Sisters of the Jungle - by Keriann McGoogan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Sisters of the Jungle explores the history of primatology, a rare scientific discipline led primarily by women, from pioneers like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey to author Keriann McGoogan's own adventurous field studies.

Since the 1970s, the science of primatology has been dominated by women--a unique reversal, as men usually outnumber women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Today, one of those women is primatologist Keriann McGoogan, who has traveled to the far corners of the earth in search of wild primates. In Sisters of the Jungle, McGoogan combines stories about her own studies of howler monkeys (the loudest living primate) and lemurs (the most endangered group of animals on the planet) with those of the women who paved the way: intrepid scientists like Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Biruté Galdikas, and Alison Jolly who broke boundaries, made astonishing discoveries and ultimately shaped the trajectory of an entire branch of science.

Review Quotes

Praise for Sisters of the Jungle:

"Engaging portraits of intrepid women." --Kirkus Reviews

"A captivating account of how women such as Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas have shaped the field of primatology. . . . Filled with stories of grit, determination, and passion, this inspires." --Publishers Weekly

"A meticulously researched page-turner--and an unexpected emotional roller coaster! Combining autobiographical memoir and biographical history, Dr. Keriann McGoogan takes readers on a stunning journey through time--and jungles--in search of the women who shaped primatology. We cheer for these women as they break barriers in the sciences and cry with them as they lose the animals they love, their habitat space, and their own lives. McGoogan makes it very clear that women build communities of scientific practice through empathy and expertise, and with that we can change the world. Equally uplifting and sobering, Sisters of the Jungle is a call for the conservation of our closest relatives, bringing these scientists and their primate subjects to life in ways I never thought possible." --Kathleen Sheppard, author of Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age

"Keriann McGoogan, herself a primatologist, has written the gripping story of Jane Goodall and other fearless women who overcame hardship, danger and social convention to investigate our nearest relations in the wild. She brings us a fascinating portrait of the eccentric lives of these women--and the one man who championed them--as they uncovered the social worlds of apes and monkeys, changing forever the way we understand ourselves." --Deborah Campbell, author of A Disappearance in Damascus: A Story of Friendship and Survival in the Shadow of War

"Hats off to Keriann McGoogan for offering such a probing, fascinating and personal perspective on why the study of wild primates is a major field of scientific research that attracts an abundance of women. Sisters of the Jungle stands out as a thoughtful, entertaining and unexpected book from a primatology scholar who has spent nearly two years studying endangered lemurs in the remote forests of Madagascar." --Lawrence Hill, author of Blood: The Stuff of Life and The Book of Negroes

"Sisters of the Jungle is an engaging, beautifully written, enlightening book about women who, through their passion, obsessions, grit, courage, stubbornness and intelligence have helped us to better understand our primate relatives--and ourselves. In so doing they have changed our understanding of our place in the world, and how good science can thrive even in the most challenging social and physical circumstances." --David Waltner-Toews, O.C., author of On Pandemics and The Origin of Feces

"Keriann McGoogan's training as a primatologist and gift for storytelling make this a compelling read. Sisters of the Jungle describes how her passion-driven female mentors laboured under harsh, even deadly, conditions to shed light on the lives of wild primates--and the role we all play in their future." --Bruce Masterman, author of One Last Cast: Reflections of an Outdoor Life

"An all-encompassing, absorbing memoir. . . . McGoogan's inherent analytical mind questions why women dominate the field of primate research, and she explores her hypotheses from a lettered and fervid stance. . . . A liberating and intelligent read." --Jules Torti, author of Trips That Went South and The Wisdom Found in Hen's Teeth

Praise for Chasing Lemurs:

"Keriann McGoogan weaves a gritty and truthful tale that immerses readers in the remote, dangerous, and uncomfortable world of expeditionary fieldwork. The intense narrative reveals the wonders of a lost world and the sacrifices made in the name of research. Her confessions of self-doubt and uncertainty will resonate with anyone facing life's challenges or choosing to take the road less traveled." --Jill Heinerth, author of Into The Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver

"Chasing Lemurs is a riveting journey into one of our planet's most imperiled biodiversity hotspots. With the irrepressible spirit and sure voice of a hardened traveler, McGoogan exposes the physical and mental toll that remote scientific field work can take upon the scientist, and how moments of epiphany in the wild are made all the richer for it. The adventure of a lifetime. Recommended for all primate fans, and anyone who has ever dreamed of studying animals in the wild." --Andrew Westoll, author of The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary

"Keriann McGoogan has given us a fascinating adventure story that is also a superb travelogue, field guide, and social portrait of one of the world's least-known, yet truly exotic countries. A reader could hardly ask for a more encompassing overview of Madagascar or a clearer description of its increasingly threatened ecology. Importantly, the reader is left with the terrible realization of how badly humans have treated our fellow primates--the many and intriguingly various species of lemurs, who are endemic to this African island. McGoogan's book is fundamentally a call to action to protect these complex and endangered creatures, and she has succeeded admirably." --Geoff White, Canadian chargé d'affaires to Madagascar, 2010-2013

"An honest and suspenseful account of the challenges of wildlife research, Keriann McGoogan's book shatters all the romantic illusions of doing science in a remote tropical location. Her story is a must read for any wildlife enthusiast considering embarking on a career in the field, or for any conservation-minded individual curious about the difficulties field researchers sometimes endure. McGoogan rose to the seemingly insurmountable challenges and persevered. As a result, she has made substantial strides in what has become a very rewarding career in both primate research and conservation." --Dr. Brian Keating, presenter/producer greatBIGnature.com & owner of goingwild.org

About the Author

Keriann McGoogan has a PhD in Biological Anthropology from the University of Toronto. She spent months living in Belize, kayaking rivers in search of black howler monkeys and coping with the hardships of field science, including rainy-season floods, wasp stings and two bouts of malaria. Her memoir and first book, Chasing Lemurs: My Journey into the Heart of Madagascar (Prometheus, 2021), chronicled her nineteen months studying groups of endangered lemurs in an isolated forest region. McGoogan lives in Guelph, Ontario.