Book Review: The Chimp Who Loved Me by Annie Greer & Tim Vandehey

The Chimp Who Loved Me Title: The Chimp Who Loved Me
Author: Annie Greer & Tim Vandehey
Paperback: 190 pages
Genre: Humor, Animals
Publisher: Diva Publishing & Broadcasting LLC (November 8, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN – 0578072637
ISBN – 978-0578072630

About the Book:

The Chimp Who Loved Me is a collection of true stories from the life and times of Annie Greer, a veterinary chiropractitioner, animal healer, radio host, speaker, farmer’s wife and all-around magnet for bizarre animal behavior.  When Annie and Tim Vandehey, a professional writer, met in 2006 and began talking about Annie’s endless trove of strange and pants-wettingly funny tales about drill sergeant sheep and insane veterinary clinic customers, a book was born.

Infused with Annie’s trademark dry English wit and Tim’s storytelling panache, The Chimp Who Loved Me is a sort of twisted love child of Dave Barry, David Sedaris and James Herriot ofAll Things Bright and Beautiful fame.  If you’re sick of the treacly sweetness of animal books like Marley and Me or Dewey and crave twisted tales of sex, poop, pee and death, where apes throw donuts at chefs during dinner parties and stoned veterinary students dispense bizarre advice to puzzled dog show contestants, then you won’t be able to put The Chimp Who Loved Me down…until it hits you in the nose because you’re reading in bed, silly.

Review:

When I was growing up, other young girls my age wanted a Barbie Doll.  I wanted a monkey.  I’d seen all the pictures of monkeys with diapers clinging lovingly to his “mama” and I so adored the fantasy notion of owning my own chimp.  Thank goodness I progressed to make-up and boyfriends, but I still look adoringly at those cute little pictures of baby chimps being raised in a household of humans with complete envy.

It wasn’t until I read The Chimp Who Loved Me by Tim Vandehey and Annie Greer did I realize there’s a little more to it than meets the eye.  The Chimp Who Loved Me gives you a firsthand glimpse of what it’s like to live with a barnyard of animals, but more importantly, there’s a lot of dos and don’ts mingled in with the wonderful stories of Annie and her animal menagerie.

I loved how this book started out.  Tim met Annie at a book event.  When Annie told him her animal stories, Tim told her these need to be in a book and he was the guy to write them.  And so, The Chimp Who Loved Me was born with Annie doing the storytelling and Tim doing the writing.

This book is absolutely adorable, but more than that, it’s hilarious and makes for great reading.  Not only that, I have learned more things about animals than any National Geographic show.  I had no idea that the mothers of tiger cubs had to lick their baby’s private parts so that they would urinate and defecate or they’d die.  Or that bears like watching TV.   Or that dogs love women’s and men’s undergarments.  To eat.

If you are an animal lover but want the straight facts, you will love The Chimp Who Loved Me.


2 Responses to “Book Review: The Chimp Who Loved Me by Annie Greer & Tim Vandehey”

  1. I knew you’d like it! It’s really a fun read, and the broad scope of humanity and facts keeps it refreshing.

  2. Dorothy Thompson says:

    Thanks for your comment, Jeff! Cute, cute book. I hear they have another one either coming out or about to come out called Funny Farm and I imagine it’s as cute as this one!

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