the cover. I mean, who couldn’t?!
210 pages long, it’s an easy-read that captivates you from the beginning until the end. Complete with beautiful pictures of the real life friendships and stories about the animals involved, you can’t help tearing up and getting goose bumps as you read.
The author, whom is a senior writer at National Geographic, not only entertains but also educates the readers by adding facts about each animal featured in the book...more
210 pages long, it’s an easy-read that captivates you from the beginning until the end. Complete with beautiful pictures of the real life friendships and stories about the animals involved, you can’t help tearing up and getting goose bumps as you read.
The author, whom is a senior writer at National Geographic, not only entertains but also educates the readers by adding facts about each animal featured in the book...more
Excellent nonfiction for animal lovers! Each of these short chapters is a separate story of animals who found each other and developed a bond. Some of the animal pairs only spent a short time together, and others have spent years together. For some, there are reasonable biological explanations for the behavior: one animal has lost its baby, and chooses another to foster and adopt, two animals bond over a common need, or an orphaned animal seeks out another to be its parent or protector. But some...more
My animal-loving daughter chose this one. I know there has been much criticism about anthropomorphizing animals, etc., and several of the "friendships" covered seemed more like animals expressing curiousity about the other (leopard seal, manta ray, koi) while other examples were of quite young animals with imprinting explaining some of that away. But still, others seemed to really "enjoy" each other for no other reason than they wanted to be together. I think in truth, we will never "know" what...more
Jan 12, 2013
David
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
animal lovers
Shelves:
animals
A really interesting look at the bonds that can form between different species. What (if any) actual emotions are involved would be a fascinating study, but it's clear that SOMETHING clicked between the animals in these stories. I think the reasons for the bonds illustrated in this book vary by situation, but the collection certainly highlights that homo sapiens is just one species occupying the planet. There is much going on around us that we don't suspect and couldn't begin to fully understand...more
We had a good time with this book, flipping through to all the cute pictures and every few days or weeks finding new stories to read. As much as I liked this, I would say there might be a few too many stories. As my daughter said, "I pretty much get the point, Mom." (Many of the stories are similar -- young animals being adoped by others... but some stand out from the crowd.) I see by looking on Goodreads that there are kid versions out now that are packaged with only a few stories in each volum...more
This is a MUST-OWN book! Unlikely Friendships is a wonderful collection of stories and photographs of unlikely animal friendships. Often even predator and prey relationships. It's hard to choose favorites from this book, but my two favorites are Bobbi and Bob Cat - a dog and cat pair found after Hurricane Katrina. After they were rescued it was discovered that Bob Cat was blind and Bobbi had been taking care of him for probably a few months before they were rescued. And thankfully they were both...more
This book was just so heartwarming and beautiful. I read this book on a flight from DC to San Francisco, and it sure eased a lot of tension in flying. The stories were incredibly captivating I couldn't put this book down. At one point I let my sister read some of it so I can rest my eyes, and then she couldn't put it down. It got to the point where I had to ask her to give it back =)
Anyway, some of my favorite stories where about the Dachshund and the piglet; the donkey and the mutt; the lion, t...more
Anyway, some of my favorite stories where about the Dachshund and the piglet; the donkey and the mutt; the lion, t...more
This book is about true stories of animals making bonds with other animals that never in a million years would you think that they would be friends with. When animals lose everything they have they are put into shelters or other homes. It is in those homes that they make friendships with other animals, and sometimes they become such good friends that they wont stand to be separated. I think that this book shows that in the world if you really reach out, you can make friends with other people or...more
This is a cute, fast read, although it gets repetitive: some animal is in need and some other animal helps it out. It seemed like most of the stories, especially the cases of predators taking up with prey animals, involved animals who didn't get enough socialization with their own species and were therefore confused about who they were supposed to pal around with and who they were supposed to eat, or animals who were already nursing their own young and had a different-species baby dropped in the...more
The photos of cross-species animal interactions and friendships are adorable, and are irresistible to most adults and every child I've compulsively shared them with. If you are looking for a book to inspire a child to read this could be a good choice for later elementary and middle school students. The only trick is encouraging them to actually read the stories and not just flip through the pictures, but be forewarned, not every ending is Disney happy, there are some separations and deaths. For...more
First note; Whom ever put this on Goodreads says there are 160 pages, incorrect, there are over 200 pages to read. I found every one of them enjoyable. The author stated she was sent so many good stories she could only pick 47. One of which was her own story. You need to read the "Afterword" and her story will be there. But I do sense an "Unlikely Friendships II". The stories ranged from interspecies interaction lasting from a few minutes to many years. All were delightful. It just goes to show...more
The stories here weren't nearly long enough. Each story was like a really long photo caption, and I wanted more information about the animals. I also didn't believe that all of the stories were about animal friendships, especially since many of the bonds/companionships were very short term. The writing left something to be desired, as well, as if the author wasn't quite sure how to end each story, and therefore saw it fit to throw in information about animal causes (polar bears and global warmin...more
"Unlikely Friendships" by Jennifer S. Holland is a remarkable non-fiction book about animals bonding together that you would not think would (like a lion and a tiger, a polar bear and a sled dog, a kitten and a gorilla). The pictures alone are worth getting this book and the stories are interesting. From just looking through it looking at the full-page color pictures, my wife noticed that cats/kittens appeared most often. If you like animals, this is a must read for you. The library has labeled...more
OK, this book could deserve a 3 stars, and I understand why some people may choose to give it 4, but I think those readers probably read it over a long time, and just picked it up to read a story every now and then. In one lump, it gets very redundant very quickly. I was also totally frustrated with the brief time span that was covered in each 'friendship', as well as the fact that many of them seemed a real stretch to me. But, I'd seen it on the best seller list for so long, so I had to give it...more
If you love animals, this book will make you smile from beginning to end! Forty-seven tales of unlikely friendships between animals showcase the flexibility and resilience of mammals, birds, repitles, and even fish, as they adapt to difficulties for which humans are all too often the catalysts. Such pairings as dogs and piglets, baby ducks and kookaburros, and blind dogs and seeing eye cats make this a heartwarming book for people of all ages. Humans can learn a lot about tolerance and diversity...more
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