A Natural History of Parenting: From Emperor Penguins to Reluctant Ewes

by Susan Allport

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Harmony, 25-Feb-97. First Edition. Paperback. Like New. Nice book, never read! First Edition with clean pages & extremely slight wear to dustjacket. Small red dot on top edge. Amazon: One of the important points in Susan Allport's A Natural History of Parenting is made in the subtitle: ... A Naturalist Looks at How Parenting differs [emphasis added] in the Animal World and Ours. Everyone admits that not all adult humans are alike, and anyone with more than one child knows that not all babies are alike. Allport recognizes that not all sheep or puffins are alike, either. Her survey of the variability and stresses of parenting across the animal kingdom proves that seeing biological factors in human behavior doesn't mean seeing only one correct and natural way to raise children."" ""From School Library Journal: Within the natural world, survival is the primary objective. This fascinating book looks at the reproduction and parenting patterns of a variety of birds, fish, and mammals and examines the ways in which these animals adapt to maximize their odds of reproducing successfully, even if that means abandoning offspring. In a clear and lively manner, Allport explores such topics as how and where various animals build nests, why most primates give birth at night, and the specific composition of various mammal's milk. YAs will learn about biology, sociology, anthropology, and family organization, and how humans compare with other species in the basic areas of reproduction, parenting, and nurturing. Judy Sokoll, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc."" ISBN: 0517707993.

Book summary

When one of the sheep in the author's herd turns out to be an unenthusiastic mother, the natural failure of something so basic as the maternal instinct sets Allport to wondering about parenting, "this most ordinary, most extraordinary of things." The result is this wide-ranging exploration of the nature and evolution of the relationship between parents and children. Fully conversant with the latest research in biology and animal behavior, the author turns a naturalist's observant eye upon the natural world of her backyard, and of human society as well. While such an exercise is second nature to someone with Allport's professional training, the lucidity of her prose and the clarity of her thought are such that any reader with the slightest interest in "parenting in the animal world and ours" will be eager to join her.