Overview

"Mary Roach meets Bill Bryson in this ""surefire summer winner"" (Janet Maslin, New York Times), an uproarious tour of the basest instincts and biggest mysteries of the animal world Humans have gone to the Moon and discovered the Higgs boson, but when it comes to understanding animals, we've still got a long way to go. Whether we're seeing a viral video of romping baby pandas or a picture of penguins ""holding hands,"" it's hard for us not to project our own values -- innocence, fidelity, temperance, hard work -- onto animals. So you've probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates, or worker ants lay about. They do -- and that's just for starters. In The Truth About Animals, Lucy Cooke takes us on a worldwide journey to meet everyone from a Colombian hippo castrator to a Chinese panda porn peddler, all to lay bare the secret -- and often hilarious -- habits of the animal kingdom. Charming and at times downright weird, this modern bestiary is perfect for anyone who has ever suspected that virtue might be unnatural."

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9781541674080

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Reviews

"​""As surprising as it is diverse. Consummate natural history writing: illuminating, remarkable - and very, very funny.""--Alice Roberts, author of The Complete Human Body and The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being ""[A] deeply researched, sassily written history of 'the biggest misconceptions, mistakes and myths we've concocted about the animal kingdom, ' spread by figures from Aristotle to Walt Disney."" --Nature ""[A] lighthearted but scientifically rigorous exploration...A pleasure for the budding naturalist in the family--or fans of Gerald Durrell and other animals.""--Kirkus Reviews ""A riot of facts....Cooke scores a series of goals with style and panache.""--The Times (UK) ""A surefire summer winner...even Cooke's simple facts are funny.""--New York Times Book Review ""Beautifully written, meticulously researched, with the science often couched in outrageous asides, this is a splendid read. In fact, I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a non-fiction work so much.""--Daily Express (UK) ""BOOK OF THE WEEK: Highly amusing and enlightening new book [from] brilliant zoologist Lucy Cooke.""--The Idler (UK) ""Cooke, founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, raises the profile of many poorly understood animals, revealing surprising, and often hilarious, truths that are much better than the fictions.""--Scientific American ""Cooke's extensive travels, research and delightful sense of humor make The Truth about Animals a fascinating modern bestiary.""--Seattle Times ""Each of Cooke's thirteen breezy yet fact-stuffed chapters traces the origins of a long-standing myth about a species or class of animal.""--Times Literary Supplement (UK) ""Endlessly fascinating.""--Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, and In a Sunburned Country ""Funny and fascinating, this book will change the way you see wildlife.""--Bustle ""Her pace is quick, her touch is light, and through her wealth of research we can reach new heights of wonder.""--New York Times Book Review ""In the end, the history of zoology reveals as much about our human foibles as about the animals we study. And this book will leave readers more enlightened about both.""--Science News ""Lucy Cooke takes equal delight in natural oddities and in people's long struggles to understand them. Part history, part biology, and wholly entertaining, The Truth About Animals is a quirky and edifying romp.""--Thor Hanson, author of Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds ""Lucy Cooke unravels myths that will make you laugh out loud. Her knowledge of all things, furry, slimy and scaly is jaw-dropping.""--The Sun (UK) ""Lucy Cooke's modern bestiary is as well-informed as you'd expect from an Oxford zoologist. It's also downright funny.""--Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and The Ancestor's Tale, and emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford ""Lucy Cooke's new book makes Playboy seem as tedious and tame as a phone book...In her delightful reading of natural history, [Cooke] is both scientist and standup comic...Trained as an academic, Cooke's writing style is anything but--rather, it's bawdy, irreverent, guiltless, sometimes locker-room-ish and comedic. She makes you feel she's having fun as she pounds out the words...The Truth About Animals is a great read and fascinating fun.""--Winnipeg Free Press ""Lucy Cooke's [The Truth About Animals] was a joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs?""--The Guardian (UK) ""Readers keen on animals and natural history in general should find Cooke's discussion fascinating and educational.""--Publishers Weekly ""The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy and very, very funny. ""--BBC Wildlife (UK) ""The rising star of natural history ... is she the new David Attenborough?""--The Times (UK) ""TOP AUTUMN BOOK PICKS: Lucy Cooke's fascinating book is full of mind-boggling stuff. Cooke takes much pleasure in throwing in all manner of amazing facts.""--Reader's Digest (UK) One of the New York Times Book Review's ""17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer"" ""[An] intriguing and amusing survey of some unusual facets of animal behavior...Cooke puts scientific errors, some of them hilarious, into historical context.""--Booklist On the New York Times Book Review's Paperback Row"

