Stanford behavioural ecologist, world-renowned elephant scientist, and award-winning author, Caitlin O’Connell shows how embracing the ten most profound rituals of the animal kingdom can make us more connected to ourselves, to nature, and those around us.

 “In this beautiful, sweeping book that encompasses animals from insects to humans, Caitlin O’Connell not only arms our profound connections to the rest of the natural world; she also, at a time of intense division and strife, importantly highlights how, through ritual, we can connect again with each other.” —SY MONTGOMERY, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus and How to Be a Good Creature   “Nature is heavily ritualized. Caitlin O’Connell provides a delightful tour of the animal kingdom to help us discover all of the rituals in fights, play, courtship, greetings, and mourning. As for us, rituals make social life more predictable and easier to manage.” —FRANS DE WAAL, New York Times bestselling author of Mama’s Last Hug and Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? “Caitlin O'Connell takes a fascinating look at rituals, both human and non-human, and at the deep ties that link them.” —ELIZABETH KOLBERT, Pulitzer Prize Winner and New York Times bestselling author of The Sixth Extinction   "Riveting, informative, and hopeful.  Every page has some wondrous new insight that moves or astonishes. Caitlin O'Connell writes with such abundant curiosity and passion that leaves us transformed, with new hope for the way rituals might lead us to a deeper, more meaningful, and ultimately, more humane way of being.  A must-read, especially in these challenging times." —JENNIFER ACKERMAN, New York Times bestselling author of The Bird Way and The Genius of Birds   “Behavior expert and master storyteller Caitlin O’Connell illuminates the vast but little-known realm of rituals. And she does so beautifully in this solid and delightfully written book. “ —CARL SAFINA, New York Times bestselling author of Beyond Words and Becoming Wild “Caitlin O’Connell regales us with a colorful combination of scientific discovery, personal experience, and storytelling to show how an array of established animal behaviors can de-escalate violence and make life run smoother and safer for the participants. If you’re like me you’ll also love how the nonhuman animal rituals she describes resonate with our own.” —JONATHAN BALCOMBE, New York Times bestselling author of Super Fly and What a Fish Knows