After trying (and failing) to write this review without bias towards Dr. Pepperberg and her work, I’ve decided to add this disclaimer at the beginning and stop trying to work against myself. You will notice, I use the word “who” when referring to animals. I am aware that this is not “proper English usage”. I don’t care. It’s unnatural for me to use the word “it” towards animals, I never have, and when I hear others doing so, it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. I don’t think I’ve ever lived a full year of my life without, at least, one non-human animal sharing my home. Enough said. You get the idea.

So, who’s smarter?

…A gorilla who can ask for his kitty using sign language developed by humans?

…A child who can cause a peacock to raise his tail feathers using the bird’s language?

…A dog who sits when told through human language?

…A man who can cause a horse to follow his car by using the horse’s language?

…A parrot who can answer questions using human language?

This was the question brought to my mind while reading Alex & Me. Irene M. Pepperberg’s book doesn’t answer my question, but it has succeeded in making me even more curious.

Pepperberg was educated as a chemist. A waning interest in that specific field and a chance viewing of a couple of episodes of “NOVA” dealing with the study of animal communications awakened an interest that had been lying just beneath the surface of Pepperberg’s mind since her first budgie, given to her as a child by her father.

Her plan? The Avian Language EXperiment.

Her subject? Alex, a young African Grey parrot.

Dr. Pepperberg couldn’t have asked for a more perfect, or ornery, subject. Over their 30 years of working together, this partnership taught each other and the world that primates are not the only members of the animal kingdom who can develop the ability to communicate with humans.

Along with the help of many students over the years, Alex proved the improbable. Not just mimicking humans, but answering questions. Alex learned his colors, shapes, numbers, materials, items. He could be shown a green key and a blue key, asked to choose the green key, and succeed. He would ask for a nut when he wanted one. Give him corn instead and he wouldn’t accept it. Alex could put together, relevant, short sentences without having heard the words together as a sentence before.

Towards the end of his life, it appeared Alex had actually learned, not only to count, but to add (up to the numbers he knew). He also seemed to have developed an ability to break words down into separate sounds (na uh ut [nut])

And Alex had no problem showing his personality. A little attitude, a little jealousy, a lot of humor.

This book will never stand up as the best book ever written. Dr. Pepperberg’s language and style of writing is quite simple and straight forward. There are times when it becomes a bit repetitious. Some experiences are taken a bit out of order. But, in the end, these points, which could be seen as imperfections, just add to the emotion of a human being who has spent 30years of her life communicating with another being. As much as Dr. Pepperberg explains this as a working relationship, it’s hard not to see the parallels between her stories about Alex and the stories a friend might tell about their pet. This is a personal account of her relationship with Alex. It is not written as, nor expected to be read as, a scientific thesis. Alex & Me is, quite simply, a tribute to a very special bird.

As for my initial question…the child who can cause a peacock to raise his tail feathers using the bird’s language was me. I heard the sound the peacock was making. I mimicked him. His tail feathers rose. Did I know what I was saying? No. Did I know what the display he made meant? No.

Alex was definitely smarter than me.

• Title: Alex & Me

• Author: Irene M. Pepperberg

• Publisher: Collins

• ISBN: 978-0-06-167247-7

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