In My Family Tree: A Life With Chimpanzees (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Doug Cress (Author) "They say you'll never forget where you were and what you were doing at momentous occasions in your life, but I honestly can't recall the..." (more)
Key Phrases: chimp keepers, handling cages, daily bush, Big Jane, Boo Boo, The Youngsters (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Siddle and her husband, David, never expected the farm they bought in Zambia would become the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, the largest primate sanctuary in the world. It all began the day a game ranger brought Pal, a wounded chimpanzee, to them. Siddle nursed Pal back to health, and as Zambian laws were passed making it illegal for chimpanzees to be privately owned, more chimpanzees followed. Siddle shares the stories of some of the individual chimps: Rita, who arrives with emotional scars but ends up as a mother figure to many of the other chimps; Sandy, whose antics are both irritating and frustrating; and Milla, a much older chimp who is barely familiar with her own kind. Siddle even adopts a baby hippopotamus, Billy, who believes her home is in the Siddles' house! Siddle and her husband face very real problems as well--overcrowding, many chimpanzee escape attempts, and chimp attacks, one of which is near-fatal. Always engrossing, Siddle's memoir gives the reader a real feeling for the complex chimps that populate Chimfunshi. Kristine Huntley
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Review

"A testimony to human bravery and compassion that will lift the spirits of all who read it." -- Roger Fouts, author of Next of Kin, and Deborah Fouts

"An exhilarating—even heroic—life caring for orphaned chimpanzees…on a farm in Africa, by Siddle, the caregiver herself" -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Siddle offers many warm and insightful stories of the chimps' intelligence, courage, and personality." -- Library Journal

"Well-paced, in turns poignant and amusing, but above all inspiring." -- Cynthia Moss, author of Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family

"[Siddle] writes about the humanity of chimps; their feelings and perceptions, their ability to copes and their inherent limitations." -- Faith McNulty, Providence Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 284 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802117139
• ISBN-13: 978-0802117137
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,479,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, March 31, 2002

By	H. Walker (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In this beautiful memoir, Sheila Siddle takes readers on magical journey--to Chimfunshi, a wildlife sanctuary Sheila and Dave Siddle founded in Zambia in 1983. Siddle's honest account of their work on behalf of chimpanzees will make you laugh out loud at the wonder and joy of working with wildlife. Siddle's prose also brings the battle for chimpanzees, which is far from won, into vivid and tragic relief. Filled with both humor and profound courage, this book is an inspiring must read for anyone who loves chimpanzees and all wildlife.

You can learn more about Chimfunshi at [the website]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart-Warming, Inspiring, and Compassionate, December 28, 2002

By	Jason J. Green "Protectanimals" (Fredericksburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sheila Siddle and her husband, David, are an amazing couple. They show that life is not over when you are at a "retirement" age. They created a whole chimpanzee sanctuary at such an age. Love, compassion, determination, and strong opinions of what is right and wrong all allowed the Siddles to reach out to animals in desperate need. In doing this, they also touch everyone with whom they come in to contact. Mrs. Siddle's book allows them to touch a great deal more of us. Thank you for all of your efforts and for this great book Mrs. Siddle!!