Mama's Last Hug

Narrator L.J. Ganser's conversational delivery perfectly matches author-primatologist de Waal's easygoing style, increasing the accessibility of this examination of animal behavior in captivity and in the wild. Humans have long thought of themselves as having a monopoly on complex emotions such as empathy, delayed gratification, long-term memory, and friendship. But after learning how monkeys and apes interact with each other and how they solve everyday problems, listeners may begin to question their own uniqueness. Ganser wisely honors the author's storytelling approach to this complex subject, allowing his own enthusiasm and wonder to shine through. Through hearing examples of apes sharing a sense of humor and elephants being self-aware and imaginative, listeners will discover just how similar we are to fellow mammals. C.B.L. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine