On October 1, 2025, the world lost one of its most beloved and influential scientists: Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away at the age of 91. Her pioneering studies of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania revolutionized our understanding of animal behavior, and her later life as an advocate for conservation, environmental justice, and intergenerational hope made her an inspiration far beyond the field of primatology.
In our collection (and in other BCCLS libraries), you’ll find works she authored, reflections on her life and work, and titles that carry forward the causes she championed.
Join us in remembering Dr. Goodall’s remarkable life—her curiosity, compassion, and steadfast belief that each of us can make a difference.
Africa in My Blood : An Autobiography in Letters : The Early Years by Jane Goodall
Beyond Innocence : An Autobiography in Letters : The Later Years by Jane Goodall
The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall
Goodall and Douglas Abrams explore through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope. Drawing on decades of work that has helped expand our understanding of what it means to be human and what we all need to do to help build a better world, the book touches on vital questions, including: How do we stay hopeful when everything seems hopeless? How do we cultivate hope in our children? What is the relationship between hope and action? Jane focuses on her “Four Reasons for Hope”: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit.
Harvest for Hope : A Guide to Mindful Eating by Jane Goodall
An exploration of the global meaning of food and what all of us can do to exercise power over the food industry and, ultimately, our environment.
Hope for Animals and their World : How Endangered Species are Being Rescued from the Brink by Jane Goodall
The book features first-hand accounts, interviews with environmentalists, and scientific research to highlight the heroic efforts to save endangered species, from charismatic megafauna to less well-known creatures.
In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
Here Goodall summarizes her first ten years studying wild chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania, beginning with her unlikely journey from secretary to leading scientist. Goodall recounts her efforts to win the chimps’ trust, culminating in the discovery that chimpanzees make and use tools, a behavior previously thought unique to humans.
The Jane Effect : Celebrating Jane Goodall by Marc Bekoff
A collection of over 100 tributes from friends and colleagues honoring Goodall as a scientific pioneer, conservationist, and deeply inspiring human being. The book explores the pervasive and profound positive influence—the “Jane effect”—Goodall has had on people and the world, showcasing her impact on scientific research, environmental advocacy, and the individual’s capacity for wonder and compassion for all living beings.
Jane Goodall : 40 Years at Gombe : A Tribute to Four Decades of Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation by Jennifer Lindsey
A beautifully illustrated tribute celebrating Jane Goodall’s pioneering research, education, and conservation efforts, focusing on her 40-year relationship with the chimpanzees of Gombe, Tanzania.
Jane Goodall: The Hope DVD (National Geographic)
Follow Goodall throughout her never-ending travels, capturing her relentless commitment and determination to spread a message of hope. The film offers an intimate perspective of Goodall’s pivotal transformation from scientist to inspirational activist and leader and how she is galvanizing a future generation to create lasting change.
Jane Goodall : The Woman Who Redefined Man by Dale Peterson
Details Goodall’s life, from her unconventional entry into scientific research and revolutionary primatology discoveries to her work as a global conservation activist. The book covers her pioneering participant-observation research methods, her groundbreaking discovery that chimpanzees use tools, and the personal and professional struggles she faced throughout her career.
Jane Goodall’s When Animals Talk (DVD)
Look at stories of amazing animals that have touched the lives of countless people, learn how the language of animals can be learned through science, and more.
Local Voices, Local Choices : The TACARE Approach to Community-Led Conservation by Jane Goodall Institute
You know of Jane Goodall’s work with wild chimpanzees and her lifelong career advocating for environmental justice. But just as transformative is her work empowering local communities that live on the edge of human settlement to act to protect their natural resources-or to risk losing them forever. This is the story of the Jane Goodall Institute’s holistic approach to conservation, which puts the local people in charge of preserving their surrounding ecosystems. Rather than conservationists leading the effort and imposing their solutions, local communities that live in the affected regions make their own decisions. Working with science and technology and with the support of conservationists, these communities grow to understand their human impact on the environment. By choosing to adopt sustainable livelihoods, they decide their own path into the future, finding ways to balance their environmental impact with their communities’ needs.
Reason for Hope : A Spiritual Journey by Jane Goodall
A memoir that blends her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania with her personal reflections on spirituality, activism, and the challenges facing the planet, ultimately offering a message of hope despite the complexities of human nature and environmental degradation.
Seeds of Hope : Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants by Jane Goodall
Goodall examines the critical role that trees and plants play in our world.
The Ten Trusts : What We Must Do to Care for the Animals We Love by Jane Goodall
Goodall and Marc Bekoff outlines ten core principles, or “trusts,” for humans to live in greater harmony with the animal kingdom and the natural world. These trusts encourage respect for all life, highlight the interconnection between humans and animals, and promote responsible stewardship of the planet.
Through a Window : My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe by Jane Goodall
Summarizes Jane Goodall’s first 30 years observing chimpanzees at Gombe, detailing their complex social lives, family bonds, and behaviors like power struggles and warfare, which mirror human experiences.
Visionary Women : How Rachel Carson, Jane Jacobs, Jane Goodall, and Alice Waters Changed Our World by Andrea Barnet
This is the story of four visionaries who profoundly shaped the world we live in today. Together, these women showed what one person speaking truth to power can do. With a keen eye for historical detail, Andrea Barnet traces the arc of each woman’s career and explores how their work collectively changed the course of history. Consummate outsiders, each prevailed against powerful and mostly male adversaries while also anticipating the disaffections of the emerging counterculture.
Related titles
Of Time and Turtles : Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery
A book that explores the nature of time, the wisdom of turtles, and the healing process through her experiences working at the Turtle Rescue League (TRL) in Massachusetts, illustrating the plight of injured turtles and celebrating their resilience. Blending memoir, science, and philosophy, Montgomery advocates for compassion and a slower pace of life, suggesting that mending the world requires attentive care for particular creatures.
A Trillion Trees : Restoring Our Forests by Trusting in Nature by Fred Pearce
Pearce argues that the prevailing strategy of mass tree-planting for climate change is flawed, instead advocating for a community-based approach to forest restoration by letting nature and Indigenous peoples lead the way.
Walking with Gorillas : The Journey of an African Wildlife Vet by Gladys Kalema-Zikosuka
In her enchanting memoir, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian, tells the remarkable story from her animal-loving childhood to her career protecting endangered mountain gorillas and other wild animals. She is also the defender of people as a groundbreaking promoter of human public health and an advocate for revolutionary integrated approaches to saving our planet. In an increasingly interconnected world, animal and human health alike depend on sustainable solutions and Dr. Gladys has developed an innovative approach to conservation among the endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and their human neighbors.
—Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian