How Animals Talk And Other Pleasant Studies Of Birds And Beasts

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NATURE / SCIENCE

"William Long presages numerous areas that are 'hot topics' in the study of animal behavior and discusses a staggering array of animals. His refreshing and open view of animal behavior shows how much we really do know about animal emotions and consciousnesss when we open our hearts to the amazing and mysterious animal beings with whom we share the Earth."
--Marc Bekoff, editor of the three-volume Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior

Many sources have commented on the silent communication abilities of pets, but never before and not since the first publication of this book in 1919 has the subject of animal telepathy in the wild been so fully researched. How Animals Talk explores the phenomenon of vocal, silent, and even motionless communication among animals. From crow talk to instant herd communication, author William J. Long theorizes that animals are much more intelligent, emotional, and moral than we have traditionally thought and that their ability to sense the presence of other living beings is an innate ability shared by humans as well. Long explores numerous examples of animal behavior that defy conventional explanation, and seen in the context of his work, unexplained human abilities such as telepathy and premonition seem normal rather than paranormal.

Long's findings are based on many years of field observations, He believed in the importance and validity of anecdotal evidence, pointing out the dangers of conventional research in reducing anmals to mere numbers and noting how the cold third-person prose of scientific study objectifies animals, distancing "us" from "them." Biologists Rupert Sheldrake, who has researched the unexplained powers of animals since 1988, and Marc Bekoff, cofounder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, introduce this classic text and praise Long for his innovative research style and unique observations. They affirm that Long's understanding of the impact of our presence on animal life--and the cost that we pay in separating ourselves from animals, who help define our place in the natural world--may be more relevant today than ever before.

WILLIAM J. LONG (1867-1952) was an American United Church of Christ minister and a well-known naturalist of the early twentieth century. He is the author of over twenty books, including School of the Woods, Secrets of the Woods, and Brier-Patch Philosophy.