At the heart of this moving and vibrant book is Fouts' magical, 30-year friendship with Washoe--the chimp whom Fouts has taught American Sign Language--whose dialogues with the author have opened a window into chimpanzee consciousness. of photos.At the heart of this moving and vibrant book is Fouts' magical, 30-year friendship with Washoe--the chimp whom Fouts has taught American Sign Language--whose dialogues with the author have opened a window into chimpanzee consciousness. of photos. Winner of ALA Notable Books (Nonfiction) 1998.