If you loved The Elephant Whisperer then this one is for you, too! Delightful, inspiring, heartbreaking, and worth the read. 5 of the easiest stars to give for sure!
Thank you to NetGalley for this gem. It's one of my favorites to suggest to my students and friends.

This book is more than just the story of chimpanzees. It is about a man whose life changed in relation to them. The audiobook begins with introductions that set the scene as to what the different organizations have done and what the situation actually is like.
We meet Stany very early on in his life and find out about the country he is growing up in. He soon starts to work with animals, and there are several upheavals in his life until the end of the book.
Stany is a man with strong family values. He feels connected to the chimps as well as his fellow humans. The narrative voice in this book feels like exactly that, a man who has sat down to talk of his adventures in life, and we, as an audience, are listening to it. This is probably why the audiobook format works well for this story.
One significant part of the book is obviously the care and protection of the chimpanzees by people working tirelessly to ensure just that. The other part is the story of the civil war and the countless lives that were lost, and the deep-seated emotional scars that everyone left with.
Stany finds faith later in life, and most of the tale is a pretty raw revelation of his fears and the hard work he put into doing his best work. He credits a lot of people for their support and friendship that helped him achieve his goals in life, making it a very inspiring tale.
There is no easy part in this book, no place where anyone mentioned cruising through life. It is tough to hear and harder to digest. It shone a light on certain lives that I would have never learnt of otherwise.
It is definitely not a single sitting read, and I think everyone, even those mildly interested in Africa or Chimpanzees, will find it fascinating.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* this was a very interesting book to read! enojyed reading it and would recommend

The Chimpanzee Whisperer is about Stany Nyandwi's life and his journey to working with chimpanzees. It 's about his relationship and gift with chimps, but also his life in Africa and the struggles he went through growing up.

I don't regularly read nonfiction but this book was so good. It was so interesting to learn about Stany and his life in Burundi, and later Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. He grew up in a very tumultuous time in Africa (he was born in 1968) and a lot of the events he detailed aren't things talked about in school, so it was very interesting to learn these things from the point of view of someone who was there personally. I learned a lot about Africa in general and the countries Stany lived in.

The book also gives so much good information on chimps. I like primates but I am intimidated by chimps, and it was refreshing to see them from a different viewpoint, of someone who works with them so closely. It was really cool to learn more about them and how they act and think. I like that he talked about how much he loves chimps and how he would sometimes interact closely with them, but that he also stressed they can be dangerous and need to be respected. As someone who loves animals and is a big supporter of zoos and the work they do, this book was a really great, informative read.

This was an interesting memoir of a person who cares for and studies the behavior of chimpanzees. But what drew me to it - and what ultimately made this a good memoir - was that Stany Nyandwi was a local. He was on the ground his entire life, not having the opportunity to leave as many conservationists he worked with did. And in that, the reader is able to see the impact civil war had on the people of Burundi.

Stany's story of his work with chimpanzees is great, but I honestly wanted more in-depth content. The stories often felt like snippets and I just wanted more.

The narrator, Dion Graham, is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I loved his narration of Concrete Rose, and he does an excellent job narrating Stany's life. What makes Graham so good at his job, especially for memoirs, is how he performs the narration as if he's relating a story to you, complete with emphasis, soft chuckles, exasperation. It's almost like he's sitting right next to you telling Stany's story. He was an excellent choice for this book.

Stany Nyandwi is completely inspiring and shows how strength of will, as well as perseverance, has power to move mountains. I was expecting the memoir to be mostly about the chimpanzee and how Stany becomes a caregiver and friend to them, but this book is so much more. Growing up in Burundi, born into a life in unimaginable poverty, Stany becomes a man without a country after a civil war leaves him no choice but to flee with the chimpanzee.

The story could not have been written without the historical aspects, as the genocide in Burundi ultimately shaped what Stany became. Along with the history lesson, the author also shines light on how the environment and human involvement with the chimpanzee has affected their abilities to take care of themselves. The book is a little repetitive, but it is so captivating that this fact does not matter. The strength of this book lies in the narration and I strongly recommend the audio version to readers. Stany's story comes to life and is so compelling that I could not stop listening.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy of The Chimpanzee Whisperer by NetGalley and the publisher, OrangeSky Audio. The decision to listen to this selection and review it was entirely my own.

