Nearly Human’s basic premise is: What
can man learn from the free-ranging
gorilla, one of his closest relatives,
and how can this knowledge help us
re-examine our behavior and habits so we
can live simpler, happier and healthier
lives -- both physically and
emotionally?
At a time when more of us are struggling
to simplify our lives, smooth out our
relationships, and stay healthy, we
believe looking to the gorilla’s way of
doing things offers some interesting
ideas about our own. For example, here
are a few Gorilla Factoids that
illustrate their relevance to our
everyday life….
A gorilla’s nearly total
vegetarian diet follows U.S.
national nutritional guidelines more
closely than that of 97% of
Americans.
Most gorilla mothers share their
sleeping nest with children up to
age four (the human equivalent to
about eight years old)
Gorilla parents don’t hit their
children, and are extremely caring
and protective
Sliverbacks, despite their
immense power, rely on a huge
repertoire of conflict mediation
tactics. Aggressive behavior that
leads to physical contact is rare.
A key motivation behind writing this
book is the belief we could help promote
interest and involvement in the
conservation of these magnificent
animals. We believe we are helping to
make the considerably dense scientific
literature accessible and popular with
one aim – to make people aware of how
wonderful and interesting these animals
are and to help us rethink how we lead
our own lives, and treat our
environments, family and society. In a
way, the gorilla provides us with vital
clues to our own natures, successes, and
failures as a species.
Praise
for Nearly Human