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“The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy, and very, very funny. "
— BBC Wildlife (London)
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“A joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs?”
— Guardian (London)
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On the New York Times Book Review's Paperback Row
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One of the New York Times Book Review's "17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer"
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Her pace is quick, her touch is light, and through her wealth of research we can reach new heights of wonder.
— New York Times Book Review
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Cooke, founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, raises the profile of many poorly understood animals, revealing surprising, and often hilarious, truths that are much better than the fictions.
— Scientific American
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[A] deeply researched, sassily written history of 'the biggest misconceptions, mistakes and myths we've concocted about the animal kingdom,' spread by figures from Aristotle to Walt Disney.
— Nature
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Cooke's extensive travels, research and delightful sense of humor make The Truth about Animals a fascinating modern bestiary.
— Seattle Times
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In the end, the history of zoology reveals as much about our human foibles as about the animals we study. And this book will leave readers more enlightened about both.
— Science News
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Lucy Cooke takes equal delight in natural oddities and in people's long struggles to understand them. Part history, part biology, and wholly entertaining, The Truth About Animals is a quirky and edifying romp.
— Thor Hanson, author of Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds
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[An] intriguing and amusing survey of some unusual facets of animal behavior...Cooke puts scientific errors, some of them hilarious, into historical context.
— Booklist
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[A] lighthearted but scientifically rigorous exploration...A pleasure for the budding naturalist in the family--or fans of Gerald Durrell and other animals.
— Kirkus Reviews
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Readers keen on animals and natural history in general should find Cooke's discussion fascinating and educational.
— Publishers Weekly
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Lucy Cooke's [The Truth About Animals] was a joy from beginning to end. Who could resist a writer who argues that penguins have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years, and that, far from being cute and gregarious, they are actually pathologically unpleasant necrophiliacs?
— The Guardian (UK)
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Each of Cooke's thirteen breezy yet fact-stuffed chapters traces the origins of a long-standing myth about a species or class of animal.
— Times Literary Supplement (UK)
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The eclectic stories come thick and fast, with an equally varied human cast dedicated to uncovering the truth, scientifically or otherwise. Cooke illuminates and mickey-takes in equal measure, and the truth as she tells it is not only unexpected but often bizarre, bawdy and very, very funny.
— BBC Wildlife (UK)
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As surprising as it is diverse. Consummate natural history writing: illuminating, remarkable - and very, very funny.
— Alice Roberts, author of The Complete Human Body and The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being
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The rising star of natural history ... is she the new David Attenborough?
— The Times (UK)
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TOP AUTUMN BOOK PICKS: Lucy Cooke's fascinating book is full of mind-boggling stuff. Cooke takes much pleasure in throwing in all manner of amazing facts.
— Reader's Digest (UK)
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A riot of facts....Cooke scores a series of goals with style and panache.
— The Times (UK)
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Beautifully written, meticulously researched, with the science often couched in outrageous asides, this is a splendid read. In fact, I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a non-fiction work so much.
— Daily Express (UK)
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Funny and fascinating, this book will change the way you see wildlife.
— Bustle
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A surefire summer winner...even Cooke's simple facts are funny.
— New York Times Book Review
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Endlessly
fascinating.
— Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, and In a Sunburned Country
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Lucy Cooke's modern bestiary is as well-informed as
you'd expect from an Oxford zoologist. It's also downright funny.
— Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and The Ancestor's Tale, and emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford
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Lucy Cooke unravels myths that will make you laugh out loud. Her knowledge of all things, furry, slimy and scaly is jaw-dropping.
— The Sun (UK)
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BOOK OF THE WEEK: Highly amusing and enlightening new book [from] brilliant zoologist Lucy Cooke.
— The Idler (UK)