One of our guest bloggers, Dr. Sheri Speede, has a great new book released today called Kindred Beings: What Seventy-Three Chimpanzees Taught Me About Life, Love and Connection. Be sure to check it out! Sheri will be doing a book signing tour, and will be stopping in nearby Seattle on October 10th at the Elliott Bay Book Company. We’ll post reminders about the book signing on our Facebook page—you definitely don’t want to miss the chance to meet with Sheri.
You might recall Sheri’s post on Jacky. Here’s an excerpt from her new book about a chimpanzee named Nama.
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Sheri Speede’s first interaction with adult female chimpanzee Nama, who was tethered by a five foot chain around her neck for 16 years . . .
As I walked slowly within her reach, she took my arm, and I allowed her to pull me in close to her. I sat down beside her in the wet dirt, trying to avoid the diarrhea. She looked at my face curiously for a few moments, glancing at my eyes but not really looking into them. She was inspecting me, rather than trying to communicate. After a minute or two, her hand hovered in front of my face, and she began smacking her mouth open and closed rhythmically. Understanding that she was about to groom me reassured and relaxed me, but her fingers on my face were not really so gentle. She was digging at the corners of my eyes in a way I didn’t enjoy. I turned my face away. When I looked back at her, she perused my face again briefly, and then tried picking my nose with a finger that smelled of feces. I turned away again. I clacked my own mouth and tried to groom her face, but she didn’t like it either. She turned her head to escape my hand as I had done with hers. This wasn’t going perfectly.
Finally, when I lowered my hands to groom her chest, she pushed her shoulders back and straightened her neck to give me good access. I moved both my hands over her chest the way I thought another chimpanzee would—parting the grayish hairs, flicking off dirt particles, gently scratching at blemishes on skin stretched tautly over easily discernable ribs. After about 10 minutes, Nama lowered her head and returned her chest and shoulders to normal posture. When I looked up to see what she wanted to do next—not more face grooming, I hoped—her eyes were seeking mine with a desire to communicate that startled me. While she held my gaze, she took my right hand and placed it purposefully on the chain around her bony neck, rubbed bare of hair by the shackle. Her lower lip hung open, and her eyes were steady, beseeching. She was requesting the freedom she needed most of all and was expecting no less than simple action as an answer from a friend. All I could give her was a promise that she couldn’t understand, although I meant it with all my heart.
“Nama, I will take that chain off of you, just as soon as I am able to. I will never rest a single day until I do.”
Nama on her chain she wore for 16 years. Photo © Sheri Speede.
Niete and Nama (standing on right) greeting each other at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. Photo © Agnes Souchal.
Pick up a copy of Kindred Beings today!
Pam says
I will request a copy of her book at my public library.
Kerri says
You picked the PERFECT excerpt, I just bought my book!!
Wanda Trotta says
I’m told by Barnes and Noble that my book is on its way. I’m very anxious to read it – The Chimps of Fauna absolutely blew me away. I’ve read it 3 times already and each time there is something new that pops out at me. I wrote the author to tell him what a wonderful job he did on it. Wish more people would read it!
Dawn says
I’ve had a reserve in with my library forever, and it is still listed as “Pending” — so forget it, I am patient about a lot of things but I also have an Amazon gift card… whee! Mine should be here tomorrow already. I have been curious since Sheri was the guest blogger, to know more about Jacky & his friends, how they got rescued, etc. So thanks for the reminder that this sure to be excellent book is out!
Jeani Goodrich says
Yes I ordered mine from Barnes and Noble and am anxiously awaiting its arrival! Thanks for the excerpt Debbie! It will hold me til my book comes. And I am so looking forward to the book signing!
Karen says
I hope Amazon has mailed my copy by now. Sheri Speede has created a haven for the forgotten & orphaned chimps of Cameroon. Her story is one of determination, courage, and love, peppered with humorous and poignant anecdotes of her amazing chimp friends – a great read!