A Reliable Future. A Guide to Surviving Tough Times

How to maintain hope in such an unstable world? Looking at the headlines of the media — the worsening climate crisis, global pandemic, loss of biodiversity, political upheavals — it is hard to be optimistic. Jane Goodall is a British primatologist who has studied the social life of chimpanzees for over 45 years, a UN peace ambassador. In the book A Reliable Future, she, together with Douglas Abrams, co-author of the world-famous bestseller The Book of Joy, explores in a friendly dialogue one of the most mysterious attributes of human nature — hope. Jane names four reasons to believe in the best: the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the potential of youth, and the indomitable human spirit. Jane addresses vital questions, including: — How to maintain hope when everything around seems hopeless? — How to cultivate hope in our children? — How, after finding hope, to move to action? Discussing experiences that shaped her beliefs, Jane shares the story of how she became an ambassador of hope, about life during World War II, about the years spent in Gombe, about realizing her mission as a supporter of environmental justice. She also shares for the first time her plans for her next, perhaps last, adventure. This is a rare and profound look not only at the nature of hope but also at the heart and mind of a woman who has spent her whole life fighting for our future. Hope still exists, and this book is a guide to finding it.