What in the world are they thinking?
Have you ever come home to find your pet waiting for you behind the door? Ever looked into their eyes and wondered what’s going on in there, or felt the connection of thought and emotion? Have you observed animals’ interactions amongst themselves that remind you of ourselves? If you take time to look into the “non-human eye “ you can’t help but wonder what more is going on there than meets the human eye.
The authors of these books certainly have been looking into other eyes and minds to come up with some very interesting conclusions.
Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home Rupert Sheldrake
A fun and eye-opening work combining experimental methods and anecdotes to explore the psychic connection between animals and humans.
Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think by Sifu Marc Hauser
A well-recognized scientist in animal cognition applies evolutionary theory in an elegant and edifying way to address the questions of thoughts and emotions, giving insight into the interior lives of animals.
Minding Animals: Awareness, Emotions, and Heart by Marc Bekoff
In an important contribution to understanding animal consciousness, the author offers a well-researched case that these “other persons” lead rich cognitive and emotional lives. It’s a great mix of education and fun.
How Monkeys See the World: Inside the Mind of Another Species by Dorothy L. Cheney
An engaging work that explores the fascinating question of what monkeys understand about themselves and the outer world.
Alex and Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence – and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene Pepperberg
The author recounts her 30 year relationship with Alex, an African gray parrot, whose vocabulary of more than 100 words changed the perception of cognitive and bonding abilities in birds.
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Masson, the author of numerous books about animal behavior, looks at the question of their emotional lives. Using field studies and anecdotes, he determines that in fact deep, complex “human” emotions such as grief, compassion and gratitude are expressed.
Out on a Leash: Exploring the Nature of Reality and Love by Shirley Maclaine
OK, I know what you’re thinking – kinda out there. But after all the scientific research, this is a refreshingly, intuitive personal account from both Shirley (the”human”) and Terry (the “dog”) about the lessons they are sharing with each other.
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