The Chimpanzee Whisperer is one of my favorite non-fiction reads of the year so far. Stany Nyandwi’s story is amazing and inspiring. You can hear his passion in his writing. Stany’s resilience is shown throughout his story despite the many hardships he faced. Even through his hardships Stany was dedicated to his chimpanzees and never took from them even when it would have benefited himself. The bond he was able to create with the animals was amazing and shows that you don’t always need a fancy education to have a great understanding of a species. I’m glad this book shines a light on an African researcher, many of which are unknown!

The audio was fantastic and it felt like Stany was reading it himself. Dion Graham did a fantastic job!

This memoir is so moving and is full of optimism and heart. If you are an animal lover I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook The Chimpanzee Whisperer. Never having read a book such as this, I was pleasantly surprised about how the information was relayed. You could hear the pride that Stany felt for his work with the chimpanzees and listening to his stories about all the antics truly brought a smile to my face. Given my lack of knowledge about the subject of the chimpanzee sanctuaries and their creation, as well as the challenges that are found in Africa, I was saddened to hear about the treatment of Stany. The trials and tribulations he went through made me respect the work he did every day even more. The sacrifices he made for his family and himself for the chimpanzees and the sanctuaries helped to glean the heart that Stany possessed and his dedication to his work. Overall, I was very happy with this story and would encourage anyone who is interested in animals and humanity to give this title a listen.

5 stars!!

This book will absolutely move you!! Such amazing animals. So much research and data has gone into this book. I hope it's made available in schools.

This was an amazing and inspirational book! There are many well known names of those involved in the conservation of threatened and imperiled species and ecosystems and many many heroes behind the scenes. Stany Nyandwi is one of those heroes. Stany's story is difficult to hear at times as he and his family were subjected to many hardships. Throughout it all, Stany was dedicated to Chimpanzees. His natural curiosity and empathy for all living creatures was recognized by the Chimpanzees and resulted in him forging bonds and having an understanding that far exceeded many of his better educated colleagues. Stany's perspective is unique and provides for a very thought provoking and educational read.

An interesting relationship that was worked for and based on respect from this handler and the chimps. His story tells through hard work and paying attention he succeeded without a formal education. The latter affecting his employment opportunities. The book also details his personal life that simultaneously was convoluted.

Respect is the takeaway.

I had the audiobook and found the accent difficult at times.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review The Chimpanzee Whisperer.

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Learning about Stany and his connection with chimps was so interesting. Also learning about Stany in general was interesting and inspiring.

Let me say this about the narrator (Dion Graham) of this book. He was easy to understand and spot on in depicting the emotions, passion, and faith of Stany in reference to his life and his work with chimpanzees. I appreciate the resilient attitude of Stany despite the trials he endured to get to work with the chimps. In fact, he knew his young son would remember the civil war in his country, but he did not want the youngster to grow up and hate. Stany believes forgiveness and love are conquerors. The story also helped me understand the difficulties of managing wildlife conservatories and the need to work with the native people in times of conflict.
If you need an inspiring story full of optimism and heart, this book fills that need.
Thank you #netgalley, #thechimpanzeewhisperer, and #orangeskyaudio for the inspiring audio.

African wildlife researchers remain mostly unknown. This book is the story of Stany Nyandwi who has dedicated his life to the care and conservation of the Chimpanzees of Africa. Stany shares the story of his home country, Burundi and the horrific civil war that shaped his life. Stany manages to get a job at a chimpanzee halfway house, where rescued chimpanzees are housed and cared for. This begins his life-long love of chimpanzees. It isn't long before people notice that Stany is gifted at dealing with the chimpanzees.and he begins his career working with these magnificent animals. Stany is open and honest about his background, his experiences and most of all his love for the chimpanzees. Referred to as the Chimpanzee Whisperer, his life story is remarkable, he has travelled all over the world and was lucky enough to meet and work with Dr. Jane Goodall.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Stany share his story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for gifting me an advanced copy of The Chimpanzee Whisperer. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

The moment I saw the beautiful cover photo of a smiling man embracing a chimpanzee, I knew this book would be magical. This is the story of Stany Nyandwi, a native of Burundi who withstood terrible persecution and dire situations yet managed to maintain a life filled with hope & perseverance. Stany’s positivity, work ethic and resilience found him working at a chimpanzee sanctuary where Stany realizes he possesses a unique skill - the ability to “communicate” with the primates. It’s a remarkable story and one that will make you appreciate the comforts we often take for granted.

