Thane Maynard

Jane Goodall, the grande dame of conservation, offers a new book on extreme conservation. She and her co-authors gives us stories, lots of them, about a few people doing whatever it takes to save the rarest of the rare from extinction. Her stories are told conversationally, as though Goodall is just talking over tea or a meal. Co-author Thane Maynard occasionally chimes in, as though something Goodall mentions reminds him of a story from his personal experience.

The stories are simply presented, some are longer and more detailed than others. The book is organized clearly. Coverage is very broad. Hope for the Animals and Their World includes not just the charismatic megafauna and poster species (oh, they are here) but also frogs, fish, and even an insect.

The stories focus on the individuals whose dedication and hard work are saving species. The book really celebrates these individuals was much as each saved species. That’s not to say this book doesn’t bubble over with the joy of a true animal lover talking about animals. It does. But these stories are mostly about the people.

After Goodall et al tells these inspirational stories, she closes with details on how regular people can make a difference for rare animals. And readers are frequently urged to visit the Jane Goodall Institute’s website for more stories of hope. I found that a tiny bit annoying but it’s a minor quibble. The slightly uneven storytelling is another minor quibble. But it’s basically a good book that delivers what it promises.… (more)