Almost Human

Alfred Fidjestøl has published several critically acclaimed biographies and history books about humans and cultural institutions. In 2014, Fidjestøl became the first nonfiction author ever to receive Gyldendal’s Hunger Award. He was awarded the Språkprisen Prize in 2017. Julius lives as a content alpha chimpanzee and father of two within a community of nine chimpanzees. He celebrated his fortieth birthday in 2019.

“Alternately joyous and heartbreaking, Almost Human is more than just a biography of a confused chimpanzee. It is also a fascinating, well-researched book that provides excellent information about wild and zoo chimpanzees, the history of trafficking live chimpanzee infants out of Africa, and the dramatic change in the way animals have been perceived and treated in zoos over the past century.” —Jane Goodall“The story of this remarkable, delightful but often troubled icon has been told [...] in this short but thought-­provoking book written by an award-winning Norwegian journalist. This fascinating little book touches on central issues of our time, too, but never hectors us.” —Daily Mail“The life of Julius the chimpanzee has been as rich, dramatic, and important as any human's. Thank you, Alfred Fidjestøl, for writing this detailed and riveting biography that is worthy of its subject. Everyone who cares about animals should read it.” —Sy Montgomery , New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus“A sort of true-life fairytale in which Beauty and the Beast are the same single character. Almost Human is a moving and memorable account of the up and down life of Norway's Julius, one of the world's most famous chimpanzees.” —Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times-bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves