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    Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo
    Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo
    Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo
    Audiobook8 hours

    Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo

    Written by Vanessa Woods

    Narrated by Justine Eyre

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In 2005, Vanessa Woods accepted a marriage proposal from a man she barely knew and agreed to join him on a research trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country reeling from a brutal decade-long war that had claimed the lives of millions. Settling in at a bonobo sanctuary in Congo's capital, Vanessa and her fiance entered the world of a rare ape with whom we share 98.7 percent of our DNA. She soon discovered that many of the inhabitants of the sanctuary-ape and human alike-are refugees from unspeakable violence, yet bonobos live in a peaceful society in which females are in charge, war is nonexistent, and sex is as common and friendly as a handshake.

    A fascinating memoir of hope and adventure, Bonobo Handshake traces Woods's self-discovery as she finds herself falling deeply in love with her husband, the apes, and her new surroundings while probing life's greatest question: What ultimately makes us human? Courageous and extraordinary, this true story of revelation and transformation in a fragile corner of Africa is about looking past the differences between animals and ourselves, and finding in them the same extraordinary courage and will to survive. For Vanessa, it is about finding her own path as a writer and scientist, falling in love, and finding a home.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 31, 2010
    ISBN9781400187454
    Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo
    Author

    Vanessa Woods

    Vanessa Woods is a research scientist at the Duke Canine Cognition Center as well as an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in BBC Wildlife and New Scientist, among others. She is also author of the acclaimed memoir Bonobo Handshake, which tells the story of the scientic love affair and partnership with her husband, Brian Hare. With Hare, Woods cofounded the new dog intelligence testing and training company Canines Inc. To find out more, visit the Dognition website.

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    Reviews for Bonobo Handshake

    4/5

    76 ratings16 reviews

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    • 3/5
      No index, no table of contents. Apparently we should read this as fiction.
    • 4/5
      The author was young and didn't really know what she wanted to do with herself beyond have adventures. She met her fiancee, Brian, at a chimpanzee sanctuary and he convinced her to come with him to Congo to do some research on bonobos, a type of chimp. The book includes memoir of her and Brian + info about both chimps and bonobos + info on Congo and the political upheaval that has gone on there throughout its history. I really enjoyed this. I love reading/learning about animals, and I have an undergraduate degree in anthropology (cultural, but I also took some primate classes). The Congo info was interesting, as well. Being a neighbour to Rwanda, much of the Tutsi/Hutu genocide carried over into Congo, as well. I will say, though, that I wasn't crazy about the author, herself - I didn't like her much. However, I still really enjoyed the book.
    • 5/5
      Amazing story about the lesser known relative of the chimpanzee, the bonobos. BEYOND fascinating and extremely informative! Thanks to Vanessa Woods wonderful book I now know about these fantastic creatures and their struggle to survive in the wild. They only live in one country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and their numbers are declining due to human threats such as hunting and poaching. The adults are killed and then sold on the black markets for bush meat and the orphaned young are sold as pets. The bonobo is highly endangered and facing possible extinction.

      Vanessa Woods accompanied her fiance to the Congo to study the differences between chimps and bonobos. Unlike chimps, bonobos are a peaceful great ape and are highly cooperative. Bonobos are sexually active creatures and often sex serves to promote bonding, reduce tensions, and share pleasure. Bonobo Handshake is a story that begins as a scientific study but transforms into a love story, an eye opener, valuable lessons learned and the journey towards healing and understanding.

