BOOK REVIEW

Jennie by Douglas J. Preston

In ten words or less: A chimp taught to sign raises questions about man’s experiments.

Jennie is an orphan chimpanzee brought to America by an anthropologist and is raised with his family and taught American Sign Language. Quickly learning to behave much like a human spoiled brat, Jennie steals, shops, meets celebrities, and is arrested. When she reaches sexual maturity, she becomes uncontrollable and is sent to a wildlife refuge. She feels betrayed and misses her freedom. This book raises questions about our relationship to, and treatment of, other species.

Why bother? What happens to animals when humans are done with their experiments? If animals are taught to communicate outside of their species, can man ignore what he has already done? This novel raises questions that have yet to be addressed by the scientific community.