Memories from the Jungle

by Tristan García, Christopher Beach (translator)

In French author Tristan Garcia’s Memories from the Jungle chimpanzee Doogie is marooned in the jungle after being raised by human beings. With his exceptional intelligence, Doogie must confront not only the dangers of the natural world but also his place in human and nonhuman society.

268 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2010

About the author

Tristan García is French philosopher and novelist.

Reviews

[Myriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Émouvant.

[Sophia Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellente histoire avec une narration originale. Le pauvre Doogie était un personnage engageant et son voyage se déroulait rapidement. Au début j'ai galéré un peu avec la chronologie des mémoires mais quand j'ai trouvé le rhythme des anecdotes c'était beaucoup plus sympa. La fin était merveilleuse !

[pauline]

je ne vais rien dire sinon je vais être méchante

[Avşar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Troubling book for troubling times. Not an easy read. I think I like Garcia's non-fiction a tad bit better than his fiction.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm delighted to be the first person to properly review this book. Because this is a book that definitely deserves proper reviews.
Did I select this one largely because of the monkey/ape appeal? You bet. Give me Planet of the Apes any day. But this is a very different planet and a very different story.
Obscure (and shabbily formatted for Netgalley) like many university presses, this book is a striking, thought-provoking, and utterly unique. Meaning it's both better than and won't gain the same traction as a mainstream book.
And yet, it's haunting. The tale of Doogie, the brilliant chimpanzee at odds with the world around him, will gut you in the end. Whether you read it as an account of a personal journey through a much-changed world or a parable about people messing with nature, the story stays with you.
The author has created a singular protagonist and gave him an accordingly singular voice. (Kudos to the translator - this one couldn't have been easy.)
The narrative can get a bit muddled, but it never loses you. And that ending ... quietly devastating.
A really powerful read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/