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Jennie Audiobook
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(3.12) - 350 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Jennie is the story of an orphaned chimpanzee who grows up with her adopted human family. Jennie adapts to her surroundings quickly, to enjoy the pursuits of the average young person - riding her own tricycle, playing with her pet kitten and Barbie, and fighting with her siblings. Written as a fictional oral history, Jennie tells the story of the Archibalds, the Boston-area family that took in the chimp from 1965 to 1975, and the ensuing family and scientific debates. Jennie's story is hilarious, poignant, and, in times, desperately sad. Based on accounts of six different cases of chimps in human surroundings, Jennie will make you laugh, fill you with wonder, and make your heart go out to a touching and warm character unlike any other - Jennie.
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"Douglas Preston's first novel (published in 1994)is a fictionalized account of one chimpanzee named Jennie who is raised from birth as a member of the Archibald family. Derived from four very real, and tragic, histories of chimpanzees raised as children in family homes, the story is told through "interviews" and "journals" of the characters involved. Jennie, like the actual chimpanzees the story is based on, learned American Sign Language and established relationship bonds with people. The novel incorporates some of the actual scientific experiments and results. Facinating read."
— Stacia (5 out of 5 stars)
Jennie Listener Reviews
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" 10 out of 10 Hey where's the review I just typed??! Well here goes again: This is one of only two books I've read in my lifetime that brought tears to my eyes. I've always been an animal lover but this book made me realise just how alike the great apes are to us and they really need to be protected before they are wiped out. "
— Jamie, 2/15/2014 -
" Science fiction based on real instances of chimps raised by humans. Not a whirlwind thriller like most of the Preston/Child collaborations, but well researched. It follows the point of view of several characters through diary entries, interviews, and letters. I laughed, I cried, I sobbed at the end. It's one of those animal stories. But it has piqued my interest in reading some of the non-fiction of Jane Goodall. Written with clarity and realism I had to keep reminding myself if was fiction. "
— Annie, 2/14/2014 -
" I loved this endearing, loving and sad book about raising chimpanzees in a human home. Made me cry! I will so support the organizations that are out there trying to protect chimps and apes in the wild. "
— Darlene, 1/18/2014 -
" Fiction based on several anthropological studies with the great apes. I loved every word "
— Lu, 1/17/2014 -
" Sweet. Sorrowful. Creative way to put a true story to the page. I wish I could have met Jennie--a chimp that was brought home by a scientist and raised as a child. She is adorable! And incorrigible. And darling. Pretty crazy story. "
— Lacy, 1/6/2014 -
" Fantastic read. really enjoyed it. "
— Michael, 12/3/2013 -
" ficton that reads like the truth. a sad ending, though. the whole story is very plausible, probably because it's heavily based on lots of different true events - they just didnt happen all to the same person. "
— Jesse, 11/18/2013 -
" Very good and realistic, but extremely depressing "
— Andy, 10/25/2013 -
" It a very heart touching story of a chimpanzee and will really make you cry towards the end. So, if you have a light heart then don't ever go for it. "
— Rahil, 10/10/2013 -
" One of the best books I've read, compelling, thought provoking and even funny. You can't help but love Jennie and feel for the characters. "
— Wenjia, 8/20/2013 -
" Very thought provoking and a little sad. I enjoyed reading this book. "
— Iona, 7/18/2013 -
" It was very good. Very compelling story and easy to believe, even though it was fiction. "
— Courtney, 3/12/2013 -
" i didn't care about the chimp. i liked the way the author handled all the first person voices. "
— Mary, 7/16/2012 -
" This novel will make you question the notion of what is right, have tissues handy. "
— Valerie, 6/26/2012 -
" Truly a gripping and fasinating story. One of Preston's greatest works. "
— Craig, 5/1/2012 -
" This book alternated between humorous, insightful, and heartbreaking. It gets 5 stars for its realistic portrayal of a chimpanzee raised in a human family and the unforeseen consequences of such a situation. "
— Lara, 2/5/2012 -
" Not a bad book by a guy who has written some good and bad books. "
— Mainrun, 12/31/2011 -
" I enjoyed it a lot -- very well written. The story line seemed very plausible to me, and I really connected with the family that was raising Jennie. "
— doug, 9/28/2011 -
" This is a semi-fictionalized account of the story that inspired Curios George. Based on reality, what happens when a chimp is raised as a human child. The end will make you cry and you will walk away from it completely charmed. "
— Rachel, 9/19/2011 -
" Picked this book up at a dollar store not thinking it would be so great. It's really powerful, be ready to cry. "
— Jen, 9/14/2011 -
" This book really struck a chord with me. It was a remarkable touching story! I can't look at any type of primate without thinking of this book and the awarness it brought out! "
— Lindsay, 4/8/2011 -
" Picked this book up at a dollar store not thinking it would be so great. It's really powerful, be ready to cry. "
— Jen, 9/20/2010 -
" I loved this endearing, loving and sad book about raising chimpanzees in a human home. Made me cry! I will so support the organizations that are out there trying to protect chimps and apes in the wild. "
— Darlene, 1/26/2010 -
" i didn't care about the chimp. i liked the way the author handled all the first person voices. "
— Mary, 7/5/2009 -
" This novel will make you question the notion of what is right, have tissues handy. "
— Valerie, 5/10/2009 -
" Fantastic read. really enjoyed it. "
— Michael, 3/16/2009 -
" Sweet. Sorrowful. Creative way to put a true story to the page. I wish I could have met Jennie--a chimp that was brought home by a scientist and raised as a child. She is adorable! And incorrigible. And darling. Pretty crazy story. "
— Lacy, 2/2/2009 -
" Very good and realistic, but extremely depressing "
— Andy, 2/23/2008 -
" This book alternated between humorous, insightful, and heartbreaking. It gets 5 stars for its realistic portrayal of a chimpanzee raised in a human family and the unforeseen consequences of such a situation. "
— Lara, 7/9/2007
About Douglas Preston
Douglas Preston has published forty books of both nonfiction and fiction, of which over thirty have been New York Times bestsellers, several also reaching the #1 position. He is the co-author, with Lincoln Child, of the Pendergast series of thrillers. He also writes nonfiction pieces for the New Yorker magazine. He worked as an editor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and taught nonfiction writing at Princeton University. He is president emeritus of the Authors Guild and serves on the advisory board of the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe.
About the Narrators
Sandra Burr is an AudioFile Earphones Award–wining narrator. She has read more than one hundred books in her career, including the New York Times bestselling Cedar Cove romance series by Debbie Macomber.
Dick Hill, named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, is one of the most awarded narrators in the business, having earned several Audie Awards and thirty-four AudioFile Earphones Awards. In addition to narrating, he has both acted in and written for the theater.