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The Inner Life of Animals

Love, Grief, and Compassion: Surprising Observations of a Hidden World

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About this listen

Through vivid stories of devoted pigs, two-timing magpies, and scheming roosters, The Inner Life of Animals weaves the latest scientific research into how animals interact with the world with Peter Wohlleben's personal experiences in forests and fields.

Horses feel shame, deer grieve, and goats discipline their kids. Ravens call their friends by name, rats regret bad choices, and butterflies choose the very best places for their children to grow up.

In this, his latest book, Peter Wohlleben follows the hugely successful The Hidden Life of Trees with insightful stories into the emotions, feelings, and intelligence of animals around us. Animals are different from us in ways that amaze us - and they are also much closer to us than we ever would have thought.

©2017 Peter Wohlleben, Ludwig Verlag, Jane Billinghurst, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (P)2017 Novel Audio Inc.
Biological Sciences Environment Science Social Sciences Sociology Inspiring Animal Communication Animal Intelligence

What the critics say

"Like The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben's The Inner Life of Animals will rock your world. Surprising, humbling, and filled with delight, this book shows us that animals think, feel and know in much the same way as we do - and that their lives are, to them, as precious as ours are to us." (Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus)
"With the same charm and clarity that drew so many readers to The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben has produced another gem. I found delight on every page, thanks to the author's rare skill at blending scientific discoveries with his own wealth of insightful personal experiences. Read this book, and never again doubt that we share the Earth with other beings living rich and colorful lives." (Jonathan Balcombe, author of What a Fish Knows)
"Animal lovers everywhere will be enthralled by The Inner Life of Animals. Find out what squirrels, deer, and other animals really do out in the woods." (Temple Grandin)
All stars
Most Relevant
The narrator's read of this story brought me in. I felt warm and fuzzy after finishing the book. if you love animals this is a beautiful book to listen to.

wonderful story!

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Book is based more on anecdotes and opinions and the arguments felt a bit rushed at times. The stories are still sweet, interesting, and worth reading however it doesn’t feel as thought through as The Secret Life of Trees.

I still think it is worth the read as it is interesting and important to think about life through different animals eyes.

More anecdotal than scientific

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if this dude can make me alright with ticks then he truly is a magician with words

I love these books

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Loved this touching, brilliant, sweet, and informative book. So interesting and also we’ll written. Highly recommend!

Heart warming!

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I'll never be the same.
I've always suspected that animals had feels.
I was raised in a home where they were thought to be dispensible. To cry over the loss of a pet was weakness and unnecessary. That was very wrong.

Changed my mind on the life of an animal.

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