A born-and-bred Yorkshireman, Ashley Ward is the author of The Social Lives of Animals and is a professor in Animal Behaviour at the University of Sydney, where he specialises in the sensory behaviour of animals. His career has taken him around the world, from studying krill in Antarctica to sampling sensory deprivation tanks in Australia. He has published over 100 scientific journal articles and a highly cited academic book, Sociality. He is also the author of the bestselling audiobook, Animal Societies. In addition to his professional accolades, he has 4:20 vision and no sense of smell or taste.
'[An] infectiously enthusiastic survey of the human senses ... underneath the entertainment this is a serious and thoughtful book' - James McConnachie 'A rollercoaster combination of science, cultural history, rumour and schoolboy humour' - Guardian 'Combining biological science with history, culture, sociology and personal reflections, this is a wide-ranging and highly engaging read' - Observer 'Enlightening and digestible ... Sensational is not only a rich mine of information, it teaches tolerance and understanding ... Listening to his book is a delight' - The Times 'Ward has conjured up a thrilling - and revolting - world of sensory overload in the style of a goofy lecture. Both learned and irreverent, he can be existentially disturbing and extremely funny in the same paragraph - a talent that could make this a future classic of popular science' - Mail on Sunday