One of the New York Times Book Review's 17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer --- TOP AUTUMN BOOK PICKS: Lucy Cooke's fascinating book is full of mind-boggling stuff. Cooke takes much pleasure in throwing in all manner of amazing facts. --Reader's Digest (UK) The rising star of natural history ... is she the new David Attenborough? --The Times (UK) The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy and very, very funny. --BBC Wildlife (UK) Readers keen on animals and natural history in general should find Cooke's discussion fascinating and educational. --Publishers Weekly Lucy Cooke's [The Truth About Animals] was a joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs? --The Guardian (UK) Lucy Cooke's new book makes Playboy seem as tedious and tame as a phone book...In her delightful reading of natural history, [Cooke] is both scientist and standup comic...Trained as an academic, Cooke's writing style is anything but--rather, it's bawdy, irreverent, guiltless, sometimes locker-room-ish and comedic. She makes you feel she's having fun as she pounds out the words...The Truth About Animals is a great read and fascinating fun. --Winnipeg Free Press Lucy Cooke's modern bestiary is as well-informed as you'd expect from an Oxford zoologist. It's also downright funny. --Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and The Ancestor's Tale, and emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford Lucy Cooke unravels myths that will make you laugh out loud. Her knowledge of all things, furry, slimy and scaly is jaw-dropping. --The Sun (UK) Lucy Cooke takes equal delight in natural oddities and in people's long struggles to understand them. Part history, part biology, and wholly entertaining, The Truth About Animals is a quirky and edifying romp. --Thor Hanson, author of Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds In the end, the history of zoology reveals as much about our human foibles as about the animals we study. And this book will leave readers more enlightened about both. --Science News Her pace is quick, her touch is light, and through her wealth of research we can reach new heights of wonder. --New York Times Book Review Funny and fascinating, this book will change the way you see wildlife. --Bustle Endlessly fascinating. --Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, and In a Sunburned Country Each of Cooke's thirteen breezy yet fact-stuffed chapters traces the origins of a long-standing myth about a species or class of animal. --Times Literary Supplement (UK) Cooke's extensive travels, research and delightful sense of humor make The Truth about Animals a fascinating modern bestiary. --Seattle Times Cooke, founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, raises the profile of many poorly understood animals, revealing surprising, and often hilarious, truths that are much better than the fictions. --Scientific American BOOK OF THE WEEK: Highly amusing and enlightening new book [from] brilliant zoologist Lucy Cooke. --The Idler (UK) Beautifully written, meticulously researched, with the science often couched in outrageous asides, this is a splendid read. In fact, I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a non-fiction work so much. --Daily Express (UK) As surprising as it is diverse. Consummate natural history writing: illuminating, remarkable - and very, very funny. --Alice Roberts, author of The Complete Human Body and The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being A surefire summer winner...even Cooke's simple facts are funny. --New York Times Book Review A riot of facts....Cooke scores a series of goals with style and panache. --The Times (UK) [A] lighthearted but scientifically rigorous exploration...A pleasure for the budding naturalist in the family--or fans of Gerald Durrell and other animals. --Kirkus Reviews [A] deeply researched, sassily written history of 'the biggest misconceptions, mistakes and myths we've concocted about the animal kingdom, ' spread by figures from Aristotle to Walt Disney. --Nature [An] intriguing and amusing survey of some unusual facets of animal behavior...Cooke puts scientific errors, some of them hilarious, into historical context. --Booklist On the New York Times Book Review's Paperback Row---

Lucy Cooke unravels myths that will make you laugh out loud. Her knowledge of all things, furry, slimy and scaly is jaw-dropping. --The Sun (UK) Beautifully written, meticulously researched, with the science often couched in outrageous asides, this is a splendid read. In fact, I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a non-fiction work so much. --Daily Express (UK) TOP AUTUMN BOOK PICKS: Lucy Cooke's fascinating book is full of mind-boggling stuff. Cooke takes much pleasure in throwing in all manner of amazing facts. --Reader's Digest (UK) As surprising as it is diverse. Consummate natural history writing: illuminating, remarkable - and very, very funny. --Alice Roberts, author of The Complete Human Body and The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being Each of Cooke's thirteen breezy yet fact-stuffed chapters traces the origins of a long-standing myth about a species or class of animal. --Times Literary Supplement (UK) Readers keen on animals and natural history in general should find Cooke's discussion fascinating and educational. --Publishers Weekly Lucy Cooke takes equal delight in natural oddities and in people's long struggles to understand them. Part history, part biology, and wholly entertaining, The Truth About Animals is a quirky and edifying romp. --Thor Hanson, author of Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds Lucy Cooke's new book makes Playboy seem as tedious and tame as a phone book...In her delightful reading of natural history, [Cooke] is both scientist and standup comic...Trained as an academic, Cooke's writing style is anything but--rather, it's bawdy, irreverent, guiltless, sometimes locker-room-ish and comedic. She makes you feel she's having fun as she pounds out the words...The Truth About Animals is a great read and fascinating fun. --Winnipeg Free Press Cooke's extensive travels, research and delightful sense of humor make The Truth about Animals a fascinating modern bestiary. --Seattle Times [A] deeply researched, sassily written history of 'the biggest misconceptions, mistakes and myths we've concocted about the animal kingdom, ' spread by figures from Aristotle to Walt Disney. --Nature Lucy Cooke's modern bestiary is as well-informed as you'd expect from an Oxford zoologist. It's also downright funny. --Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and The Ancestor's Tale, and emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford Endlessly fascinating. --Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, and In a Sunburned Country Funny and fascinating, this book will change the way you see wildlife. --Bustle One of the New York Times Book Review's 17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer BOOK OF THE WEEK: Highly amusing and enlightening new book [from] brilliant zoologist Lucy Cooke. --The Idler (UK) A riot of facts....Cooke scores a series of goals with style and panache. --The Times (UK) The rising star of natural history ... is she the new David Attenborough? --The Times (UK) The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy and very, very funny. --BBC Wildlife (UK) Lucy Cooke's [The Truth About Animals] was a joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs? --The Guardian (UK) [A] lighthearted but scientifically rigorous exploration...A pleasure for the budding naturalist in the family--or fans of Gerald Durrell and other animals. --Kirkus Reviews [An] intriguing and amusing survey of some unusual facets of animal behavior...Cooke puts scientific errors, some of them hilarious, into historical context. --Booklist In the end, the history of zoology reveals as much about our human foibles as about the animals we study. And this book will leave readers more enlightened about both. --Science News Cooke, founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, raises the profile of many poorly understood animals, revealing surprising, and often hilarious, truths that are much better than the fictions. --Scientific American A surefire summer winner...even Cooke's simple facts are funny. --New York Times Book Review Her pace is quick, her touch is light, and through her wealth of research we can reach new heights of wonder. --New York Times Book Review

