Animal Emotions

Mama's Last Hug opens with the dramatic farewell between Mama, a dying 59-year-old chimpanzee matriarch, and biologist Jan Van Hooff. This heartfelt final meeting of two longtime friends offers a window into how deep and instantly recognizable these bonds can be. So begins Frans de Waal's whirlwind tour of new ideas and findings about animal emotions, based on his renowned studies of the social and emotional lives of chimpanzees, bonobos, and other primates.

When award-winning scientist Marc Bekoff penned the first edition of this book in 2007, he predicted that over time our understanding of animal cognition and emotion would grow “richer, more accurate, and possibly different.” Since then, not only has the field seen an explosion of new and startling research, but the popular interest in the subject has grown as well, spawning countless podcasts, articles, and bestselling books.

Beckett Sinclair doesn't do complicated. He trains K-9s at Pawsitive Connections, runs ops with Warrior Security, and keeps his PTSD under control. Until a dead friend’s little sister shows up. Audra Cartland is jumpy. Exhausted. Sleeping in the equipment shed when she thinks no one's watching. Beckett knows that look—he's seen it in combat zones, in victims, in his own mirror. Someone's hunting her. She won't talk. Won't explain the fear in her eyes or why she flinches at shadows. But Beckett made a promise to her brother years ago in Afghanistan, and those debts don't die. Beckett ...

The name of Charles Darwin is known to nearly all who have had the benefit of a Western-style education. It is synonymous with the theory of evolution and due to his perspective of man as an animal, his worked ushered in a new paradigm of understanding of the physical and mental behavior of man. However, because of the immense impact of his best known theory, most know only of his work through reviews and historical reports.

Lark Monroe runs Pawsitive Connections with a smile that doesn't always reach her eyes, an alpaca named Al Pacacino who thinks he's royalty, and a talent for recognizing broken people. Because she's one of them. She's built a sanctuary in Pawsitive. Forty acres of second chances for animals nobody else wanted and humans who've forgotten how to trust. It's easier to fix other people's problems. Safer. Her own? Those stay buried. But the past she left behind isn't staying there. And the man she hired to fix her fences sees straight through every wall she's spent five years building. Turns out...

Some investigators have argued that emotions, especially animal emotions, are illusory concepts outside the realm of scientific inquiry. However, with advances in neurobiology and neuroscience, researchers are demonstrating that this position is wrong as they move closer to a lasting...

In I’m Your Emotional Support Animal, Adam Carolla examines how our culture went careening off a cliff. We used to have one that created real warriors who fought world wars. Now it spawns social justice warriors who fight Twitter wars. He takes on those who are traumatized by Trump and “emotional support animal” owners who proclaim their victimhood at every airport. He stands up for the collateral damage of the #MeToo movement and for freedom of speech on “safe space” filled college campuses. 

At Stanley Ranch, love does not erase the past. It gives the future somewhere to grow. Reese Remington left Stanley Ranch years ago with shame in his heart and regret riding beside him. One cruel sentence spoken during another man’s grief cost him everything. Now he’s back in Sunset Springs, Texas, hoping to earn a place at Hardin-Stanley Breeding and prove he is no longer the careless cowboy he used to be. Dr. Paige Bennett knows what it means to survive without roots. A brilliant large-animal veterinarian, she has built a career on skill, discipline, and independence. But Stanley ...

Travis Hale has four computer monitors, a caffeine addiction, and zero interest in human interaction. He hasn't left his compound in two years. Whatever the CIA did to him—or made him do—sent him underground, literally, into a Montana bunker disguised as a ranch house where the surveillance system is military-grade and the man who once ran field ops now doesn’t leave his own driveway. Or so everybody thinks. He’s vital to Warrior Security operations from within his fortified walls. He’d die for them and knows the feeling is mutual. But even his brothers-in-arms don’t know the ...

As Charles Darwin suggested more than a century ago, the differences between animals and humans are of degree and not of kind. Not long ago, ethologists denied that animals had emotions or true intelligence. Now, we know that rats laugh when tickled, magpies mourn as they cover the departed with greenery, female whales travel thousands of miles for annual reunions with their gal pals, seals navigate by the stars, bears hum when happy, and crows slide down snowy rooftops for fun.

She was four steps from the gate when the dog crossed the road. Ravensbrück, 5 March 1945. Two thousand women are stood on a road for three hours and walked past a bored man who looks at each of them for a second and a half and says one of two words. Left, and you go back to the block. Right, and nobody sees you again. Nina Farkas is sent right. And then seventy kilos of Great Dane comes ninety metres across that road, stops dead in front of her, and will not move. She lives. Nobody can say why. And it will take her fifty-one years to forgive it. — Budapest, 1944. Nina is twenty-two, a ...

Discover a heartwarming dog adventure filled with friendship, laughter, loyalty, and unforgettable moments in Dog Diaries: The Secret Life of a Happy Pup. Perfect for kids, families, animal lovers, and dog enthusiasts of all ages, this charming illustrated style story invites readers into the world of Buddy, a joyful and curious pup who sees every ordinary day as an exciting adventure. From backyard expeditions and squirrel mysteries to cozy rainy afternoons and touching moments with his loving family, Buddy’s diary is packed with humor, warmth, and valuable life lessons about kindness, ...

When a beloved family dog is stolen, one teen sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this thrilling tale of survival, courage and hope. "Suspenseful, atmospheric tale ... punctured by a gut-punch twist" —Entertainment Weekly My name's Griz. I've...

The heartbreaking, iconic true story of an abandoned little boy’s horrific journey through the American foster care system. On a misty evening in Brooklyn, Jennings Michael Burch’s mother, too sick to care for him, left her eight-year-old son at an orphanage with the words, “I’ll be...

Ever wondered what your dog’s side-eye really means? Or why they sprint through the house like their butt’s on fire? Decode Your Dog is your laugh-out-loud, tail-wagging tour through the mind of your favorite four-legged mystery. This isn’t your average dog training manual. It’s part comedy, part psychology, and 100% relatable. With wit, wisdom, and just the right amount of dog hair, this book explores everything from canine communication and emotional drama to learned helplessness and late-night zoomies. You’ll learn how to “speak Doglish,” become your dog’s favorite ...

BEST-SELLING BOOK ON PET LOSS AND GRIEF You wake up to silence, reminding you of the absence of paws padding softly across the floor. The toys remain untouched, collecting dust like the memories of joyful moments spent in each other’s company. Every corner of your home reminds you of the laughter and love shared, yet the void left is unmistakable as if a piece of your heart had been pulled away. Grieving the loss of a pet is a complicated journey that leaves many navigating a sea of emotions. It’s a struggle where sadness can often feel overwhelming, yet it’s also an opportunity to ...

The best-reviewed book of the summer by The New York Times, Time, NPR, and more, Etna is a “devastating and gorgeous” (The New York Times Book Review), “hypnotic” (Time) literary novel that follows an ex-military dog who leaves the soldiers he once served and sets out on an odyssey...

Noted science writer Virginia Morell explores the frontiers of research on animal cognition and emotion, offering a surprising and moving exploration into the hearts and minds of wild and domesticated animals. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a fish? Or a parrot, dolphin, or...

After her husband’s death, a young widow with a faithful Great Dane must decide between two men—but as new love blossoms, jealousy turns deadly in this suspenseful New York Times bestseller. Julie Barenson’s young husband left her two unexpected gifts before he died—a Great Dane puppy...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer comes a romantic comedy about how one adorable puppy brings together two perfect strangers. "The Happy Ever After Playlist tackles love after loss with fierce humor and fiercer heart." —Casey McQuiston, New York Times...