Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Timbede Armias.

The artist and human rights activist I Weiwei says we have a lot to learn about humanity, from animals.

And he shares some of what he's learned in a new graphic memoir called Zodiac.

The book is a nod to the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac. Each one represents

an animal and its attributes. And in Wei Wei's book, each is linked to a story from his life.

He spoke about the book with weekend edition host Scott Simon. They spoke about the varied

experiences that make up Wei Wei's rich life, from growing up in a labor camp in China to being detained for his activism as an adult, and why he chose the Chinese zodiac as his lens for viewing them.

In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.

Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, sources and methods.

NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.

Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Highway Way says he spends a lot of time watching animals.

I think when you live with animals, you learn a lot.

And they are often more sensible or have higher intelligent in their own way.

The artist and outspoken activist for human rights lives with a few cats,

and one of them can reach up and turn the handle of a door and open it.

When he's doing that, the other cats would lay around, just watch

he's doing that. Then

everyone would follow him to go

out to the garden.

And that really surprised me how

he would know by doing that he

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