Mama's Last Hug
“Makes us think long and hard about the true nature of animal emotions.”
Desmond Morris, #1 New York Times bestselling author
A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice
A #1 Amazon.com bestseller in Zoology and Primatology
A New York Times bestseller
Longlisted for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction
Finalist for the 2020 PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
A 2020 Audie Award Finalist for Best Narration in Nonfiction
A New York Times Bestseller and winner of the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
Mama’s Last Hug is a fascinating exploration of the rich emotional lives of animals, beginning with Mama, a chimpanzee matriarch who formed a deep bond with biologist Jan van Hooff. Her story and others like it—from dogs “adopting” the injuries of their companions, to rats helping fellow rats in distress, to elephants revisiting the bones of their loved ones—show that humans are not the only species with the capacity for love, hate, fear, shame, guilt, joy, disgust, and empathy. Frans de Waal opens our hearts and minds to the many ways in which humans and other animals are connected.
“Game-changing."—New York Times Book Review
Praise