A Dark Place in the Jungle

Rating:
Summary: Imagination Gone Wild
Review: In A Dark Place in the Jungle, novelist Linda Spalding concludes that ex-captive orangutans do not know who they are, apes or humans. Likewise, when I finished this book, I didn't know what I had read. This isn't a novel. In his lyrical, spellbinding The Woman and the different intelligences and realities of humans and other species through a relationship between a woman and a great ape. A master storyteller, Hoeg does not need to "name names," much less dig up dirt. Spalding talks about the same ideas (and waxes poetic), but her subjects are real people, actual animals, serious conservation issues, and a species in danger of extinction. Was she trying to write a modern, real-life sequel to Conrad's The Heart of Darkness (given her not so subtle title)? The result is more parody than classic. This isn't journalism. A journalist checks and rechecks her sources and facts, and attempts to be objective--as in Deborah Blum's The Monkey Wars, based on a series of investigative reports on the controversies surrounding the use of monkeys and apes in experiments, for which Blum won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992. I talked with Deborah after she spoke at the Museum of Natural History. Her eyes teared when she recalled the monkeys and apes she had seen at LEMPSIT and other laboratories. But in her book, Blum introduces individual scientists and advocates and represents different sides of the issue in a responsible (and highly readable) way. That's journalism. rehabilitation of orphaned orangutans. Not only does she fail to interview Galdikas (her background lament); she doesn't talk with any major figures in orangutan/great ape conservation (why not Jane Goodall, for a start?). She chooses not to join an Orangutan Foundation tour, which would have allowed her firsthand observation. Instead, she travels around the edges by kletok, talking to whomever she meets (and is willing to talk) and guiltily spying on Galdikas' home in town and small house at Camp Leakey. Spalding never questions the motives of the informants she trusts, all detractors, while all Galdikas supporters are ill-mannered, snobbish, or pathetic. In her epilogue, she cites a government report -- issued by ministers of a military dictatorship with one of the worst records for corruption and environmental pillage of any on earth--as if it were honest, objective, and beyond scrutiny. (Apparently she did not notice that this government was overthrown, and these ministers replaced, a year ago. Just as she did not notice, or forgot to say, that Galdikas is an Indonesian citizen . ) That's not journalism. A Dark Place isn't a serious "science and nature book" either. Spalding knows as much (or little) about Indonesian and Dayak culture, conservation, and orangutans as any casual tourist. After three brief trips to Borneo, she concludes that Galdikas (who has lived there for 30 years and is married to a Dayak) is culturally insensitive. She makes much the appellation Ibu, as if Galdikas sees herself as a "Mother Superior" of an orangutan cult. In fact, Ibu is equivalent to Madame in French or Seqora in oblivious to the fact that almost everything she says about orangutans derives from Galdikas' research. True, she splices in oblique references to other scientists -- but they are unexplained, undigested, apparently thirdhand. Every other "science and nature" book I've read has a bibliography or reference notes--e.g., Masson's When Elephants Weep, even Michael Crichton's popular novel, then movie, Congo. Not Spalding's. Finally, this book is not an autobiographical travelogue like Tracy Johnston's fine book Shooting woman-to-woman, a mid-life passage. Like Johnston, Spalding is the main character in her book and goes on about her feelings, her relationships, her man ("Michael"), her dreams and anxieties, but she isn't looking for herself, she is looking for a guru. What does she find? First, Galdikas is controversial. Second, Galdikas does not appreciate her devotion/obsession--and that makes Spalding angry enough to write three books and an article on being rejected! Combining the imagination of a novelist with a tourist's "insights," an imitation "follow," pop science, non-investigative journalism, confessional autobiography, and a scandal sheet, Spalding mixes genres--and succeeds at none

Rating:
Summary: interessting book.
Review: In the begining of this book you get to follow a Canadian women in her obsesion of Birute. It feels like Linda has mist the whole idea of what is going on in the rainforest. She is way to impresst at Birute, insted of acctually focus on the problems the orangutans are suffering. Well, thats my first impression as an animal-lover. Later in the book Linda acctually starts improving and starts to see things with other eyes. She comes across to be a verry sweet women, maybe somewhat naive though. Well the book is good,it gives you a good insite on the life on the river around the Leakey-camp. It is defenetly worth reading it.

Rating:
Summary: A Dark Place in the Heart
Review: It depresses me greatly to think of all the money, time and energy spent in the making of this book. Instead of trying to do something constructive for the endangered orangutan, Linda Spalding does her best to try to tarnish the reputation of Biruté Galdikas, the famous hard-working researcher and orangutan supporter. The author of this badly researched book must have been desperate to be published and therefore discarded any decency, honesty and respectability to have a little fame and fortune. There are multiple issues involved in the attempts to save an endangered species from extinction; one of many is creating alternative means of employment for the people who are destroying the rainforests, i.e., the precious habitat of orangutans and many other species. Instead of attempting to delve into these complexities, the author chose to act on her pre-formed opinion of Biruté Galdikas and attempted to prove her invalid theory of the scientist. I thought that the main human threats to the endangered apes in Africa and Indonesia were the illegal loggers, gold miners, corrupt politicians and greedy poachers for `bushmeat'. But the author of this book proved me wrong. She knows that the pen is mightier than the sword. Linda Spalding did not have to get her hands dirty by killing orangutans or destroying their habitat herself...she simply did all in her power to attempt to destroy the reputation of a famous, meticulous, passionate, courageous, and tireless research scientist and orangutan activist. A horrible outcome of this author's pathetic attempt at self-promotion is that potential supporters of the Orangutan Foundation International may think twice about donating their time and/or money to the cause if they stumble across this biased, ill-informed book. Thanks to Linda Spalding, the orangutans of Borneo and Sumatra have yet another reason to fear extinction.

