Synopses & Reviews
From the co–author of the
New York Times bestseller
When Elephants Weep comes a book that uses true stories backed by scientific research to explore the way young animals discover their worlds and learn how to survive.
How does a baby animal figure out how to get around in the world? How much of what animals know is instinctive, and how much must they learn?
In Becoming a Tiger, bestselling author Susan McCarthy addresses these intriguing matters, presenting fascinating and funny examples of animal behaviour in the laboratory and in the wild. McCarthy shows us how baby animals transform themselves from clueless kittens, clumsy cubs, or scrawny chicks into efficient predators, successful foragers, or deft nest–builders. From geese to mice, dolphins to orang–utans, bats to (of course) tigers, McCarthy's warm, amusing, and insightful examinations of animal life and developments provides a surprising window into the mental worlds of our fine fuzzy, furred, finned, and feathered friends.
oReaders will be fascinated by a close look at animal intelligence, learning, and family life.
Review
“BECOMING A TIGER takes a fascinating area of exploration ... and brings it to life in all its richness.” Dawn Prince-Hughes, Ph.D., author of Gorillas Among Us: A Primate Ethnographer's Book of Days and Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism
Synopsis
It's a jungle out there, and in
Becoming a Tiger Susan McCarthy explores the way young animals discover their worlds and learn to survive. Contrary to common belief, not everything is "hardwired" -- or instinctual -- in the animal kingdom. Many skills an animal needs to learn are developed through play, painstaking teaching, and sometimes treacherous trial and error.
Using intriguing and often humorous examples of animal behavior in the laboratory and in the wild, backed by scientific research, McCarthy shows how clueless kittens, clumsy cubs, and scrawny chicks transform themselves into efficient predators, successful foragers, and deft nest-builders. From elephants to geese, dolphins to orangutans, mice to tigers, her warm, amusing, and insightful examinations of animal life and development provide a surprising look into the worlds of our furred, finned, and feathered friends.
About the Author
Susan McCarthy is co-author (with Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson) of the New York Times bestseller When Elephants Weep. She holds degrees in biology and journalism, writes regularly for Salon.com, and has contributed to Best American Science Writing. She lives in San Francisco.