      This book does NOT read like some scientific journal. It is an amazing, gripping true story about an ape that is so much like ourselves, sharing more than 98% of our DNA. It is the true story about a country in complete turmoil. It is the true story about an Africa that is losing it's greatest assets to war and rebel soldiers. Had I not picked up this book I would have never known that by 2009, the death toll could be estimated at 5.9 million. BH has definitely opened my eyes to the wonders of nature and the cruelty of man. I reached the last page with tears in my eyes. I hope the beautiful bonobos will forever have a safe haven at Lola Ya Bonobo.
    • 5/5
      Was I the only one who did not know what a bonobo was? Apparently not, spell check just underlined it! This book is a great mixture of science, history and memoir and made me a lover of these primates. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      When I picked this book up out of a pile of Advance Reading Copies, I had only a vague idea of what a Bonobo was, and an even vaguer grasp of what was happening in Congo. I'd heard plenty of news reports about atrocities, but, I'm sorry to admit, the who and the why confused me. Vanessa Woods not only introduces us to the social lives of the Bonobos in a way that will melt the heart of the crankiest reader, but also provides an effortless synopsis of modern Congolese history for those of us who needed to be brought up to speed. She's also got a sense of humor that veers between saltiness and pure slapstick, so lest you think you're in for some tofu-munching, holier-than-thou, delicate forest creature: think again. Woods is a delightfully earthy guide to this corner of the world. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      A fun look into the life of these amazing apes and the colorful researchers who study them. I learned a fair bit about the world of primate research and conservation, but not as much as I wish I had about the bonobos themselves. The author gives us some vivid personality portraits - I'll never forget the gay fashionista bonobo, even if I bristled a bit at the stereotype - but she doesn't go very deep into their psychology, evolutionary history, or even the basic question of why they differ so significantly in behavior from chimps when they are biologically so close. Even the bonobos' profligate sexuality - the thing they are most famous for - is depicted in a rather superficial manner. Yes, it's interesting to see some of these behaviors in action, but I was left wanting to know more.
    • 5/5
      This is a very complex study of the history of the Congo, sex, violence, war, love, marriage, forgiveness (which I did not always agree with) science and academia. This is such a wonderful book. I would love to visit Lola the Bonobo sanctuary, but wouldn't even consider going to the Congo to do it. This is a very brave woman. On a side note, I was surprised to find that this book is the source for most of the characters, both animal and human, for Eliot Schrefer's novel Endangered.
    • 4/5
      When Vanessa Woods met and fell in love with primatologist Brian Hare she had no idea that she would follow him to the Congo and also fall in love with bonobos.This book is fascinating on so many levels. It's such a cliché to say that by looking at our closest relatives we learn about ourselves, but that rings true in this book.There's more to this book than primatology, though. There's history, psychology, current affairs in Africa, and the Congo, poltics, and Woods' personal story.I loved feeling as if I'd gotten to know each of the bonobos personally. In general, they seem highly sexed, very peaceful, , and to have complex emotional lives. I was saddened by the personal histories of some of the bonobos, and by how fragile they seem to be.I was enchanted by the bonobos and found this to be an engaging book. It left me with questions I'd still love to see answered someday. I also learned so much from this book. One key thing I learned is that although I find the bonobos endearing, I would avoid a "bonobo handshake" at all cost!
    • 4/5
      If you are looking for a feel-good book about animals, this is not it. There are numerous descriptions of the violence that abounds in the Congo (and in the animal research business and even in chimpanzee communities). Yet that violence is the very reason that Ms. Woods argues for learning more about the bonobos. Somehow, these primates have managed to develop ways to interact that don't result in violence - and maybe there is something to be learned for humans as well. The Congo sounds like hell on earth, and the bonobos that Ms. Woods includes in her memoir are very distinct personalities.
    • 4/5
      I picked this book up because I wanted to learn more about bonobos after reading Sara Gruen's Ape House. Bonobo Handshake is a memoir about the author's time in Congo working at a bonobo sanctuary. Like chimps and humans, bonobos and humans share almost 99 percent of their DNA - yet hardly anyone has even heard of a bonobo.Bonobos are wonderful, gentle, intelligent creatures and it was fascinating to learn more about them in this book. The author didn't know much about them before coming the sanctuary either so she takes the reader through her journey of becoming acquainted with and eventually falling in love with these amazing animals.There is also a fair amount of the political history of Congo throughout the book, of which I was woefully ignorant. Bonobos are hunted for their meat in Congo (even though it's technically illegal) and what happens to their species depends in a lot of ways on the condition of the country - if food is scarce due to war or other reasons, bonobos are hunted more and more.This was great book on its own merits and even more fun to read after having read Ape House. It showed me that Gruen's book was very well researched and an accurate depiction of how bonobos act. I highly recommend this book to fans of Ape House and animal lovers in general.
    • 2/5
