Pan Africa News, 28(2): 22 (2022)

Book InfoWilliam C. McGrew
Chasing after Chimpanzees: The Making of aPrimatologist
Gloucestershire: Mereo Books, 298 pp.
Published in 2021
ISBN: 9781861515827, $14.00 (USA), Paperback
Having moved from zoology to psychology to anthropology on both sidesof the Atlantic, Bill McGrew developed a fascination for chimpanzees which
led to him spending four decades studying our nearest living relations in their
African homelands. He held a series of academic posts in the USA and UK,
culminating in a professorship at the University of Cambridge and ending inretirement to Scotland. As he puts it: “I was lucky enough to be paid by various
academic institutions to do what I would have paid them to let me do”. Thismemoir consists of a series of stories and vignettes from a varied and colourful life, mainly involving animals, and naturally focusing on chimpanzees. Allproceeds will go to organisations that rescue and care for chimpanzees.
CONTENTS
Preface
Chronology
EARLY DAYS
1. Big Wind
3
2. Early Gender Bending
4
3. Introduction to Chimpanzees				5
4. Fishing and Hunting
7
5. Precocial Opportunities
9
6. Bones and Stones
11
7.		 Herps13
8. Numbers Games
16
9.		 BILGE
17
10. First Publication
20
11. Political Schemes
21
12. Seeking Curly-Tails
23
13. How to Get a Rhodes
Scholarship
24
ADULTHOOD
14. Ocean Lining
33
15. The Lord of the Rings
Himself35
16. Skiing the Iron Curtain
36
17. Front Page News38
18. Vietnam
3919. Grosvenor Square
41
20. Dylan, etc.
42
21. Football Conversion
43
22. Haunting Voices45
23. McGrew Origins
46
24. Hibs Forever48
25. Changing Addictions50
26. 26.2 Miles or 42 Kilometres				51
27. Becoming Scottish
55
28. Coaching57
29. West Highland Way
59
30. Super Bowl Surprise61
31. Incarceration
63
32. Deer Me!
64
33. Investments Gone Awry
65

34. Horses for Courses
35. Deadly Hobby
36. Never Again!
37. Ethereal Diving
38. Travels
39. Flashbulb Memories
40. Hearty Send-off

67
68
70
71
73
75
77

ACADEMIA
41. Publish or Perish
42. Degrees of Difficulty
43. Esteemed Mentors
44. Chimpanzee Dentistry
45. Afternoon Delight
46. Ape Escapology
47. The Great Escape
48. Wenner-Gren
49. Dian and Me
50. Chimpologists and Sport
51. Munro-Bagging52. Gummed-up Marmosets
53. Captive Cotton-tops
54. Snakebit
55. Short-term Teaching
56. Andechs
57. Ardi and Me
58. Stamped Upon
59. Chimp Haven
60. Marketing Great Apes
61. Versailles High Jinx
62. Stances with Wolves
63. Name Game
64. Miami to Cambridge
65. Flakey Acts
66. High Table
67. Grape Expectations
68. Bookmaking
69. Honorariness

8184
86
89
91
93
95
96
99
101
103
105
108
110
111
113
116
117
118
121
124
125
126
128
130
131
135
137
140

FIELDWORK
70. Ravenglass
71. Cayo Santiago
72. Chimpology’s Scope
73. Pan Places

161
162
164
166

2274. Habituation
171
75. Circumstantial Evidence 173
76. Transection
177
77. Shit Happens
180
78. Gimme Shelter
182
79. Real-life Altruism
186
80. Field Hazards
187
81. