My Life with the Chimpanzees [Paperback]

Jane Goodall (Author)

Book Description

From the time she was a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed of a life spent working with animals. Finally she had her wish. When she was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimpanzees in the wild. On her expeditions she braved the dangers with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees -- intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

So enthusiastically does Goodall relate the first 28 years of her life in the jungles of Tanzania that her odyssey appears to have just begun. The story of her life with the chimpanzees of Gombe has long been available to adults; in this book she brings that world to young readers and may very well inspire them to follow in her footsteps.The book begins with tales of her childhood in England and her earliest awareness of the needs of animals, her friendship with Louis Leakey and her trip with her motherto the first camp at Gombe. Goodall talks of the sacrifices of living as she hasher first marriage ended in divorce, and she sees her family (including her son Grub) infrequently. Stories of the chimps dominate the bookthey threaten to steal the show in many instances; readers will love meeting these personable animals. And because anecdotes about the chimps bear rereading, an index or other means of looking up a particular fact would have been a bonus. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6 Goodall's autobiography pre sents a fascinating insight into her per sonal life, her research, and her philos ophy. A major part of the book covers her work at the Gombe Stream Re search Center in Tanzania and includes observations of a chimp family through several generations. Many of the pho tographs from this period were taken by her first husband, Hugo van Lawick. Their son, Grub, is a focal point of many of her anecdotes about life in the camp at Gombe. Goodall completes her story by encouraging young people to nurture an interest in nature, giving ad vice on how to observe animals and stressing the importance of preserving wildlife. Her autobiography reflects on the importance of friends and family and the need for humans to coexist with nature. The writing flows smoothly, and the progression of stories blends well to present to readers a sincere, al though sometimes sentimental, human being. Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukie, Oreg.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Revised edition (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671562711
• ISBN-13: 978-0671562717
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Apes & Monkeys > Nonfiction
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Science & Technology > Ecology
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment

More About the Author

JANE GOODALL continues to study and write about primate behavior. She founded the Gombe Stream Research Center in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, and the Jane Goodall Institute for Wild Life Research, Education, and Conservation to provide ongoing support for field research on wild chimpanzees. She is the author of many books, including two autobiographies in letters, Africa in My Blood and Beyond Innocence. Today Dr. Goodall spends much of her time lecturing, sharing her message of hope for the future, and encouraging young people to make a difference in their world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific true-life adventure story, February 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: My Life with the Chimpanzees (Paperback)

I liked the book because it was an adventure story. In one part, the plane crashed. Jane Goodall, Grub (her son), and Derreck (the pilot) didn't get hurt, but they had to cross a river full of crocodiles! I also like the book because it is about Africa, a continent I only know a little about. Besides the amazing animals, I learned that there are important fossil beds in Africa.

Chimps are a central part of the story. The author does a good job of describing the chimps' habits and behavior. The chimps challenge each other for the alpha position (highest ranked position in the group).

I found Jane Goodall likeable because she has interest in saving an endangered species. She reported that chimps can make tools and use them as well as we can. No one knew that before Jane discovered it. Dr. Goodall is also the leader of a special club dedicated to saving chimpanzess.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the fascinating behavior of animals.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars never forgotten!, June 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: My Life with the Chimpanzees (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book, grasping your atention and holding your hand thru a fantastic journey into Africa, and into the chimpanzes of the Gombe. You will get to meet all of them, and even see how they are like, observing the individual diferences of their behaviour. Parents: please purchase it for your kids! Kids: get your parents to buy it for you! Inspiring! I am now 22, but I must have been 10 when I first read this book (not this edition of course!). I still purchase Jane Goodall's books...and I'm following the dream she helped inspire: to go to a place no one can pronounce to study an animal few people care about...

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating read for children, December 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: My Life with the Chimpanzees (Paperback)

My daughter is 6 and we have read a lengthy excerpt every day since she received this book for Christmas. She is enthralled. Ms. Goodall is a wonderful, true-life role model for young girls.