Publishers Weekly
★ 06/28/2021
This illuminating conversation between naturalist Goodall (Reason for Hope) and Abrams (coauthor, The Book of Joy) teases out Goodall’s thoughts on why one should feel hopeful in “dark times.” According to Goodall, there are “four main reasons for hope: the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the power of youth, and the indomitable human spirit.” In unpacking her belief in the power of persistence, Goodall takes readers to her childhood home in England, where her family questioned if she had the constitution to travel to Africa; to Tanzania, where she studied chimpanzees and came face to face with “crippling poverty, lack of good education and degradation of the land”; and into her work as a U.N. Messenger of Peace. In the process, she cites having a spiritual sense of purpose as crucial to her hope and activism. Her infectious optimism and stirring call to action make this necessary reading for those concerned about the planet’s future: “we must not let this distract us from the far greater threat to our future—the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity,” she writes. “Find your reasons for hope and let them guide you onward.” Goodall’s rousing testament will resonate widely. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
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"I don't feel there could have been a more timely moment for this book to be coming into our lives... it's the book we've been waiting for. It's the book we've been hoping for."
—Jay Shetty, On Purpose Purpose
"Despite the many issues of our collective culture, The Book of Hope is a perfect example of how we can still dream and create a better world. It's an amazing book that takes you on an extraordinary journey, and once you read it, you too will experience the many profound reasons for hope."
—Deepak Chopra
"...An informative road map of ideas for ways in which every person may help bring about positive change in the world."
—NPR Books
Goodall's "infectious optimism and stirring call to action make this necessary reading for those concerned about the planet’s future... [Her] rousing testament will resonate widely."
—Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"Goodall's words and wisdom will resonate in your heart and soul, inspiring action, change, and, yes, hope."
—Business Insider
"Goodall’s eloquent reflections prove strikingly persuasive and often profoundly moving."
—Christian Science Monitor
"Vibrant with wry humor, scientific fact, grassroots advances, compassion, and spiritual depth, this compelling and enlightening dialogue of hope amplifies Goodall’s mantra: 'Together we can. Together we will.'"
—Booklist, starred review
"Ultimately, this is less a self-help book than the personal testament of a traditional idealist with the belief that we are put on Earth for a purpose...An estimable researcher and activist tells stories and delivers uplifting advice."
—Kirkus Reviews
"A lifetime of experience and wisdom combines with much-needed optimism in this guide to the climate crisis and what we can do about it."
—The Guardian
Library Journal
09/01/2021
Abrams (The Book of Joy: Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World) interviews famed animal behaviorist and environmentalist Goodall (In the Shadow of Man) on her hopes for the future of the world. Although the planet is in dire straits due to climate change, poverty, corruption, loss of habitat and diversity, unsustainable lifestyles, and a rapidly growing population, Goodall believes there is still a window of opportunity to solve these and myriad other problems that affect the Earth's functioning. Among Goodall's reasons for hope: the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the power of young people, and the indomitable human spirit. Adams and Goodall explore each of these reasons for hope, and Goodall offers examples to illustrate her points. Her key argument is that governments and scientists must involve everyone, especially young people, in decision-making if both the environment and people are to prosper. Abrams also shares the science of hope, events from Goodall's life, and photographs from throughout her career. VERDICT An inspiring, personal, hopeful look at ways in which people can work towards solutions to serious problems to prevent further environmental disaster. This book will appeal to Goodall's many fans, conservationists, and anyone who cares about the planet and needs a dose of hope.—Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove, IL
OCTOBER 2021 - AudioFile
Douglas Abrams’s resonant voice sounds peaceful and strong as he interviews the 87-year-old naturalist in this invitation to take action against the perils of our time—global warming, terrorism, attacks against democracy, widening gaps between haves and have-nots, and the threat of more pandemics. In tone and focus, he makes this an intimate audio that offers many personal disclosures, along with Goodall's principal message. It’s obvious that she and Abrams share a view of humanity that has people act on their vision of the future rather than merely being reactive. Abrams’s comments on the neurobiology of hope and other insights pair well with Goodall’s kitchen-table wisdom and folk-hero persona. His gentle curiosity and sensibilities help this audio offer a full helping of what makes Jane Goodall so necessary to our future as a planet. T.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2021-08-13
The renowned naturalist and chimpanzee researcher reflects on her philosophy of life.
No longer observing wildlife in the fast-vanishing African forests, Goodall, now 87, continues to work, traveling the world to speak about conservation, humane treatment of animals, reforestation, and the detriments of climate change and poverty. Written as a dialogue with Abrams, who has co-authored similar eloquent testaments with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, this book mixes autobiographical details with a fiercely positive credo that has kept Goodall fighting in the face of immense odds. Goodall maintains that hope is often misunderstood. “People tend to think that it is simply passive wishful thinking: I hope something will happen but I’m not going to do anything about it,” she notes. “This is indeed the opposite of real hope, which requires action and engagement. Many people understand the dire state of the planet—but do nothing about it because they feel helpless and hopeless.” She adds that achieving a lasting sense of hope requires four components: attainable goals, realistic pathways to pursue them, confidence that we will succeed, and confidence that others support us. Goodall emphasizes that hope is a survival trait that every child possesses, but it must be cultivated. She illustrates this point with anecdotes from her life as a naturalist and teacher as well as many mystical, science-can’t-explain experiences that often turn up in inspirational writing. Ultimately, this is less a self-help book than the personal testament of a traditional idealist with the belief that we are put on Earth for a purpose and that the universe must have a deep, guiding intelligence behind it—if not the traditional God, then something similar. As Goodall notes late in the book, she welcomes a “convergence of science and religion and spirituality.”
An estimable researcher and activist tells stories and delivers uplifting advice.
