Wild cultures: a comparison between chimpanzee and human cultures.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Octavo, laminated boards, black and white photographs, maps, tables.
Christophe Boesch takes readers into the lives of chimpanzees from different African regions, highlighting the debate about culture. He looks at the different ways chimpanzees show feelings or complete tasks and how this could be compared to humans from different countries if asked how they eat rice. His ethnography reveals how simple techniques have evolved into complex ones, how teaching styles differ, how material culture widens access to new food sources and how youngsters learn culture. This journey reveals many parallels between humans and chimpanzees and points to striking differences. Written in a vivid and accessible style, Wild Cultures places the reader in social and ecological contexts that shed light on our twin cultures.