1AbigailAdams26
British primatologist, anthropologist and author Jane Goodal has died at 91. Known for her many decades of research on the chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, and is also celebrated for her conservation work, and for her campaigns for the ethical treatment of animals.
New York Times obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/science/earth/jane-goodall-dead.html
Guardian obituary: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/oct/02/dame-jane-goodall-obituary
The Jane Goodall Institute is remembering her on their homepage: https://janegoodall.org/
Have you read her books? Are you familiar with her work? Please share your thoughts on this amazing woman.
New York Times obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/science/earth/jane-goodall-dead.html
Guardian obituary: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/oct/02/dame-jane-goodall-obituary
The Jane Goodall Institute is remembering her on their homepage: https://janegoodall.org/
Have you read her books? Are you familiar with her work? Please share your thoughts on this amazing woman.
2reading_fox
Amazing and inspirational woman indeed.
In the shadow of Man is her seminal work. It was dated when I read it (as a SantaThing, good choice there!) 10 years ago, and I'm sure it hasn't got any more up-to-date. But its very rare nowadays for a phD thesis to make it into a published pop-sci work, and it's very readable. Everyone will have to make their own opinions on how much projection was involved, but for the time it was a truly remarkable and paradigm changing study.
I haven't followed her career closely, but she was one f the very few known names of scientists when I was growing up, and certainly influenced to some small degree my subsequent love for science. In these more (sometimes) enlightened days one can only imagine the prejudice she overcame to get to be where she is. It isn't mentioned in Shadow, but I'm sure is a fascinating tale. It's a difficult balance to strike for a pop-sci author - how much personal story to interject which can keep readers interested even if it detracts from the main subject at hand.
In the shadow of Man is her seminal work. It was dated when I read it (as a SantaThing, good choice there!) 10 years ago, and I'm sure it hasn't got any more up-to-date. But its very rare nowadays for a phD thesis to make it into a published pop-sci work, and it's very readable. Everyone will have to make their own opinions on how much projection was involved, but for the time it was a truly remarkable and paradigm changing study.
I haven't followed her career closely, but she was one f the very few known names of scientists when I was growing up, and certainly influenced to some small degree my subsequent love for science. In these more (sometimes) enlightened days one can only imagine the prejudice she overcame to get to be where she is. It isn't mentioned in Shadow, but I'm sure is a fascinating tale. It's a difficult balance to strike for a pop-sci author - how much personal story to interject which can keep readers interested even if it detracts from the main subject at hand.
3GraceCollection
I read The Book of Hope a month or so ago, and I would certainly recommend it, especially in these trying times. She talks a little about her childhood, her early work, the organisation, but mostly about how and why she keeps hope for the future in the face of rising threats to the environment and wildlife around us.
4SandraArdnas
Just found out of her passing from the great article/tribute The Measure of a True Visionary: Jane Goodall on the Indivisibility of Art and Science https://www.themarginalian.org/2025/10/01/jane-goodall-letters-art/
