Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape

"The bonobos are best known as the sexy chimpanzees. Their most striking idiosyncrasy is their readiness to use sex as a social lubricant. Any tension within a bonobo group is normally resolved by a quick orgy, in which they all have sex with one another, in all positions and combinations. Yet, as Frans de Waal explains in the elegant photo-essay Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape, this is just one way in which they diverge markedly from the other chimpanzees." * New York Times * "A fascinating, delightfully successful treatment of an arresting creature." * Kirkus Reviews * "In many respects the book deserves recommendation. Frans de Waal, well-known from previous books on chimpanzee, human, and other mammalian societies, ensures a sound and carefully referenced scientific background, and Frans Lanting, known to the readers of National Geographic and Life, has produced  remarkable photographs." * Current Anthropology * "Exciting, amusing, and beautiful." * International Journal of Primatology * "This wonderful book by a preeminent primatologist does much to introduce the general reader to one of our closest relatives. Covering studies undertaken both in captivity and in the species' natural habitat in Zaire, de Waal's riveting account compares bonobo behavior with that of the better-known chimpanzee and with humans. Complemented by Frans Lanting's coffee-table-quality photographs of wild and captive bonobos, the chapters cover the discovery of the bonobo (in 1929), its habitat and how it shaped the species' behavior, and the fears for the future of wild bonobos in an unstable region."  * Booklist * "This impressive coffee-table catalogue of bonobo life is worth the purchase price for Frans Lanting's remarkable photos alone. However, for the interested lay reader and the experienced primatologist alike, the text by Frans de Waal is almost as compelling as the pictures."  * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute * "Bonobo is a book that is enjoyable for both the eye and the mind. Simply leafing through the book to admire the breathtaking photography and the evocative visages may be all it takes to convince a reader to buy this book. Those looking for more than a collection of lovely images may still find this book hard to resist, depending on what type and level of information they are seeking. . . . It is an extremely readable presentation of the current state of research and theory regarding the behavior and psychology of the bonobo (Pan paniscus)—a species that not only bears an impressive resemblance to humans but is uniquely captivating in its own right." * BioScience * "This book by de Waal and Lanting should dispel the notion that the bonobo has been forgotten by primatologists. It will have great appeal to a wide readership, including those interested in apes and human evolution, natural history, and behavioral ecology. Students in comparative psychology courses, primatology, and physical anthropology will want to hang on to this attractive book after the final exam." * American Anthropologist * ""Introduce[s] the popular audience to this long-lost cousin of humanity. And what a fine introduction it is! De Waal . . . writes in a conversational style that shows respect for the animals as well as real affection. . . . Lanting's photographs, many from the field, highlight some of de Waal's major points: bonobos not only look like people, they often act like people and form humanlike relationships. . . . Bonobo is a delightful romp in the world of another species and a pleasant consciousness-raising session about our closest evolutionary relatives." * Sciences *