"A notable achievement... highly readable... Animal constructions are fascinating, and the authors provide some useful insights into them." (Nature) "One of the best popular science books of recent years." (The Spectator) "In Animal Architects, James R Gould and Carol Grant Gould beautifully describe some of the architectural wonders of the animal kingdom...there is no doubt that the Goulds succeed in... captivating the reader with their enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge of the biology of building." (Times Literary Supplement) "The story of this amazing and beautifully written little book is one of humans very gradually, and only through gritted teeth, admitting that other animals, down to the apparently humblest insects, are more intelligent than was ever suspected." (Guardian)"

James L. Gould is Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University and one of the world's leading experts in animal behavior. His books include Ethology: The Mechanisms and Evolution of Behavior, the leading textbook on its subject; and the last three editions of William T. Keeton's Biological Science, one of the leading introductory textbooks of biology for undergraduates. With Carol Grant Gould he was written The Animal Mind and The Honey Bee, both considered classic books on animal behavior for lay audiences. They live in Princeton, New Jersey.