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June 2005 A Christmas gift from my loving, book-addict Mother.
Dian Fossey. A Biography. Don't know who she is? The great researcher and conservationist who worked in the 70s and 80s with the mountain Gorillas in Rwanda? THE Mountain Gorilla Lady? Well, that's her. And this book was the Biography of her life, which was half written by herself, (there are many excerpts from her journals, which have been interlaced with the telling of other details by Mowat... a great story-teller in his own right.)
It was not the most gripping of books. I would say that it was to it's advantage that I finished it in four days, as this really kept my mind on it, and I could get a good picture of the whole. (I was traveling a lot on trains during my three entire free days.) I read some of it to Pamela, because we were traveling in the car together for a couple of hours. But... I found that I didn't enjoy that so much... because it was not a happy part. And I do not enjoy bringing touches of Sadness to the one I love. (It's strange: I enjoy the... melancholy of those parts, and I can well imagine that she could too -after all, Romeo and Juliette is enjoyable... along with Tragic. -But... I don't want to be the one who brings here these remorseful feelings.) And there are many sad parts in this book.
Dian's life was not such a happy one. She knew great joy, mostly from her work with the Mountain Gorillas, but knew even greater depression because of this; Her one joy was abused, hunted, and forced away from her. And most of her life was a struggle to help them... Which was a continuous battle against others. Many others. It was truly dreadful the number of people who... were against her conservation attempts. Not only the Poachers, who would kill animals for money. Also Zoos, which would kill whole troops of the animals, so that they could capture infants to take back to their native countries. And tourists, who had no notion of what damage their contact was doing to the animals. And then the officials of the country, who would risk the Gorillas to any degree, as long as they could get the Tourists coming to see them. And then, countless, countless people who wanted and preferred to turn a blind eye on the poachers, (The people hunting within the national park, where the Gorillas were Supposed to be protected) -and then go so far as to oppose Dian's anti-poaching activities.
One of the roughest things I found to accept, was that huge amounts of money were raised in Dian's name, and countless thousands were given by people thinking they'd support her, her research, and the protection of the Gorillas. -But these all went to a fund that Called them selves conservationists for the Mountain Gorillas... but were not at all interested in protecting them; Only interested in making them more accessible to tourists... (and making more money for them selves... although I'm trying very, Very hard not to accuse them of pure greed, and taking this money that should never have been for them at all.)
So, you see, her life was full of hardships... and all she ever wanted, was for safety for the Gorillas. And then, her life ended in... Tragedy I'd have to say. She was murdered... and it was never completely solved. (Not convincingly anyhow... I agree with Mowat there.)
I guess I should think then... am I glad I read it? Well... Yes. But not because I enjoyed it. (I speak not about the writing, which was fine. I speak about what happens. I speak about being more often inflamed or morose than uplifted or happy.) It was a depressing book. (Although, I say again, Not Entirely.) I'm glad I read it because -it made me a more empathetic. And more charged against the evils in this world. It has brought me nearer to acting against injustice, rather than standing by, and tut-tutting it. In my eyes, it has mad me a slightly better person. So, in this way, it is a good book.It has brought the story of the great woman to my heart. And has told it well.