About this item
Highlights
- From the author of the bestselling How Dogs Love Us, a fascinating glimpse into the cognitive and emotional lives of cows.When Emory University neuroscientist Gregory Berns and his wife decided to venture into sustainable farming in rural Georgia, they knew that cows were a key part of a successful operation.
- Author(s): Gregory Berns
- 248 Pages
- Nature, Animals
Description
About the Book
The bestselling author of How Dogs Love Us stumbles onto a special friendship with a cow named BB and sets out to crack the code of communicating with this most common but much misunderstood animal.Book Synopsis
From the author of the bestselling How Dogs Love Us, a fascinating glimpse into the cognitive and emotional lives of cows.
When Emory University neuroscientist Gregory Berns and his wife decided to venture into sustainable farming in rural Georgia, they knew that cows were a key part of a successful operation. But that was where his knowledge of cattle ended.
As Berns and his small herd of three miniature zebus acclimated to each other and Berns received a crash course in being a cattleman, he turned his powers of scientific observation and innovation on his new charges. This wasn't the first time he'd studied animals through the lens of neuroscience; years earlier, Berns had applied his knowledge to man's best friend, resulting in two books and important advances in how we understand dogs' thoughts and emotions. Now it was time to see what he--and all of us--could discover about the interior worlds of cows.
In this moving and captivating memoir, Berns weaves together his hands-on experiences with his growing herd, accessible scientific explanations of animal behavior, and evocative portraits of the animals at the center of his study: the original bull, Ricky Bobby; the two mamas, Lucy and Ethel; and their sweet and spirited calves: BB, Cricket, Princess Xena, Luna, Walker, and Texas Ranger.
Whether cows are a familiar part of your experience or you're a city dweller longing for life in the country, Cowpuppy offers a deeper understanding of these complex creatures and what we humans can learn from them.
Review Quotes
'Bringing both head and heart to his narrative, Berns shows how scientific insight need not preclude emotional engagement.'--The Sydney Morning Herald
An inherently fascinating read from start to finish.--Midwest Book Review
Entertaining, informative and even humorous at times. We feel as if we've been invited into Berns' life and onto his farm to meet the herd, stroke their 'brisket' and watch as he interacts with them. It's a delightful experience.--Bookreporter.com
'Having already applied his scientific knowledge to the study of dogs' brains, it wasn't much of a stretch to do the same with cows. In time [Berns] would come to discover cows recognize their names, show affection and like belly rubs. And by matching their energy in order not to spook them, he learned to appreciate a slower pace of life.'--The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
'Bucolic and gentle, but with a hint of humor and lots of wide-eyed fascination...For an animal lover, too, Cowpuppy is a real treat.'--Bookworm Sez
'Cowpuppy is enjoyably human, intelligent, unexpected, humorous, entertaining, and heartwarming.'--Good Reading Magazine