The Impenetrable Forest

The Impenetrable Forest by Hanson, Thor. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780595130184.

“From my back window the forest rose in a wall of green, every possible shade, as if the whole spectrum were made from one color...” So begins Thor Hanson’s remarkable journey into the heart of Africa. Lying in the remote hills of southwest Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest harbors elephants, chimpanzees, monkeys, and half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas. For two years Hanson called the forest home, working with local guides and trackers to develop a gorilla tourism program in the newly formed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Thoroughly researched and beautifully told, Hanson’s story blends natural history with cultural insight to place the forest and the gorillas in the context of modern Africa. He writes of “the inseparable weave of people and landscape,” and how in Uganda, the survival of either depends upon the survival of both. At once humorous, revealing and poignant, The Impenetrable Forest offers a rare and unforgettable glimpse into the world of mountain gorillas and the human cultures that surround them. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to help protect and preserve mountain gorillas in the wild. “fascinating…very well written.”—Gorilla Journal