Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees

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Summary: EXCELLENT!!!
Review: Fouts has written a beautiful, eye-opening book. His compassion towards the chimpanzees and their intelligence helped him create an extraordinary book. Many times I just had to put down the book and cry. A must-read if you are interested in animals at all.

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Summary: A mind and perception altering book
Review: Fouts has written a book that will forever alter your view of mankind and consciousness ... it may be trite to say we are not alone ... but nonetheless true

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Summary: Students love it
Review: I am a freshman at Central Washington University and for my first quarter classes I had psych 101 with Dr. Fouts. Dr. Fouts suggested to us to read his book and I decided to. Boy am I glad i did. This is definetly in my top five favorite books of all time. It's an epic and breathtaking book that I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and talk with Dr. Fouts about it. I tell all my friends and family to read it and I hope others do too. I have never read a book that opened my eyes quite like this one. I wish Dr. Fouts, Washoe, and the rest of the chimps my best of luck.

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Summary: Great Book
Review: I have just finished reading Roger Fout's Next of Kin book and was very impressed. I am a linguist and am planning to talk about Animal Communication in a Psycholinguistics course I will be teaching this Fall. I had always just accepted the conclusion found in most introductory Linguistics textbooks that what chimps can do is really not very much, doesn't resemble human language, and that people like Dr. Fouts have expanded the notion of what 'language' is to somewhat unacceptable lengths. I accepted that Terrace's work with Nim Chimpsky (which you read about in the book) showed that just those researchers who were highly emotionally involved with their animals were the ones who ridiculously thought that chimpanzees could really produce creative signs. After reading this book I am convinced that chimpanzees are highly intelligent and have been able to learn to use sign language in a way that I would consider langauge. I am also convinced, though not a great animal lover, that treating chimpanzees as research subjects is just inhumane. So I would agree with everyone else that this is an extraordinary book. I highly recommend it, especially to linguists who really have little idea of what Washoe and Loulis are able to communicate in sign language.

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Summary: One of my best books!
Review: I have just finished to read this book. I loved it! Together with Diane Fossey's "Gorillas in the mist", this is one of my bests. The descriptions of the way the chimps are carried on in laboratories broke my heart. I was surprised and would never imagine so terrible cruelty against these people who think, have feelings and social relations almost exactly as ours. It's a shame for all humanity that just the scientists, who should understand more than anybody else that these animals are our kins, do something so dreadful. And I began to ask myself: when will humankind finally understand that we are not the owners of our planet? When understand that this little place where we live was not done for us? That we have no right to explore and destroy the other animals? This book show our role in the Earth. We should begin to respect and support life in our planet.

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Summary: As important as it is profound
Review: I have no reservation in saying that this book was not only an engaging read, but also some of the most important lessons mankind should ever learn. Fouts takes us through it all - he fascinates us beyond comprehension with the accounts of his studies and conversations; he moves us as only the truth can with his descriptions of the bonds of friendship he has formed with his chimp family; he stirs our blood with outrage and disgust at the "arbitrary and capricious" cruelty inflicted upon these magnificent beasts; and he outlines some of the keenest insights to the mechanics and geneaology of human cognition ever laid to paper. Fouts' tale illustrates him as the epitomy of every title he might hold: scientist, teacher, father, companion, human. And I cannot help but beam with pride, respect and admiration for the great girl herself, Washoe. Required reading for all of us enrolled in this great course called "life".

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Summary: This book is like gold -read it
Review: I just finished reading this wonderful book. It realy toched me.It tought me so much about chimanzees and humanbeens our links and conection. It also made me so motivated to do something for these wonderful creaturs wellbeeing. I recomend it to anyone to read it. They will learn so much.Like I said its a gooldbook.

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Summary: Fascinating!
Review: I love this book! Roger Fouts brings the chimpanzee's in his life in to clear focus for us! This is a superb mix of entertainment and education. Dr. Fouts enlightens us about the plight of chimpanzees without leaving us to despair of their fates. Once you read this book you will understand why it is so imperative that we finally start treating these incredible individuals like the kindred creatures that they are. Roger Fouts has led a fascinating life and we are lucky to have this opportunity to share in it! Thanks Roger! Jean Swingle Greek, co author of Sacred Cows and Golden Geese and Specious Science

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Summary: who we are
Review: I loved reading this book. The size of it was a little intimidating, but I loved every page of it. This was one of the books that helped me decide to stop eating meat, and start living what I believe. This book helped me realize that humans need to respect all creatures and take care of them. "Next of Kin" helped me figure out who I am, and what I believe in. I reccommend it to anyone.

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Summary: Not to Be Missed!
Review: I read this book in a day, though I didn't plan to--as soon as I began reading, I found myself unable to put it down. This is the story of both Dr. Fouts' study of chimpanzee language abilities, and his struggle to find a home for the chimps where they will be treated with the respect they deserve. Engagingly written and humanely told, his story is a direct challange to the cruel legacy of Descartes, one that will change your view of our primate relatives forever. Frequently funny, oftentimes heartbreaking, this book will leave no reader unmoved and unchanged.