Following Fifi

October 1, 2017
The story of how a doctor's experiences with wild chimpanzees influenced his work with his human patients.As a senior at Stanford in 1973, Crocker was given the chance to be a part of Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzees in the Gombe forest of Tanzania. He lived in a small hut and worked with other field assistants, following mothers and their infants through the jungle and studying their eating, nurturing, and nesting habits. The author developed strong bonds with the animals, particularly one mother, Fifi, and her son, Freud, and he carried lessons forward during his three-decade career as a family doctor in Seattle. Crocker used what he learned from the chimpanzees to help his patients who had children with ADHD or were suffering from feelings of isolation while always feeling the pull of Tanzania in his day-to-day life. He finally decided to return to the country with his son to show him the location and the chimps who had played such a large role in his life. Because expectations were so high, the return trip was filled with both delight and disappointment. Crocker's tale is full of insightful commentary on the nature of animals and the animal nature found in humans. His story of discovery and friendships exudes the deep awe and respect he feels for the chimpanzees and the friends he made as a young man, who have remained constants in his life. He discusses the hopes and fears of parenting and the delicate balance a parent must walk trying to help a child find his own way in the world. Beautiful descriptions of the natural surroundings in Tanzania and the importance of spending time in nature weave their ways throughout the narrative.An absorbing tale of the profundity of the human-chimp bond and how it can inform interactions among humans.

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 9, 2017
Patience, compassion, presence, and gratitude are the values championed by Crocker, a family physician, in this eloquent and appreciative memoir of his time as a student of Jane Goddall at Gombe, Tanzania, in 1973. Crocker begins his narrative with his experiences living in rugged forest conditions while following several mother-infant chimpanzee pairs, particularly matriarch Fifi and her playful son Freud. The too-short second part relates how understanding chimp behavior models helps Crocker’s work as a family doctor, providing him with an orientation toward promoting strong parent-child attachment and insight as to how difficult behaviors, such as those associated with ADHD, could have been adaptive to human ancestors. Crocker closes by chronicling his return in 2009, accompanied by his 19-year-old son, to a more commercialized Gombe. They observe Freud as an elder and visit the home village of Hamisi, who had served as Crocker’s field guide. Crocker thoughtfully muses on parenting, nostalgia, and lifelong friendship; he shows how the connection he made with primates affected him and taught him how to bring wise and loving care to his young patients. Crocker’s book is emotionally stirring without being overly sentimental, and is as much about human experience as it is about comparative ethology. Color photos. Agent: Michelle Tessler, Tessler Literary.

November 15, 2017

In this autobiographical account, Seattle-based family physician Crocker fondly recalls his experiences as one of several student research assistants working under legendary primatologist Jane Goodall. In 1974, as a 22-year-old Stanford undergraduate, Crocker traveled to Gombe National Park in Tanzania to assist in observing the Kasekela chimpanzee community. Students were paired with local Tanzanian field guides and assigned to follow specific chimps. Crocker was especially impressed by chimp mother Fifi's nurturing behavior toward her young son Freud. The author recounts how this formative experience shaped his perspective on the world and his approach to medicine. The lessons he gleaned from watching Fifi as a parent, and the insight he gained into human evolution have influenced his treatment of ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Thirty-five years later, Crocker returned to Gombe with his teenage son to revisit the place that has meant so much to him. Fast-moving and readable, the narrative provides engaging anecdotal examples from both chimps and human patients. VERDICT A sympathetic personal journey that explores the many profound similarities between humans and the creatures with whom we share 96 percent of our DNA, this book will make a great addition to public and college libraries alike.--Lindsay Morton, P.L. of Science, San Francisco

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.