A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons

I am a student of Bio-Anthropology, and I have to say that when it comes to bio-anthro, especially my specialty- Primatology- the textbooks NEVER tell you everything you need to know in order to be a good Primatologist, but Robert Sapolsky does in "A Primate's Memoir."

Sapolsky delivers a narrative that is at once fanciful and credible. Too bizarre to be taken as anything other than reality. The experience of the author as a budding scientist in the Kenyan Serengeti, coming of age amidst the incongruous corruption and stark beauty of the African continent, as he works his way through the American Academic Dominance Hierarchy while conducting a long-term study on Savannah Baboons. He mixes cross-cultural social commentary with humorous storytelling. It is literally a laugh-out loud kind of book, particularly for the budding anthropologist. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the field. In a way, it is like the primatological equivalent of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," except that is all true. A brilliant book, which every anthropologist should read.

BTW, all anthro textbooks should have chapters dedicated to the trials and tribulations one must endure while living among other cultures, dealing with third world corruption, and knowing how to negotiate the African social arena. I feel more worldly for having read this masterpiece.

Sapolsky's humor, wit, and intelligence blend beautifully in this entertaining yet eye-opening novel about his years spent following baboons in Africa. He brings out the human-primate connection that so many people forget or never realize exits, and he's a great testament that scientists can be funny and smart! A really great story for anyone, especially biologists, animal lovers, and anyone with an interest in animal behavior and research.

I bought this book completely on a whim and just loved it. I keep telling people about it, but I just can't quite convey what is so great about a book about babboons. Sapolsky doesn't take himself too seriously as he tells us about his amazing adventures.

For three months of each year over a couple of decades Robert Sapolsky studied a troop of olive baboons in Kenya. His main interest was stress-related disease and he darted male baboons to take blood samples. Unfortunately, female baboons could not be a part of the study because of the dangers involved to mothers and infants. The insights into this baboon troop are fascinating - the different personalities and behaviors clearly do away with the simplistic ideas of the anthropologists of the 60s and 70s. We have some males less interested with the battle for top rank, preferring the company of youngsters, and savvy females outmaneuvering undesirable top-ranking males during estrus. Though it should be added there is plenty of male battling and bullying too.

Much of this book is also about east Africa - particularly Kenyan history and the local tribes, including the Masai. The various human individuals and the various adventures of the author make this a far wider study of primates than baboons. It is impossible not to become involved in these adventures as well as the lives of the baboons. I felt enormous sympathy with the author when he ultimately has to face the relative insignificance of his baboons to anyone else when tragedy struck.

Excellent warm, funny, informative book.

What a life! This guy lived with baboons, Masai, and other "people"! Fascinating! boland7214@aol.