JENNIFER VERDOLIN, PHD
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Like so many other species, we have to figure out how to date and mate successfully. As hard as that is, talking about it seems even more challenging. This is where other species can help. You just might find that discussing dancing prairie chickens, picky lionesses, or cheating swans makes the perfect segue into talking about some very common human problems. At the end of the day, whether it's the blue-footed booby, the adzuki bean beetle, or a slew of other species, animals have a lot to teach us about love and relationships.
Reviews and Endorsements
A fantastic read. Whether you’re more like the lewd and lascivious ladybug, or the lonely and lovelorn prairie vole in search of a forever mate, you’ll find your animal analogue in Verdolin’s wild—and often hilarious—kingdom.”—Jesse Bering, PhD, author of Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us
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"Wild Connection is a must-read for anyone interested in a detailed, science-based, easy-to-read, entertaining, and penetrating discussion of what the birds, the bees, and many other nonhuman animals tell us about our own mating rituals...I learned a lot from this landmark book"—Marc Bekoff, PhD, author of Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed: The Fascinating Science of Animal Intelligence, Emotions, Friendship, and Conservation
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"Verdolin takes a lighthearted, pop-science approach toward applying some biologically deterministic lessons to her own romantic life, looking for analogies to mainstream heterosexual dating behavior throughout the animal kingdom"—Publisher's Weekly
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Now Available in Paperback
Find out why newly hatched goslings imprint on anything that moves, and how Mexican free-tailed bats can identify their pups among literally millions of others (it’s not unlike how human mothers recognize their babies’ cries)! Plus, gain insight from Mother Nature on the big questions of child-rearing, from birth to “leaving the nest” In a sense, we are all raised by animals—and that may not be such a bad thing!
Audiobook Coming Soon!
Reviews and Endorsements
“Fascinating observations. . . . [Verdolin] compares animal behavior to human behavior and explains how we can use this information to be better parents.”—Washington Post
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“A stunningly informative guide to child rearing.”—HuffPost
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“I’ve read A LOT about animals, but rarely have I encountered science so charming and delightful, or so brimming with fresh insight. There was hardly a page where I didn’t learn something new.”—Jeffrey Masson, New York Times–bestselling author of When Elephants Weep
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“In this terrific read, Verdolin beautifully weaves the science and stories of our own family lives with those of animals we once saw as ‘other,’ reminding us that we aren’t the only species for whom family is everything.”—Jennifer S. Holland, New York Times–bestselling author of the Unlikely Friendships series