Book 1

Gorillas in the Mist

 The book we have to start with is, of course, Gorillas in the Mist, by Dian Fossey

Gorillas in the Mist is a first-hand look into what it was like for Fossey during her time in the field. You will learn all about her struggles, triumphs, and her beloved gorillas! In the book, she describes how she came to study mountain gorillas. She focuses on eight families of gorillas and describes her work and her experiences with famous historic gorillas like Digit.

For a book about Dian Fossey, we also recommend Woman in the Mists by Farley Mowat

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Book 2

In the Shadow of Man

If you want to learn about different apes and the stories of another notable female researcher, read In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall.

This book is about the story of Jane Goodall and how she came to be a famous primatologist. It contains stories about her journey at her field site, Gombe, and the chimpanzees she met along the way. The book describes her beginnings as a secretary before she met Louis Leeky and how her field site began  with only her African assistants and her mother! Goodall also takes you through the steps and challenges she faced in order to habituate and learn about the chimpanzees.

Book 3

The Year of the Gorilla

If you want to learn more about gorillas, we recommend The Year of the Gorilla by George Schaller!

This book is all about the revolutionary biologist, George Schaller, and his years of gorilla observations in Africa. Written about his time in the late 1950s, this book gives readers a look into an age when there wasn’t much known about gorillas. Schaller tells of his experiences while in Africa and about the gorilla societies that he followed. The book describes the everyday life of a primatologist and included his wife’s role at the research site.

Book 4

The Gorilla Book: Born to be Wild

If you’re looking for a fun, educational gorilla book for children, check out The Gorilla Book: Born to be Wild by Dr. Carla Litchfield

This book is jam-packed with gorilla information that is interesting and informative to both children and adults! With this book, you will learn about gorilla anatomy, personalities, and even conservation efforts! This book is aimed at younger audiences, but has a lot of information that would be new and compelling to older individuals as well.

Book 5

Conservation in the 21st Century: Gorillas as a case study

If you want to learn more about conservation, try Conservation in the 21st Century: Gorillas as a case study

This is a more advanced book and contains book chapters by many leading scientists with a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. The book provides an assessment of wild gorilla populations as well as presents new approaches to conservation. It also contains chapters that describe the role political entities and non-government organizations are encouraged to play in gorilla conservation. This book was edited by the Fossey Fund’s president and CEO, Tara Stoinski!