The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda, Revised Edition [Hardcover]

Thor Hanson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2008

A self-described eco-nerd Thor Hanson, scientist and writer, brought the nascent gorilla tourist program in Bwindi National Park, located within Africa's Impenetrable Forest, to life. With grace and good humor Hanson navigates the local customs, mores and bureaucracy governing everything from love to superstition to build infrastructure, hire and train staff, fend off millions of ants among many other creatures while studying and acclimating the mountain gorillas to humans in their midst.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is a fun-read that provides an insider's account of life in the remote African bush as a Peace Corps volunteer. Great reading for everyone with a sense of adventure and interested in protecting our natural world. (Craig R. Sholley, African Wildlife Foundation )

If you love to read about people who've made a difference, Thor's life--full of successes and disappointments--makes a fascinating, inspiring memoir. (John Coyne, Living on the Edge: Fiction by Peace Corps Writers )

Fascinating...very well-written. (Gorilla Journal )

From the Publisher

Award-Winner in the nature category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 284 pages
• Publisher: 1500 Books; Revised edition (June 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933698195
• ISBN-13: 978-1933698199
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Travel > Africa > Rwanda & Uganda
  • #13 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Primatology
  • #14 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Apes & Monkeys

More About the Author

Dr. Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist, Switzer Environmental Fellow, and member of the Human Ecosystems Study Group. His book Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle won the 2012 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, as well as a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. He is also the author of The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda, which won the 2008 USA Book News Award for nature writing. Hanson lives with his wife and son on an island in the Pacific Northwest. Visit his website at www.thorhanson.net. (Author photo by Kathleen Ballard Photography.)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read About Mountain Gorillas and Life in Uganda, April 2, 2003

By 

Andrew M. Luks - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Impenetrable Forest (Paperback)

This is a great book. Written in a clear, easy-to-read style the author does a great job of weaving together descriptions of the mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park with descriptions of the Uganda people and their culture, the politics and history of the country and other aspects of his experiences there. If you are looking for a book with detailed, scientifically-oriented analysis of the mountain gorillas, this is not the book for you, nor is this the book for you if you are looking for great color photographs of the animals and the country (he only has black and white photos of so-so quality). But, if what you are looking for is a book that allows you to learn about a variety of aspects of life in Uganda, its people and the gorillas this is a great choice. It would be the perfect book to read prior to a trip to the region to see the park and its gorilla population.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent view of the Culture in Uganda at the start of Ecotourism, July 13, 2008

By 

James H. Sandler (Vernon, N.J. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda, Revised Edition (Hardcover)

Excellent view of Uganda and the culture of both the people and wildlife in existence at the start of the eco-tourism movement in that part of the world. The ability to experience the world of Thor as he was experiencing the joys and hardships as he co-existed with the people and animals of Uganda was fascinating.

I really "felt" as though I was right there with him as he became accustomed to the new way of life - intertwined with his new culture, gaining acceptance with the natives.

An excellent read!

Jim Sandler
Vernon, N.J.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compassionate and insightful..., July 11, 2008

By 

B. Chalaire (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda, Revised Edition (Hardcover)

This book was an easy read but still packed with lots of information. Not only about all the gorillas, and their individual personalities, but also about what it was like living with the people in Uganda. It also touched on the history of African exploration and the study of gorillas. I really didn't know much about topic and I now have much more empathy for both the gorillas and also for the people who live near them. Even if like me you're not a "gorilla person" I think you'll find this book funny, compassionate and a good adventure story.