High Moon over the Amazon: My Quest to Understand the Monkeys of the Night

by Patricia Chapple Wright

Before primatologist Patricia Chapple Wright became the world's foremost expert on lemurs, she was enchanted by another primate Aotus, the owl monkey, or "monkey of the night." But along her journey to discover the behavior of these unique nocturnal creatures, Wright finds more than she expected about family, human nature, and herself. It all starts in a New York City pet shop when Wright and her husband buy an owl monkey whose lively and rambunctious ways soon lead the young couple to South America to acquire him a mate. But while Wright's monkey family is growing, her own begins to fall apart when her husband leaves her and her daughter. Undeterred by her lack of academic experience, Wright sets out as a single mother to study primate behavior in the wild, including a year at a research station in the remote jungles of Peru. There she encounters jaguars, poisonous snakes, army ants, and massive floods that threaten her and her daughter's lives, as well as moments of great clarity and

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Memoir, Biography, Travel, Biology, Nature

321 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2013

About the author

Dr. Wright has made major contributions in the biology, ecology, conservation and behavior of living primates. She discovered a new species of lemur, Hapalemur aureus in 1987 and helped establish Madagascar’s Ranomafana National Park in 1991 to protect it. Her research concerns focus on behavior, senescence, parasitology, predation, rainforest ecology, climate change and conservation studies of Malagasy lemurs. Patricia Wright earned a BA from Hood College in 1966 and a PhD in Anthropology from City University of New York in 1985. Dr. Wright has led over 40 field expeditions to Peru, Paraguay, East Malaysia, the Philippines and Madagascar. She has held professional appointments at Duke (1983-91) and Stony Brook Universities (1991-2014) and is the Executive Director of the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments at Stony Brook University (1992-2014) and the Founder and International Director of the Centre ValBio Research Campus at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. She has authored over 150 scientific publications and has received many high honors. She is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2004) as well as other professional associations. She was awarded a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (1989-1994), a "Knight of the National Order" in 1995, the “Officier Medal” in 2003 and the “Commandeur Medal” in 2012 by the government of Madagascar. Other awards include the Hauptman Woodward Pioneer in Science Medal (2008), Distinguished Primatologist Award from American Society of Primatology (2008), honorary degrees from Hood College and the University of Antananarivo and a Distinguished Alumnae Award from Hood College (2008). In 2012, and again in 2014 she has been selected as one of six finalists for the internationally recognized Indianapolis Prize for Conservation. Her books include “Madagascar: Forests of our Ancestors”, “Tarsiers: Past, Present and Future”, and “High Moon over the Amazon: My Quest to Understand the Monkeys of the Night.” Dr. Wright was a member of the National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration, and NGS Conservation Trust. She continues to be on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Duke Lemur Center, a member of the Madagascar Fauna Group and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC) Primate Specialist Group. Her work has been featured in the film “Me and Isaac Newton” directed by Michael Apted (1999) and IMAX’s “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar 3D” directed by David Douglas (2014). Dr. Wright was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2013.

Reviews

[Martin Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm the publisher of this book, and I'm just delighted this book is getting into print. It was sent to me several years ago through the author's brother, whom I'd known since the mid-1990s. It was a great read—a hair-raising set of adventures in primatology as well as a crash course in information about monkeys and the Amazon. More than anything else, HIGH MOON makes science fun, and I hope the book encourages a lot more young people (particularly girls) to go into science—especially since Pat Wright shows that it's her enthusiasm, curiosity, and indefatigable tenacity as much as academic smarts that have made her a great scientist. I really hope that this book will in some small way help Pat Wright become as well known as Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas with their respective primates.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so terribly sad to finish this book. It was everything I love in a nonfiction tale: strong female protagonist goes off to study nature, blazes trails. I was especially excited because this book is about owl monkeys, a species that I've worked with in captivity (and loved). They are so smart and everything about the only night monkey is interesting. This book mixed her personal narrative with the natural history and thoughts behind the evolution of owl monkeys. I knew nothing about Dr. Wright until I heard of her in an interview and then this book. I can now add her to my growing list of female scientists and animal behaviorists that I greatly admire. I was extremely excited to get this book, and it didn't disappoint. I hope she writes more books, and soon!

[India Braver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 stars, so I rounded up!
OKAY, so I had to read this book for my Primate Behavior class that I am auditing, which, fun fact, I'm only really taking because of the book We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves- see my goodreads review of that for more details. ANYWAYS, the author of this book is a strong female protagonist who goes from being a concert-loving Brooklyn-er to studying owl monkeys in South America after she adopts two monkeys as pets and falls in love. Despite having to read this for a class called Primate Behavior, I learned very little about primate behavior, although there were some interesting tidbits now and then- things she did explain almost seemed intuitive. I kind of wish there had been more actual science stuff thrown in- like if Patty's published articles had been included. (However, at the end, pictures of Patty's life and also an afterwards via an About the Author are included, and don't skip these! They really help you complete the picture in your head that Pat is painting through out.) Mostly, this is Patty's story, as she navigates life, trying to juggle a dissertation, her daughter, and the monkeys. It's really compelling and pretty interesting-the tone throughout feels like you're reading a series of New Yorker articles about this women's life. Patty's life is so brilliantly vibrant, whether she's talking about her heartbreak or her research. A fun read for a college class- pretty easy to read, even though it's over 300 pages.

[darlene Benzon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a docent at the Seneca Park Zoo and know Pat Wright as friend, champion of Lemurs and creator of Ranomafana National Park. I was lucky enough to travel with her in Madagascar. I've heard some of her stories, but now she has written a book about how it all began. She was a social worker in New York City when a chance encounter with an Owl Monkey changed everything. How these changes came about and the determination she found as she pursued her new purpose makes for a great tale. With daughter in tow the jungle is explored and documented in a most entertaining way. This is really an adventure story with a Jaguar encounter (to name only one), a travel story, and a story about the hardships faced by so many scientists in the field. You can just about feel the rain pouring down and the excitement of finally connecting with the monkey you've been searching for. She really paints the picture of the forests she loves. I'm recommending this book now, knowing that her new book 'For the Love of Lemurs: My Life in the Wilds of Madagascar' just came out and will be the story I'm even more interested in, her years in Madagascar so far.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of my favorite books I've read. It has both a compelling story and interesting information about a little-known animal species. I often wish there were more books about smaller primates like new world monkeys and lemurs; and this book provided just what I had wanted. It covers the story of the author's discovery of Aotus night monkeys and how they influenced her life, while also explaining some of her findings in a clear and understandable way. I can't wait to read For the Love of Lemurs.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solid and enjoyable read. Patricia Chapple Wright doesn't rank up there with Annie Dillard when it comes to lyrical writing, but I have no complaints about this book. From her plain delight in discovering her future passion in a New York pet store to her face-down with a massive jaguar in the South American rain forest, "High Moon over the Amazon is a simple joy to read.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What questions drive us to extraordinary effort? How does one enter a field? What's involved in basic primate research? Patricia Chapple Wright contributes her story, which surely will encourage more people excited about science learning to become scientists.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

Entertaining yet serious record of field study in the wilds of south and Central America. Honest, moving and very informative

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

NF Science

321 pages

An engaging life story. The trepitaions and adventures that the author took to fulfill her goals. An inspiring journey.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting look at the passion and dedication necessary to become a world-class scientist. She explained a lot about monkey behavior - but it never felt like a textbook. Great story!