This autobiography of famed chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall tells of her early fascination with animals and their habits and customs. As Goodall becomes more skilled, she teaches herself, then the scientific community, then the world, about the full life of chimpanzees, their habits, characteristics, and personalities. Goodall also tells how her life was shaped by her study of the chimps.

Her memoir reveals unabated passion for her subject, her love of animals and focuses on Goodall's scientific discoveries and their impact on our understanding of the animal kingdom.