      Terrible!I do not know where these good reviews are coming from--did I read the same book?The book is titled "Bonobo Handshake" but maybe 1/3 of it is actually about bonobos or the author's experiences at the sanctuary. Other than that if jumps from the political history of the Congo to a pseudo chick lit story of a woman trying to get along with her sullen man-boy of a fiance.I can't believe she was nearly 30 and, despite this self-proclaimed love of chimpanzees, had never heard of bonobos before. The fact that her boyfriend worked in a biomedical lab that basically tortured chimps made me sick to my stomach.I originally picked this up because I thought I'd get to learn more about bonobos, however there's very little new information and she often goes into rants about celebrity gossip or stories about human or chimp genitalia.If you're looking for a good memoir of primate observation, I'd suggest "A Primate's Memoir" by Robert Sapolsky.
    • 4/5
      This is a heartening mix of despair and hope. A young Australia journalist becomes involved with a scientist and a group of apes' rights workers. She marries the scientist, and they go to live on a compound in the Congo (or just "Congo" as those in the know call it) dedicated to bonobos. Bonobos are cousins to humans and chimpanzee who evolved from a common ancestor. Bonobos are distinct from both us and chimps because they are matriarcal and nonviolent. When confronted with a potentially violent situations, bonobos will offer food or initiate sex to defuse anxiety. In fact, they will have sex any time, all the time--w/ members of the same gender and family as well as for procreation. The book's title comes from a male bonobo's insistence his penis be stroked every time it's offered, which is always. They cry and carry on unless they are relieved. The bonobos' charms are contrasted with the horrors of war the Congolese people engaged in. Many of the workers at the compound are refugees from various wars who witnessed incredible atrocities, often to family members. The animals in the bush are not spared from war, nor are the bonobos able to avoid being killed for meat or other supposed benefits to humans. Many of the bonobos are orphans who are now cared for by the Mamas, Congolese women who walk around with baby bonobos hanging off them. While there are no glib solutions presented, there are enough examples of nobility and generosity by humans from Congo and internationally to give hope that we can prevent these wonderful creatures from being extinguished so we can learn from them how to live with cooperation and love. A percentage of each book sale goes to support bonobo relief.
    • 4/5
      When I read these type of books...you know, the "enlightening kind", I become obsessed with the subject matter and vow to change the world at whatever cost. Lecturing friends and co-workers on the perils facing bonobos in the wild is one thing. However, I have been known to go into complete attack mode concerning African politics (of which I know nearly nothing about), which can be a bit harsh when none of my fellow conversationalists solicited this type of rampage during casual car rides. I guess the point is, I feel that people should read this book to become enlightened about other parts of the world. And it is a plus that the book also happens to be entertaining.These particular pieces of knowledge I am acquiring from Bonobo Handshake are presented in a down to earth manner by the author, which I am very thankful for. She is so easy to relate to...Ms. Woods has jealous outbursts and also (gasp) gets grossed out! Which makes me love her.History and politics of the Congolese wars and rulers are also featured throughout. As for the "love" part of the memoir, Ms. Woods does not slobber on and on about her husband.
    • 5/5
      I just finished reading this book this morning. It was tough getting through the most of the book because of unrelenting atrocities (murder, rape, hurting children). Just to let you know I have trouble watching the news on TV too. Even though, I give the book a five star rating. I was very difficult for me to read it but that is not the fault of the author, this is just how the history of the Congo is. So, the only thing that I would say in the negative is that this book is not for all readers. It is not for squeamish. Other than that this book has real lessons to teach. People can summon up courage to live under deplorable conditions. The image of cockroaches crawling over my face when I wake up really gives me the shivers but that is just one of the things that the author and her husband endured when they were in Africa. My reaction from a similar situation was to never go back but they somehow stayed with it. Another thing is that we can learn from animals. We can learn altruism and tolerance from the Bonobos. We can recognize it but don’t know the why of it. The hope is that if we can solve that mystery, we might be able to figure out how to successfully promote peace in this world of constant violence. What was not new to new to me was the depth of bonds between certain animals and humans. No one reading this book can doubt that Brian was very closely attached to the bonobo Malou and heartbroken with her death and the same with Vanessa with Bolombe. It is the same as the death of a close family member. In summary, this book was a difficult one for me to read but one definitely worth reading. I will not forget the bonobos.
    • 5/5
      [close] I really enjoyed this book. Even though I am a little bleary eyed from staying up to finish it, I wouldn't have had to cut a word. I found myself arguing with the main character constantly through the book, "Don't do that!" But he wouldn't listen. He did what he wanted to do and I was carried effortlessly through all the twist of this story. I have read that Reece Hirsch has been compared to John Grisham but that cannot be. He has his own unique style and plenty of polish. I could easily read another book with his main character, Will Connelly. Now I am hungry for more! There was even a cherry on the top of this ice cream sundae of a book! You have wait until the very end but it is worth it and I am not going to spoil it for you!
    • 4/5
      really enjoyed this book; quick read