Chimps Of Fauna Sanctuary
Author(s): Andrew Westoll
Winner of the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Fiction
Finalist for the B.C. National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction and the Edna Staebler Prize for Creative Non-Fiction and a Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year
National Bestseller
One magical summer, primatologist and author Andrew Westoll lived and worked at the Fauna Sanctuary, a refuge for thirteen chimpanzees rescued from a medical research lab. The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary is Westoll's vivid account of his adventures as a volunteer caregiver in the chimphouse and a heart-wrenching biography of its residents. Through Westoll's eyes, we witness the chimps' remarkable recovery first-hand. Simple things like establishing friendships, nurturing alliances, grooming one another and playing games of tickle-chase are all poignant testament to the capacity of these animals to heal—and to learn how to be chimps again.
Review(s):
“Andrew Westoll is a born story teller: The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, written with empathy and skill, tenderness and humour, involves us in a world few understand. And leaves us marveling at the ways in which chimpanzees are so like us, deserve our help and are entitled to our respect.”
“Riveting. . . . Andrew Westoll provides an opera of dramatic events, heart-rending tragedies and uplifting triumphs. For anyone interested in empathy and recovery, his book is required reading.”
“Revealing and fascinating.”
“Only the most intransigent heart will be unmoved.”
“A distressing, deeply important exposé of the suffering we have inflicted on our closest animal relation, the ethics of animal testing, and finally (and happily) a heartening picture of Fauna Sanctuary’s commitment and compassion.”
“With compelling realism, recalling both Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad, Andrew Westoll tells a riveting story of loss and redemption in the jungles of South America. [The Jungle South of the Mountain]”
“Drawn into sharp focus by Westoll’s beautiful writing, the jungle and its animal inhabitants become characters in their own right. . . . This is a haunting story so impressively told; an evocative and absorbing first novel.” [The Jungle South of the Mountain]
“The Jungle South of the Mountain is a gripping study of foreignness, whether it be within relationships, geographies, or even between species. Andrew Westoll’s first novel is as engaging as it is thoughtful.”
“A captivating story, set in an original and fascinating world rich in authentic detail. [The Jungle South of the Mountain]”
“A fascinating read, beautifully written, and with a gripping story.”
Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, CBC Canada Reads, British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, CBA Libris Award for Non-Fiction, Amazon.ca Best Book of the Year, Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year, Quill & Quire Best Book
ISBN: 9781554686506