In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall book review

In the Shadows of Man

by Jane Goodall

Ahh, the classic Jane Goodall book, In the Shadow of Man.  This was Jane’s first mainstream book that was published back in 1971.  The subject of this book?  Studying the wild chimpanzees and the life she lived while observing them.

In the Shadow of Man captures animals as emotional beings, something that had rarely been done. Goodall tells the story of the “F” family of chimpanzees and follows other families with many photos to go along with the stories.  It is fun to read about the chimps playing and fighting with the babboons followed by seeing a photo of a baboon charging a chimp while the chimpanzee throws a rock to defend itself.

There are many fantastic photos of Jane Goodall and the chimpanzees.  With 64 total pages of black and white photos you can really understand the life Goodall and her photographer ex-husband Hugo Van Lawick lived while.