The Year of the Gorilla

Rating:
Summary: A Look at the life of Gorillas through Schaller's Eyes
Review: George Schaller takes you with him as he goes to the Virunga Volcanoes to study the Gorillas. He takes a look at the gorillas, but with a more personal approach than with "The Mountain Gorilla". Instead of pouring out scientific facts, he shares with you some of his feelings and experiences as he watched them. This was a refreshing look at the life of gorillas from his own perspective. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Gorillas.

Rating:
Summary: A Look at the life of Gorillas through Schaller's Eyes
Review: George Schaller takes you with him as he goes to the Virunga Volcanoes to study the Gorillas. He takes a look at the gorillas, but with a more personal approach than with "The Mountain Gorilla". Instead of pouring out scientific facts, he shares with you some of his feelings and experiences as he watched them. This was a refreshing look at the life of gorillas from his own perspective. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Gorillas.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating story
Review: This is the fascinating story of the author's expedition to study Mountain Gorillas in 1959-60. Told as a detailed narrative, it is as much an adventure story as a scientific analysis.

From the riveting first encounter with a family of gorillas through the identification of several distinct groups, their daily routine is revealed. The gentleness that Schaller found dispelled many long held myths about Gorilla behavior.

Beyond the gorillas, this is also the complete story of a region, its people and other flora and fauna. The issues of preservation of these animals and their habitat are much the same as those faced today.

This is the documentation of an important pioneering work that paved the way for Fossey and other researchers who would follow. Illustrated with photos and maps, it is a compelling read from cover to cover.