The woman who talked with chimps

About a decade ago, I was invited to hear Jane Goodall speak. I was eager to hear her, but also a little impatient. The ceremony was being held over breakfast and my main concern was getting to work on time.

But as Dr. Goodall took the stage, impatience fell away. She spoke of her amazing work over the years, then described the desperate condition of many chimpanzees today and the protection she yearned to procure for them. Suddenly getting to my desk on time didn't seem important in the slightest.

Goodall is probably one of the most admired women living in the world today. And if you are one of the many who regard her as a hero, Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man, Dale Peterson's comprehensive new biography, will do nothing to change your mind. Peterson, who has written and edited works with Goodall in the past, is an admirer who has written a very friendly authorized account of Goodall's life and work.

But if the book is laudatory (and it tends to be – opening with Goodall stepping into "a halo of light" on a speaking tour and concluding by describing her as a "distinguished scientist," activist, "renowned authority on human spirituality and psychological well-being," "eminent world citizen," and spokesperson for peace), that doesn't mean it isn't good.

Peterson's book is a thorough, intelligent, and highly readable look at an unusual life. The book is long (almost 700 pages) but for the most part the details are delightful. From the story of Goodall as a tiny girl hiding in a hen house to discover how hens lay eggs, to the description of her – young, blond, ponytailed – sitting quietly on the shore of an east African lake and letting wild chimpanzees approach, to details about her daily life as a wife and mother on the shores of that same lake, everything about Goodall's story is fascinating And Peterson does a nice job of setting Goodall's achievements in a context comprehensible to general readers.

Goodall was born to Britain's privileged classes. Her father was heir to the somewhat uncertain fortunes of a greeting-card company but chose to work as a racing car driver instead. Her parents were glamorous, a bit detached, but supportive.

From the start, Goodall was an unusual child. Although sociable and bright, she loved solitude and from quite a young age enjoyed observing animals in their natural habitats.

"I can remember she was quite different from everyone else," recalls the head of Goodall's first school. The young girl would disappear for disconcerting lengths of time, only to return nursing "a frog with a broken toe."

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