I, Chimp

Life from the other side of the bars. Being the life, thoughts and ambitions of an ambitious, thoughtful and lively Pan troglodytes. Martin the chimpanzee sets out important events that helped to shape his life, and his thoughts on subjects close to his heart: music, writing and the arts, bananas...

“..had Tian Tian and I spitting out our bamboo in disgust at his treatment behind bars..” - Yang Yang (Edinburgh Zoo)

"..Эта книга заставила меня кусать Биро из зависти.." - Leo Tolstoy (Russian author)

Martin the chimp, who had artistic aspirations, but little material to paint with and no appreciation from the zoo keepers, tells his story in I, Chimp.

'..any fool, given an expensive set of oil paints and with a vast talent for capturing – consummately - the light and shades of a scene or form in glorious perfection, can paint De Blindmaking van Simson, but it takes genius - with absolutely no artistic talent - to knock up Un plátano con dos narices with only a few twigs, some vine leaves and a stick - and last night’s post-digested supper..'

Dark humour. Some pictures painted by a chimp. A typewriter (take note, Tom). Five jokes about a beach ball and a tyre swing. And termites. A book that would have Leo Tolstoy biting his Biro in half in envy.