Reason for Hope

 

Reason for Hope

Jane Goodall’s Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey isn’t only about her experiences with chimpanzees in Africa, but it also covers her life’s journey. The writer provided glances of her childhood with a love of animals. She wrote about a supportive mother and family members, who were responsible for much of her spiritual growth and development.

Readers learned how she saved money by working odd jobs and as a waitress, so that she could afford to go to Africa to fulfill her childhood dreams. While on that continent she worked with Louis Leaky, and went on digs for fossils. But this paleontologist made it possible for her to go to Gombe to study chimpanzees. Goodall spent years in the wild documenting how these creatures lived. Her greatest discovery was when she witnessed these chimps making, and using tools with stems to get their food.

Goodall with her persistence was able to develop a good working relationship with these animals. Each member in their groups was identified by a name. Unfortunately, the author was unlucky in marriage. Her first husband was a photographer, who documented many of her findings, with whom she had a son called Grub. But this marriage ended in a divorce. She later fell in love with a game warden on an African reservation who she married, but he died not long afterwards from cancer.

Goodall eventually became world famous. She earned a doctorate, and held a position as an associate professor at Sanford University. The author busily travels to give lectures around the world, and to promote the Jane Goodall Institute. She also formed Roots & Shoots for young people from grade school to university level in many countries. These organizations focus on protecting the environment, working to prevent deforestation, and promoting the natural habitats for animals.