Rating:
Summary: A Dark Place in the Heart
Review: It depresses me greatly to think of all the money, time and energy spent in the making of this book. Instead of trying to do something constructive for the endangered orangutan, Linda Spalding does her best to try to tarnish the reputation of Biruté Galdikas, the famous hard-working researcher and orangutan supporter. The author of this badly researched book must have been desperate to be published and therefore discarded any decency, honesty and respectability to have a little fame and fortune. There are multiple issues involved in the attempts to save an endangered species from extinction; one of many is creating alternative means of employment for the people who are destroying the rainforests, i.e., the precious habitat of orangutans and many other species. Instead of attempting to delve into these complexities, the author chose to act on her pre-formed opinion of Biruté Galdikas and attempted to prove her invalid theory of the scientist. I thought that the main human threats to the endangered apes in Africa and Indonesia were the illegal loggers, gold miners, corrupt politicians and greedy poachers for 'bushmeat'. But the author of this book proved me wrong. She knows that the pen is mightier than the sword. Linda Spalding did not have to get her hands dirty by killing orangutans or destroying their habitat herself...she simply did all in her power to attempt to destroy the reputation of a famous, meticulous, passionate, courageous, and tireless research scientist and orangutan activist. A horrible outcome of this author's pathetic attempt at self-promotion is that potential supporters of the Orangutan Foundation International may think twice about donating their time and/or money to the cause if they stumble across this biased, ill-informed book. Thanks to Linda Spalding, the orangutans of Borneo and Sumatra have yet another reason to fear extinction.

Rating:
Summary: Linda Spalding is the ecological version of Linda Tripp
Review: Poor Linda Spalding was ignored by Prof. Birute Galdikas when she tried to get access to the professor. She then plays tourist in Borneo, undermines the efforts of several good people -- but all for a good cause! She does get candid conversations with a number of Dayak guides, park rangers and a longtime volunteer named Mr. Ralph and goes on to "prove" how Galdikas has done more harm to the orangutan species than good.

Unfortunately Spalding doesn't seem to have done a lot of research on Indonesian culture or the complicated interactions between Galdikas and that culture. She casts a lot of blame, but doesn't seem to have much of an idea for a solution.

And, lord, she just WHINES.

Ms. Spalding needs to realize that there is a fine line between diligent reportage and, well, stalking would be a good word for it.

Though the writing is annoying, the book does raise some valid issues and I hope there is a response from Galdikas and the Orangutan Foundation, Intl.

Until that time, I recommend reading Galdikas' book, anything by Jane Goodall or Franz de Waal. They make a lot more sense

Rating:
Summary: Good Points Made Poorly
Review: This book deserves credit for pointing out the mistakes made by Galdikas in Tanjung Puting National Park.
These include swarming a natural habitat with tamed apes that can never become wild again but pass on human diseases to the wild population and outcompete them for food in the area.
It also reveals how OFI "volunter-programs" and "study tours" were little more than overpriced package tours for naive animal lovers, simply aimed at making cash.
In that respect, it is a real eye-opener which is also very accessible to the general reader.
In fact the publication of this book has already caused OFI/Galdikas to address some of the issues publicized in it!
Thus the author has probably achieved more than the she had hoped for.

On the downside I found it somewhat poorly-researched.
It is obvious that Spalding knows very little about the culture, fauna, and conservation issues of Indonesia.
She seems also rather naive - all information obtained from Indonesians on her short trips to Borneo is taken at face-value.
The book is also quite unbalanced - Galdikas is put in an all negative light, ignoring the postive aspects of her long work in the area.
Finally, I also found the book too personal - Spalding speaks way too much about herself, which has bored me though may interest others...

For those with a serious interest in the issues raised in this book I recommend reading: "Our Vanishing Relative: The Status of Wild Orang-Utans at the Close of the Twentieth Century" by H. D. Rijksen & E. Meijaard which is a proffessional summary of all facts and aspects of the conservation of these great apes.

Rating:
Summary: Mean-spirited and poorly researched
Review: Trust me, I love a good "Tell All" book. I've just finished reading some juicy little numbers about Truman Copote and Nancy Reagan...MEOW!

But "Dark Place" is neither compelling nor believable. It describes the researcher Birute Galdikas, who has spent years following orangutans in the jungle and is now considered the foremost researcher on these delightful hairy beasts. I was hoping for some really salacious details, but this book was more or less a yawn. I hear that Birute is now in the process of suing the author and has dozens of witnesses to discredit Spalding.

So do yourself a favor. If you want a great book about Orangutans and the research about them, buy "Reflections of Eden." If you want some well-written, brilliantly-researched cattiness, read "The Women of Camelot." But if you're looking for a combination of the two, well, the story has yet to be written.

Rating:
Summary: Mean-spirited and poorly researched
Review: Trust me, I love a good "Tell All" book. I've just finished reading some juicy little numbers about Truman Copote and Nancy Reagan...MEOW!

But "Dark Place" is neither compelling nor believable. It describes the researcher Birute Galdikas, who has spent years following orangutans in the jungle and is now considered the foremost researcher on these delightful hairy beasts. I was hoping for some really salacious details, but this book was more or less a yawn. I hear that Birute is now in the process of suing the author and has dozens of witnesses to discredit Spalding.

So do yourself a favor. If you want a great book about Orangutans and the research about them, buy "Reflections of Eden." If you want some well-written, brilliantly-researched cattiness, read "The Women of Camelot." But if you're looking for a combination of the two, well, the story has yet to be written.