Lucy Cooke unravels myths that will make you laugh out loud. Her knowledge of all things, furry, slimy and scaly is jaw-dropping. --The Sun (UK) Beautifully written, meticulously researched, with the science often couched in outrageous asides, this is a splendid read. In fact, I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a non-fiction work so much. --Daily Express (UK) TOP AUTUMN BOOK PICKS: Lucy Cooke's fascinating book is full of mind-boggling stuff. Cooke takes much pleasure in throwing in all manner of amazing facts. --Reader's Digest (UK) As surprising as it is diverse. Consummate natural history writing: illuminating, remarkable - and very, very funny. --Alice Roberts, author of The Complete Human Body and The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being Lucy Cooke takes equal delight in natural oddities and in people's long struggles to understand them. Part history, part biology, and wholly entertaining, The Truth About Animals is a quirky and edifying romp. --Thor Hanson, author of Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds In the end, the history of zoology reveals as much about our human foibles as about the animals we study. And this book will leave readers more enlightened about both. --Science News Cooke, founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, raises the profile of many poorly understood animals, revealing surprising, and often hilarious, truths that are much better than the fictions. --Scientific American Endlessly fascinating. --Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, and In a Sunburned Country A surefire summer winner...even Cooke's simple facts are funny. --New York Times Book Review One of the New York Times Book Review's 17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer BOOK OF THE WEEK: Highly amusing and enlightening new book [from] brilliant zoologist Lucy Cooke. --The Idler (UK) A riot of facts....Cooke scores a series of goals with style and panache. --The Times (UK) The rising star of natural history ... is she the new David Attenborough? --The Times (UK) The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy and very, very funny. --BBC Wildlife (UK) Each of Cooke's thirteen breezy yet fact-stuffed chapters traces the origins of a long-standing myth about a species or class of animal. --Times Literary Supplement (UK) Lucy Cooke's [The Truth About Animals] was a joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs? --The Guardian (UK) Readers keen on animals and natural history in general should find Cooke's discussion fascinating and educational. --Publishers Weekly [A] lighthearted but scientifically rigorous exploration...A pleasure for the budding naturalist in the family--or fans of Gerald Durrell and other animals. --Kirkus Reviews [An] intriguing and amusing survey of some unusual facets of animal behavior...Cooke puts scientific errors, some of them hilarious, into historical context. --Booklist Lucy Cooke's new book makes Playboy seem as tedious and tame as a phone book...In her delightful reading of natural history, [Cooke] is both scientist and standup comic...Trained as an academic, Cooke's writing style is anything but--rather, it's bawdy, irreverent, guiltless, sometimes locker-room-ish and comedic. She makes you feel she's having fun as she pounds out the words...The Truth About Animals is a great read and fascinating fun. --Winnipeg Free Press Cooke's extensive travels, research and delightful sense of humor make The Truth about Animals a fascinating modern bestiary. --Seattle Times [A] deeply researched, sassily written history of 'the biggest misconceptions, mistakes and myths we've concocted about the animal kingdom, ' spread by figures from Aristotle to Walt Disney. --Nature Lucy Cooke's modern bestiary is as well-informed as you'd expect from an Oxford zoologist. It's also downright funny. --Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and The Ancestor's Tale, and emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford Funny and fascinating, this book will change the way you see wildlife. --Bustle Her pace is quick, her touch is light, and through her wealth of research we can reach new heights of wonder. --New York Times Book Review

Author Information

Lucy Cooke is an award-winning filmmaker who has written, produced, and directed several popular documentary series for the BBC, PBS, Discovery, and National Geographic. Her first book, A Little Book of Sloth, was a New York Times bestseller. She has written for the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, among others, and she holds an MA in zoology from the University of Oxford. She lives in London.

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