Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves Hardcover – Illustrated, March 12, 2019

In Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves, primatologist Frans de Waal’s fascinating and accessible book fulfills the title’s promise. Although we generally use “emotion” and “feeling” interchangeably, he begins with a useful distinction. Emotions drive behavior and can thus be observed. Feelings, the internal states that accompany emotions, can only be inferred. Recounting the behaviors he and his colleagues have observed in our fellow primates and other species, Dr. de Waal makes a convincing case that humans are not that different animals, most notably, we are not “superior.” He has documented this claim elsewhere with regard to cognitive capacities; here he extends the comparison to affective behavior. As a developmental psychologist, I was reminded of my own field’s chronic underestimation of the capabilities of young children with regard to such attributes as empathy and morality. Dr. De Waal’s precise delineation of both the similarities and differences between apes and humans is insightful. Similarities abound in everything from laughter and grief, to fair play and revenge (even premeditated murder). One telling difference is the label “alpha male.” Originally the concept, which dates to wolf studies in the 1940s, simply meant the dominant male. However, as the term has been applied to humans, “alphas are not just winners, they beat the hell out of everyone around them.” In the animal world, the alpha male is not the biggest bully. In fact, “this male acts as the healer-in-chief, comforting others, intent on restoring harmony.” Perhaps, in observing our species today, de Waal can be forgiven for occasionally substituting cynicism for science. However, as a fiction writer (see my Amazon author page www.amazon.com/author/asewovenwords), I set out to prove that even my most reprehensible characters can change. As a reader, I’m equally inclined to be generous. For optimists like me, de Waal offers hope that people can behave better by citing studies of female primates, who are the primary conciliators of their species. Whereas males physically dominate and intimidate, females stand their ground by exerting a powerful social influence. Females are peacemakers rather than warriors. Thus, de Waal says, it is past time to abandon macho theories of human evolution and embrace feminist ones. Only then we can harness the emotions that facilitate relationships and re-channel the destructive ones.

This is a beautiful, engaging book supporting the argument I have long held, that consciousness arose early in organisms and is a consequence of integrated perception. De Waal makes many powerfully research-supported arguments for this. Most of what we do does not require human intelligence.One quibble about de Waal. He is strongly partisan politically, so partisan that it does not trouble him to take digs at conservative politicians like Margaret Thatcher in this book. He concludes his research supports his disagreement with, for instance, free markets. While the parallels he draws are well worth consideration, it appears that he may not understand subjects outside his field as thoroughly and in as nuanced a way as his own.The overt bias unfortunately makes his conclusions more suspect. It was unnecessary to insert partisan views into a wonderful book, and I was sorry to see him do it. Another book dedicated to that specific argument would have been more intellectually honest in my view.

Frans de Waal, in “Mama’s Last Hug,” occasionally drifts into sensitive subjects that might appear sexist or political, but I encourage dissenters to fit these digressions into his primary intentions, rather than simply dismiss them. Humans, both male and female, have distinct characteristics that define their appeal and to deny that is folly. The author recognizes the same characteristics in the primates he studies and, because his book explains how our behaviors often mirror each other, he would be remiss in not mentioning the male/female equation or political posturing.I see nothing wrong with likening the wearing of vivid lipstick by human females to the development of the bright red rear end by the female primate as she moves to entice a male to her love chamber. In fact, I find it rather amusing. Is there any other reason to smear the sticky condiment on a mouth that doesn’t really need further enhancement? DeWaal might linger a little too long on the subject, but his premise is spot on. And, it’s his book.Shame and embarrassment are not unique to humans. All animals express the same emotions although they are displayed in quite different forms. The author explores the similarities and the differences using expressive writing techniques. Although the differences are, for the most part, vastly different in their expression, some have remarkable similarity. As an example, the human characteristic of covering the face or turning the head away from observers when embarrassed is remarkably similar to the reaction of apes when something unusual or unexpected occurs.Sexual proclivities of apes are rampantly on display while those of humans are discretely hidden from view. It seems monkey love follows the dictate that if it feels good, then just do it. That’s not the norm in the people I associate with. Neither is the habit of grooming each other, something the apes associate with family and friends having a good time. We like to have snacks together, but not from each other’s hair.This book is amazing both in its writing and in its concept. Not only are animal emotions depicted in both scientific and amusing ways, the reader will always find something revolutionary in the way the author explains them. I urge you to read this book, keeping in mind that some things we humans do would probably cause blushes on the faces of our relatives, the primates, if they were capable of blushing.The elephant in the room here is Donald Trump. I agree with some reviewers that the author’s rant against the President is off base and not on subject. But, again, it’s his book and, as some readers have commented, they chose to scrap his effort in disgust. If nothing else, his lesson on emotions has been well applied.Schuyler T WallaceAuthor of TIN LIZARD TALES