Rob Dunn's "The Call of the Honeyguide" explores how cooperation—especially mutualisms between species—has shaped evolution, culture, and our future. Dunn argues that these cooperative relationships are not only foundational in nature but are also essential for reimagining the future of humanity in a more sustainable, interconnected way.basicbooks+3
The book centers on mutualisms: interactions where different species benefit from cooperating, sometimes in unexpected ways.
Dunn uses the example of the African honeyguide bird, which calls to humans to help access beehives—both then sharing in the honey and wax.nytimes+2
He argues that such cooperative relationships are as much a force in evolution as competition.
Mutualisms: Cooperative relationships between species (e.g., honeyguides and humans, orcas and human hunters, ants that farm fungi).politics-prose+2
Agency beyond humans: Animals like honeyguides, dolphins, and orcas may initiate partnerships as much as humans do.sciencefriday
Mutualism across time: Ancient societies, from African foragers to the Incas, practiced mutualism with animals and plants, with wide-ranging impacts on agriculture, hunting, and ecosystem stability.nytimes
Reframing dominance: Instead of thinking of humans as masters over nature, Dunn urges seeing humanity as part of a web of mutual dependencies.politics-prose
Microbial and domestic mutualisms: Extends to our relationships with yeast (bread, alcohol), domestic animals, and even gut microbes.sciencefriday+1
Ethnographic and biological research on the honeyguide-human relationship, including field and historical experiments.sciencefriday
Examples from globally diverse human cultures, such as cooperative whale hunting partnerships between orcas and Indigenous Australians.nytimes+1
Comparable mutualistic behavior among nonhuman species, like ants and aphids, or microbes and their hosts.politics-prose+2
Literary and historical sources, integrating scientific and humanities perspectives.nytimes
Reexamine and cultivate mutualisms in modern life (e.g., in agriculture, conservation, urban environments) to foster sustainability.sciencefriday+1
Recognize and respect nonhuman agency; conservation efforts should account for the role animals and plants play in shaping their environments and relationships.sciencefriday
Build a culture that values interdependence, reframes “nature” as something we are embedded in, and experiments with new collaborative approaches.basicbooks+1
The narrative may idealize mutualisms, underplaying the prevalence and gravity of competition, predation, and ecological conflict.nytimes
Not all mutualisms are stable—some can degrade over time or turn parasitic; the book provides anecdotes but may generalize from them.sciencefriday
Agency among animals is insightfully discussed but can risk anthropomorphism or overstating intentionality in animal behavior.nytimes
Dunn’s style is anecdotal and sweeping, sometimes trading depth for breadth; some critics may find the approach less rigorous than technical ecological treatments.nytimes
By arguing that cooperation has been a central force in evolution and history, the book contributes a hopeful, actionable perspective on tackling contemporary crises like climate change.thesouthernbooksellerreview+1
Urges a shift in worldview—from anthropocentric independence to mutualistic interdependence—potentially influencing conservation, urban planning, and policy.
"The Call of the Honeyguide" is seen as part of a broader movement across science and the humanities that seeks to bridge human and more-than-human histories and futures.politics-prose+1
This book is well-suited for readers interested in ecology, cultural history, and environmental philosophy, offering both scientific case studies and philosophical arguments for living more cooperatively with the rest of life.politics-prose+2