Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
41st out of 101 books
—
31 voters
Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape
This remarkable primate with the curious name is challenging established views on human evolution. The bonobo, least known of the great apes, is a female-centered, egalitarian species that has been dubbed the "make-love-not-war" primate by specialists. In bonobo society, females form alliances to intimidate males, sexual behavior (in virtually every partner combination) re...more
Paperback, 200 pages
Published
October 27th 1998
by University of California Press
(first published April 23rd 1997)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
507)
The bonobo is overthrowing established notions about where we came from and what our behavioral potential is. Without this ape, traditional evolutionary scenarios emphasizing human aggressivity, hunting, and warfare would no doubt have continued to dominate the discussion, despite the fact that our species possesses a multitude of other defining characteristics relating to language, culture, morality, and family structure. Even though the bonobo is not our ancestor, but perhaps a rather speciali...more
A good introduction to that other cousin of ours that shares 98% of our DNA - the bonobo. The photographs are remarkable, revealing a gentle and empathetic nature to these fellow hominids. At times you will wonder if you are staring into the eyes of a creature that knows more than we give it credit for...The gazes appear thoughtful, sensitive, loving and almost human!
This book is a good springboard into deWaal's "Our Inner Ape." It challenges our long-held view that our ancestral roots sprang o...more
This book is a good springboard into deWaal's "Our Inner Ape." It challenges our long-held view that our ancestral roots sprang o...more
Bonobo’s are so similar to chimpanzees in appearance that they were not officially identified as a separate species until 1929. This book is a survey of their zoo and wild behavior data up to 1996. Unlike similarly sized chimpanzees, bonobo males do not cooperate for territorial defense which means they do not cooperate for anything and this completely changes the social dynamics of this species. As a consequence bonobos are not as widespread in Africa as chimpanzees being restricted to food ric...more
Jun 22, 2007
Lobeck
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
primatologists, sociologists, feminists, anyone who likes sex and peaceful cultures, queer folk
I'm a bonobo in a predominantly chimpanzee society, and that's why I really love this book. But beyond that...
This book is a great introduction to bonobo culture. Unlike their patriarchial, agressive cousins the chimpanzees, bonobos are peaceful, sexual society in which females hold a substantial amount of power. They have sex for pleasure and to settle conflicts and make friends. Same-sex pairings are as common as both sexes. Gender roles are much less extreme than in chimpanzee culture. Both f...more
This book is a great introduction to bonobo culture. Unlike their patriarchial, agressive cousins the chimpanzees, bonobos are peaceful, sexual society in which females hold a substantial amount of power. They have sex for pleasure and to settle conflicts and make friends. Same-sex pairings are as common as both sexes. Gender roles are much less extreme than in chimpanzee culture. Both f...more
Here's why you're looking for a relatively quick read on the other ape that we're closely related to (we're as related to Bonobos as we are to Chimpanzees): Bonobos have crazy sex lives; they have a totally different social structure than chimpanzees (Bonobo society is centered around females); their social intelligence seems to be amazing. We're not Chimpanzees, and we're not Bonobos, but reading about this different relative of ours was an eye-opening experience.
it's more a coffee table book than a research treatise, but it's beautiful and occasionally insightful. one of the more interesting tidbits i'd never heard before: bonobo nests seem to function as "private spaces", in that they can retreat to their nests (or frantically build a makeshift nest) to retreat from conflict or competition with other individuals. since these nests clearly aren't a physical impediment to contact, they seem instead to operate through a cultural norm. a bonobo's nest is i...more
This is one of the most beautifully photographed books I've seen. And the story of bonobos is amazing, too. The photographs of the mother bonobos lying on the ground holding their babies in their arms above them, playing with them are eerily like photos we've seen of humans.
I really knew nothing about this species, other than their name. And yet they are very closely related to chimpanzees and humans.
What a great book--one worth looking at for the photos, even if you don't want to read it.
I really knew nothing about this species, other than their name. And yet they are very closely related to chimpanzees and humans.
What a great book--one worth looking at for the photos, even if you don't want to read it.
I cannot imagine a better place to begin learning about Bonobos than this book. It is written in layman's terms and is accompanied by some exquisite photography. This book will set you on your way to exploring more of this "forgotten ape." The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was the book's short length (less than 200 pages with a lot of pictures). Solidly recommended for anyone interested in human evolution, primatology, or human psychology.
I used to prefer bonobos over chimpanzees, but now I think I prefer chimpanzees. This is because the matriarchy freaks me out. Females using sex to take oranges from unwitting males? Females teaming up to keep the males divided? Females banding together to bite males' fingers off? As a primate male of the decidedly non-alpha variety, I do not approve of this kind of behavior. Then again, life would be way worse as a chimp, maybe, but at least in a chimp world, I would likely be higher up the soc...more
This proved a useful guide to bonobos, with plenty of photographs, many taken in the wild. While its format is very much coffee-table, there is also a bibliography and notes for those wishing to take seek further information.
I checked it out of the library along with Planet Ape in order to increase my knowledge of bonobos to help out with my volunteer role at the only zoo in the UK housing bonobos.
It accomplished this task though given the book was written in 1997, I felt that it was likely tha...more
I checked it out of the library along with Planet Ape in order to increase my knowledge of bonobos to help out with my volunteer role at the only zoo in the UK housing bonobos.
It accomplished this task though given the book was written in 1997, I felt that it was likely tha...more
I really enjoyed this book. It gave good information and history, plus the pictures are spectacular
A good introduction to bonobos. Readable, but not brilliant writing. Nice photos.
This book has amazing photos and is a good easy way for someone to learn some surface info about an ape you may never see in captivity and that will likely not exist in the wild for too much longer. Bonobos are fascinating and the most human-like of any of the apes in my experience, after working with them all. Don't read to the sex part and quit.
I'm disproportionally proud I share a nationality with this man.
His book is a much needed insight into our own evolution, adding matriarchy and social sexuality as a tool for democratic cohesion to our biological make-up. Yes, yes, yes!
His book is a much needed insight into our own evolution, adding matriarchy and social sexuality as a tool for democratic cohesion to our biological make-up. Yes, yes, yes!
This book made me want to me a primatologist. Then I realized it was pretty much impossible at my point of education so I just pursues a second degree in Evolutionary Anthro instead.
The seminal work (to date) on bonobos, although much of the information in this book is now being questioned by scientists studying bonobos in the field.
Jul 14, 2007
Aysha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in human evolution and primate origins
This book brings brilliant insights into new theories on human origins by exploring the similarities between human and bonobo social structure.
This was a gift that I was happy to receive as I love primates. Worth reading if you too love Bonobos!
So good that if I had read this in my formative years, I would have ended up as a primatologist!
May 20, 2013
Mary
marked it as to-read
May 18, 2013
Cirhan
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
James Heymans randall
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Lanvi
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
Merlynne
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
Larissa Kun
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
Jessica
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
Marie Sophia
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Angel
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Donna Louise
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
"Frans B.M. de Waal, PhD (born 29 October 1948, 's-Hertogenbosch), is a Dutch psychologist, primatologist and ethologist. He is the Charles Howard Candler professor of Primate Behavior in the Emory University psychology department in Atlanta, Georgia, and director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and author of numerous books including Chimpanzee Politics an...more
More about Frans de Waal...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
