“At that moment there was no need for any scientific knowledge to understand his communication of reassurance. The soft pressure of his fingers spoke to me not through my intellect but through a more primitive emotional channel: the barrier of untold centuries which has grown up during the separate evolution of man and chimpanzee was, for those few seconds, broken down.

I did it! I completed my Summer 2021 Reading List. The book list contained books about animal cruelty, conservation, and the environment. In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall is one of my favorites from the list. This book is Jane Goodall’s beginning. She has always known she wanted to go to Africa and study animals, particularly chimpanzees. At the time, no one would have guessed that Jane Goodall would have gone on to become a world-renown animal activist, primatologist, anthropologist, and scientist. This book dives into her first introductions to the many diverse African cultures and peoples. She first came to Kenya and then later on settled in Tanzania. Once she earns their respect and acceptance she is able to have her first encounters with the chimpanzees. She was to study their behaviors and was able to give the world an in-depth look at these incredible creatures.

One of the things that I appreciated the most about this book is that Goodall writes about the successful encounters, but also their mistakes. I learned so much about chimpanzees from this read. Their emotions and their family units were the most fascinating for me. It broke my heart when I read the part about the death of the baby chimpanzee. We often think that animals are so disconnected from their young. When they grieve just like we do.

There was also the amazing discovery of how the chimpanzees created their own tools. It was a moment that redefined the study of chimpanzees. Jane Goodall’s passion for the animals is palpable. Their safety and survival come first and foremost. We need more of her humanity and care in this world. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

It's hard to tell who or what is more fascinating: Jane Goodall, her lifelong research, or the chimpanzees of Gombe? In my opinion, they are all inseparable.

Dr. Goodall is amazing. Her descriptions of the chimps, their social interactions, emotions, families, and even their grief serve as a reminder that animals, especially those so closely related to humans are living breathing intelligent beings. 

Goodall acknowledges the mistakes she made in allowing the chimps to touch the humans at Gombe. She also acknowledges the work that Africans and the non-academics did to assist in the research.