Is Anyone Listening?, Denise L. Herzing
Is Anyone Listening?, Denise L. Herzing
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Is Anyone Listening?
What Animals Are Saying to Each Other and to Us

Author: Denise L. Herzing

Narrator: Allyson Ryan

Unabridged: 6 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/18/2025


Synopsis

If you could pose one question to a dolphin, what would it be? And what might a dolphin ask you? For forty years, researcher and author Denise L. Herzing has investigated these and related questions of marine mammal communication. But the dolphins are not the only ones talking, and in this wide-ranging and accessible book, Herzing explores the astonishing realities of interspecies communication, a skill that humans currently lack.

Is Anyone Listening? connects research on dolphin communication to findings from Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Dian Fossey on mountain gorillas, Cynthia Moss on African elephants, and others driving today's exploration of possible animal languages. As Herzing reveals, researchers are finding fascinating hints of language in nonhuman species, including linguistic structures, vowel equivalents, and complex repeated sequences. By looking at the many ways animals use and manipulate signals, we see that we've only just begun to appreciate the diversity of animal intelligence and the complicated and subtle aspects of animal communication.

Considering dolphins and other nonhuman animals as colleagues instead of research subjects, Herzing asks us to meet animals as both speakers and listeners, as mutually curious beings, and to listen to what they are saying.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Cav on March 26, 2025

"If you could ask a dolphin one question, what would it be? What might a dolphin ask you?" The topic of animal communication is incredibly interesting. Are humans the only species that can communicate vocally? Do other animals communicate? If they do, then how do other animals communicate?? All are t......more

Goodreads review by Claudia on October 29, 2024

"I suspect it [the disconnect from considering the consequences of our actions to other species] comes from a deep disconnect with the idea that we are part of nature, not above it, and this disconnect has destructive consequence to the natural world." - Herzing Rarely ever have I enjoyed a work of n......more

Goodreads review by Debbie on October 27, 2024

A dense scientific account of research on animal language. Suit someome interested in detailed knowledge in this area. Thank you to author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.......more

Goodreads review by kylie on October 28, 2024

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️ There were a lot of interesting concepts approached, but not discussed as much as I would have hoped. For example, we can set up tests all we want, but if they don't cater to the animal we're testing we may never truly understand their unique intelligence. Maybe the class......more

Goodreads review by Bharath on October 05, 2024

This is a very well written and refreshing book about non-human communication. While a substantial part of the focus is on Dolphins where the author Denise is personally involved, there are many examples and discussions about other animals as well. We are learning more about non-human communication.......more