Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Emotions in general are very hard to map and research, even in humans where we can ask individuals how they are feeling while running brain scans. In animals where we can't even scientifically confirm if they are capable of experiencing emotions, it's almost impossible. Almost. David Andersen shows that by studying fruit flies and mice it is possible to map some neural pathways that can lead to tremendous advances in human healthcare and understanding.

I think it is important to note that this book is not full of light-hearted examples of animal emotions, it focuses primarily on the research behind identifying which neurons control different responses such as fear and aggression. A lot of time is spent explaining the differences between emotions and feelings, and many points are reiterated several times (which may serve to help remind people of key points they've already read but did slow down the pacing). I loved the instances where the author's personality shone, such as when he inserted his own stories or anecdotes about his cats, wife, and reaction to hearing a rattlesnake. I also really like how it delves into exposing some of the problems in our own pharmaceutical and healthcare systems. One thing I didn't care for was the random comment on chimpanzees feeling depressed in zoo settings, especially knowing first-hand how much care goes into making sure they receive as much stimulating enrichment and as varied an environment as possible. But I recognize that's a controversial topic, much as laboratory research on animals, in general, is also not always viewed as favorable.

Overall I thought it was a well-written and engaging look at the science behind why animals act certain ways. I would recommend it to researchers, educators, or anyone wanting to look scientifically into brain processes and emotion. The graphs and visual tables helped illustrate points, and every effort was made to explain things in a way most individuals can grasp. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

A fascinating discussion of emotions and their neuroscientific origins and correlates. We have so much more to learn about emotions, but this book helps us appreciate that we are discovering important insights thanks to the advances in neuroscience research.

This was fasinating to read. I love human psychology but I know very little about animal psychology. What a marvelous idea to attempt to study the brain activity of animals to get inside their heads and apply that knowledge to human emotions. I consider myself to be in touch with my emotions and I think I understand the surface level but this was enlightening.

I am very sorry but this book was not for me. It was very well written and gave great examples to back up what the author was talking about. This book would be great for someone who knows a little more about the subject before they read it. I would recommend this book if you are trying to figure out emotions, but like I said it just wasn’t for me.