Perhaps the world's most recognized and admired scientist, ethologist Jane Goodall changed the way we think about primates (including humans) with her important discoveries about the behavior of chimpanzees in the Gombe region of Africa. After more than 40 years of continuous research, Goodall today is working to increase awareness of global conservation issues through the development of grassroots organizations such as Roots & Shoots. For more information about how you can become involved, visit the Jane Goodall Institute.
"Africa in My Blood is an extraordinary self-portrait, in letters and commentary, of Jane Goodall's early years, from childhood to the landmark publication of In the Shadow of Man. It reveals this remarkable woman more vividly and clearly than anything that has been published before, by her or about her. We see Goodall grow from a schoolgirl into the promising young candidate whom the legendary Louis Leakey sent to a wildlife preserve on the shores of Lake Tanganyika to undertake a revolutionary study of chimpanzees. At Gombe we see her immerse herself in the lives of wild animals as no one had done before. Africa in My Blood is a dramatic, moving, funny, and important book that tells the story of how an English girl who loved animals became one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century."
"This second volume of Jane Goodall's autobiography in letters covers the years of her greatest triumphs and her deepest tragedies. During this time she made many of her most important discoveries about chimpanzee behavior—including the dark discovery that like us, they wage war and commit murder. Africa in My Blood told of a young woman finding her life's work in the place of her dreams. Beyond Innocence tells of the events that shattered many of those dreams and changed her from a rather private observer to a public crusader."
In the Shadow of Man
by Jane Goodall, Hugo Van Lawick (Photographer), Stephen Jay Gould.
"Goodall's classic account of primate behavior combines a landmark scientific study with a fascinating adventure story of a determined young woman's struggle in remote Africa to approach primates in the wild as no one had ever done before."
"Jane Goodall—40 Years at Gombe is a pictorial tribute to her life, her studies of the chimpanzees, and her unflagging efforts to motivate human beings on their behalf."
Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees
Documentary film starring Jane Goodall. Available on DVD and VHS videotape in NTSC format (U.S. and Canada only).
Originally presentated in IMAX® theaters, this 2002 film "chronicles Dr. Goodall's more than 40 years of legendary work among the chimps at Gombe Park on Lake Tanganyka in Africa. Viewers will be led by Dr. Goodall, as well as the new generation of young researchers, into the daily lives of the now famous Gombe chimp families: Fifi and sons Freud and the turbulent alpha male Frodo, along with Gremlin, Gaia and the endearing Galahad."
"Jane Goodall is legendary among primate researchers, and for good reasonshe learned more on her own studying chimpanzees than all who went before her combined. Goodall's grace and scientific curiosity really shine; she is a model for field biologists the world over. Among the Wild Chimpanzees is perfect for ape lovers, budding scientists, and anyone captivated by the lush African forests." [Amazon.com]
"A well-made documentary with excellent footage, a complementary musical score, and a well-organized narrative that gives viewers a full portrait of a woman who, in 1960, went alone into the heart of Africa at the age of 26 and remained there for decades studying chimpanzees." [Amazon.com]
Reason for Hope is a smoothly written memoir that does not shy away from facing the realities of environmental destruction, animal abuse, and genocide. But Goodall shares her antidote to the poison of despair with specific examples of why she has not lost faith. For instance, she shares her spiritual epiphany during a visit to Auschwitz; her bravery in the face of chimpanzee imprisonment in medical laboratories; and devotes a whole chapter to individuals, corporations, and countries that are doing the right thing. But most of all Goodall provides a beautifully written plea for why everyone can and must find a reason for hope." [Amazon.com]
"World-renowned behavioral scientists Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff have set forth ten trusts that we must honor as custodians of the planet. They argue passionately and persuasively that if we put these trusts to work in our lives, the earth and all its inhabitants will be able to live together harmoniously. The Ten Trusts expands the concept of our obligation to live in close relationship with animals—for, of course, we humans are part of the animal kingdom—challenging us to respect the interconnection between all living beings as we learn to care about and appreciate all species."
"Both humbling and an exalting book, the result of thirty years of voyeurism that ranks with the great scientific achievements of the twentieth century." [The Washington Post]