Irene Pepperberg's Memoirs Due this Year

I'm already so excited to read and review this!

Irene Pepperberg's memoir, tentatively titled "Alex and Me," covers her 30 years with the parrot that could count to six, identify colors and even express frustration with repetitive scientific trials. It will be released this fall by Collins, an imprint of HarperCollins.

In a statement Thursday, the publisher called the book a story "of bonds built over time that transcend species barriers," and how Alex and Dr. Pepperberg "battled against the prejudices of the academic establishment, which debated rigorously the ability of any other species to learn the human language."

I've blogged extensively about Pepperberg's work, and have even been lucky enough to meet her in person when she came to give a talk to the UM Neuroscience program last Spring. As reported here and elsewhere, Alex the parrot passed away at the age of 32 in the fall of 2007.