Douglas Carlton Abrams

Subtitled "A Survival Guide for Trying Times", this volume is based on several conversations between the authors about how important it is to humans to have hope for the future, and how we can sustain that hope in the face of wars, pandemics, political upheaval, personal tragedy, climate change and other global catastrophes. Full of examples of positive change through individual and communal efforts, it is a pep talk for anyone who thinks we are doomed by our own stupidity, and that humanity is beyond (or not worth) saving anyway. Goodall is no Pollyanna, and her life experiences have shown her plenty of unpleasant realities, but she has also seen the good we can do when we unleash our "amazing human intellect...the power of youth, and the indomitable human spirit". Her view that these three human attributes, together with the resilience of nature, are grounds for hope that the planet may be brought back from the brink. Definitely a worthwhile read, although I found the style a bit clunky---Abrams took the many hours of discussion between him and Dr. Goodall, and attempted to make a narrative dialog, which sometimes felt forced. Nevertheless, the content rises above that, and the final chapter, written by Jane Goodall herself, is a call to action we should not brush off.… (mehr)