Overview
Born in San Francisco, California, on January 16, 1932, Dian Fossey was best known for her work with mountain gorillas in Africa. As a child, she loved animals. Fossey even studied to become a veterinarian, but did not pass the necessary courses. She began as an amateur scientist, observing and photographing the behavior of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. She later went on to earn a doctorate in zoology. Through her work, Fossey strove to improve our understanding of gorillas. In addition to her research, she was an antipoaching activist, and toward the end of her life, she devoted much of her time to this cause. Fossey was murdered in 1985 at the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda, which she had established in 1967.Profiles the life of the scientist who studied mountain gorillas in central Africa and worked to ensure their survival.
Synopsis
Born in San Francisco, California, on January 16, 1932, Dian Fossey was best known for her work with mountain gorillas in Africa. As a child, she loved animals. Fossey even studied to become a veterinarian, but did not pass the necessary courses. She began as an amateur scientist, observing and photographing the behavior of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. She later went on to earn a doctorate in zoology. Through her work, Fossey strove to improve our understanding of gorillas. In addition to her research, she was an antipoaching activist, and toward the end of her life, she devoted much of her time to this cause. Fossey was murdered in 1985 at the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda, which she had established in 1967.
Kathryn Erskine - Children's Literature
An excellent installment in the "Great Life Stories" series, this biography clearly presents the life of Dian Fossey, who devoted herself to researching and protecting gorillas in the Virunga Mountains of Africa. Mara reveals her as a human being, not an icon, explaining how she felt about her parents, the men she met, the people she worked with, and the gorillas. Readers cannot help but put her life in context, given the boxes throughout the text that explain what was happening in the United States or Africa as certain events occurred in Fossey's life. Mara explains the confusing world of academic research. How does one get money? By being associated with a famous researcher like Louis Leakey. How does one get respect? By obtaining a Ph.D., at least. How does one get famous, thereby bringing world attention to a cause? By giving lectures, publishing articles in widely circulated magazines like National Geographic, and writing books (such as Fossey's, Gorillas in the Mist) that then get made into movies. He explores the issue of balancing research with raising money from interested visitors who can disturb and even destroy the research and of the difficulty of starting a foundation that is run by others elsewhere who don't know what is really going on at the research site. Fossey was sometimes out of touch with other people, lacking social skills in dealing with the Digit Fund, for example, but she was never out of touch with those dearest to her heart, the gorillas. 2004, Franklin Watts/Scholastic, Ages 10 up.
Editorials
Children's Literature
An excellent installment in the "Great Life Stories" series, this biography clearly presents the life of Dian Fossey, who devoted herself to researching and protecting gorillas in the Virunga Mountains of Africa. Mara reveals her as a human being, not an icon, explaining how she felt about her parents, the men she met, the people she worked with, and the gorillas. Readers cannot help but put her life in context, given the boxes throughout the text that explain what was happening in the United States or Africa as certain events occurred in Fossey's life. Mara explains the confusing world of academic research. How does one get money? By being associated with a famous researcher like Louis Leakey. How does one get respect? By obtaining a Ph.D., at least. How does one get famous, thereby bringing world attention to a cause? By giving lectures, publishing articles in widely circulated magazines like National Geographic, and writing books (such as Fossey's, Gorillas in the Mist) that then get made into movies. He explores the issue of balancing research with raising money from interested visitors who can disturb and even destroy the research and of the difficulty of starting a foundation that is run by others elsewhere who don't know what is really going on at the research site. Fossey was sometimes out of touch with other people, lacking social skills in dealing with the Digit Fund, for example, but she was never out of touch with those dearest to her heart, the gorillas. 2004, Franklin Watts/Scholastic, Ages 10 up.—Kathryn Erskine