Description
Author Karen Pryor
Publisher Harper & Row
Format Hardcover with dust jacket, protected in Brodart (First Edition)
condition Very good; slight wear on dust jacket spine
Summary
Lads Before the Wind by renowned behavioral biologist Karen Pryor is an extraordinary firsthand account of the pioneering days of marine mammal training. Set against the backdrop of Hawaii’s Sea Life Park in the 1960s, this memoir blends science, humor, and wonder as Pryor chronicles her groundbreaking work with dolphins and porpoises. With an engaging voice and sharp observational insight, she invites readers behind the scenes of a little-understood world—where animal behavior, operant conditioning, and human curiosity collide. The book not only illuminates the methodology that would eventually revolutionize animal training but also shares touching and often humorous stories of the dolphins themselves, offering a rare emotional window into interspecies relationships. With an introduction by Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz, this is a foundational text for anyone interested in ethology, marine biology, or the evolution of positive reinforcement training.