Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Discuss your overall impressions of Reason for Hope. Which aspects of Goodall’s account were least and most resonant for you, and why?

2. Compare and contrast Reason for Hope with Goodall’s other titles. How does this title align with, or diverge from, other Goodall titles like My Life with the Chimpanzees or In the Shadow of Man?

3. Discuss overlaps between Reason for Hope and other works on spirituality and nature. For example, how does Goodall’s title compare with titles like David Abram’s Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology or Katherine May’s Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Reflect on your reactions to Goodall’s relationships with the apes she studied. Which aspects of these dynamics surprised you? If you were Goodall, how do you imagine you would interact with your research subjects, and why?

2. Reason for Hope speaks out against animal cruelty. How did you respond to Goodall’s discussion of animal testing and abuse? How do your beliefs align with, or diverge from, Goodall’s, and why?

3. Goodall details her spiritual journey over the course of the text. Which elements of her experience resonate most with your own? Which experiences and relationships have evolved your own spirituality?

4. Goodall discusses the difficulty of moving between Western civilization and the Gombe forest. Have you ever had to make similarly challenging moves between contrasting realms? How did this impact you emotionally and/or psychologically?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Reason for Hope can be read as a work of activism. Explore how Goodall advocates for wildlife and the natural world via her writing. Which of her environmental calls to action remain relevant today, and which should be modified in light of the escalating climate crisis?

2. Goodall discusses the exchange between religion and science throughout the text. How does Goodall’s particular worldview relate to contemporary battles between religion and science? How do you understand this exchange in light of your personal philosophy or political context?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Reason for Hope largely follows a chronological structure, but also embraces circularity. Discuss the relevance of the text’s overarching structure. How do Goodall’s formal choices relate to her thematic explorations?

2. Explore the effect Goodall’s close relationships had on her personally and spiritually. For example, what role did key figures like Dr. Louis Leakey, Vanne Goodall, and/or Derek Bryceson play along her path to personal growth?

3. Discuss Goodall’s authorial stance and tone throughout the text. How do her voice and writing style attempt to engender trust with the reader or make her ideas accessible? What literary and narrative techniques does she use?

4. Identify three symbols not mentioned in the guide and explore their relevance. For example, what might the Birches, Cape Town, or Derek’s ashes symbolize and how might they advance Goodall’s themes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that like Goodall you were placed in a new environment for the first time and tasked with a research project. Where would you choose to be placed and which species would you study? How do you imagine this experience would change you in comparison to how Gombe changed Goodall?

2. Create a playlist that captures the evolution of Goodall’s spirituality. As you work, consider which experiences impacted how Goodall regarded God and religion. Share your playlists and discuss your reasoning behind each song you chose.