Dion Graham does a fantastic job of narrating this memoir.

My Thoughts:
This is such a beautiful memoir I hope you take the time and listen/read it.
I have grown up watching documentaries about Dr. Diane Fossey and Dr. Jane Goodall that when I seen this on netgalley I had to request it and I am so glad I did. This Is a inspirational story I am glad I got to listen to.
This memoir is about a man named Stany Nyandwi who grew up seeing his father shot and his mother burned to death who now is called The Chimpanzee Whisper. This mans life is amazing to me his work/life is dedicated to helping Chimpanzee’s that somehow ended up in a sanctuary. He talks of his struggles and shares some of his experiences with some of his friends the chimpanzee living on the island. He does share some sad stories and some good but Stany’s faith and overall outlook is amazing I can not recommend this audio enough. Thank you NetGalley for letting me listen to this.

This is not always an easy story to read, but I think it's a very important one. It is the life story of Stany Nyandwi, a boy raised in Africa with very little who grew up to be a gifted chimp communicator. But this story is not simply about the chimps, although I enjoyed those parts of the story tremendously. It is mostly Stany's story - of poverty, of struggle, of love, of challenges, of war, of friendship. I think understanding more about the lives of the native people involved, which this book will help you to do, will be so instrumental in truly understanding the challenges of conservation of chimpanzees or really any species. They do not exist in a bubble and there are factors at play that have nothing at all to do with them. The audiobook does portray an aura of hope, even through the darker times.

A fantastic book about an amazing life and a true hero in conservation. I recommend this for anyone who supports conservation.

Wow, I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. This book was a fascinating combination of learning about the life of Stany Nyandwi, who grew up in extreme poverty in Burundi while his country fell into a civil war. He worked as a servant for wealthy families for basically no pay, then lucked into a role as a janitor for a Jane Goodall facility. His role initially didn't have him working with chimps, but over time, he began working with them (basically, because the chimps were interested and drew him into their world!). This was a fascinating story of his life in Africa, as he moved for various chimp-care opportunities, and his life with chimps. The book was well written and very interesting. A surprise favorite for me!

The name Jane Goodall is well known, even outside of the specialist area of primate conservation. This is the story of Stany Nyandw, a Burundi national who has a real affinity with Chimpanzees and who has devoted his life to protecting and rehabilitating chimps.
The book gives an insight into the lives of chimpanzees, but it is much more about Stany himself – how he came from humble beginnings to become one of the leading chimpanzee workers. Poorly educated, he grasped every opportunity that he found to improve his life. The Burundi civil war would kill most of his family, and he started working as a houseboy (though virtually a slave) in the capital city, Bujumbura. From here he moved from job to job, trying to find better conditions and more opportunity and eventually ended up at the Jane Goodall Institute where he discovered his unique ability to develop bonds, almost friendships, with chimpanzees. This work also gave him a purpose in life and over the coming years he worked with chimps in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa as well as secondments to zoos around the world to share his practice and learn more about mankind’s nearest biological relative.
Life was not always easy for Stany, in fact it was very difficult at times as he spend many years living in absolute poverty, often going without in order to ensure the chimps always had food. His work took him away from his wife and children for many months at a time. The book also touches on the relationship between the local people and the chimps – an aspect we rarely think about! Stany is in a unique place to engage with the communities who live alongside the wild chimpanzees as both a “local” and a “conservationist”.
I was absolutely enthralled by Stany’s story – I wanted to cry at times, and laugh with him at others. It’s a book full of humanity in all its forms and Stany is undoubtedly a man with a huge heart. Stany has a very strong religious faith and this comes across in the book, particularly towards the end.

I listened to the audiobook and it was very well done – it was easy to forget that it was not narrated by the author as the text was really brought to life well.