If animal behavior is mostly instinctual, why do animals need to communicate? Is it possible that there is a universal language spoken and understood by all animals on earth, including humans? Do barks, growls, rumbles, chirps, yips, and meows have communicative meanings?"No matter what species," writes acclaimed science journalist Tim Friend, "we're all concerned with the same topics of conversation -- sex, real estate, who's boss, and what's for dinner." In "Animal Talk, " Friend draws upon years of field research, interviews with preeminent scientists, and lively personal anecdotes to find out how our animal neighbors communicate and what their languages mean. From bird calls to whale songs, laughing hyenas to rattling snakes, an elephant cry in the jungle to the bark of a Chihuahua in his own backyard, Friend tells the grand story of animal communication through the sounds, stripes, scents, and signals of the animals themselves.

提姆．法蘭德（Tim Friend）

素有科學界「怪醫杜立德」之稱的他是《今日美國》（USA Today）資深科學專欄作家。寫作主題涵蓋廣泛，包括動物行為學、人類學、物理學、天文學、生物科技及遺傳學。法蘭德曾深入埃佛勒斯峰、南極洲、北極圈、亞馬遜雨林、中東及中美洲，並乘坐海底的單人座潛水艇進行報導。也為《美國國家野生動物》（National Wildlife）及《人體健康》（Men’s Health）等全國性雜誌撰稿。目前住在美國維吉尼亞州的亞歷山大市。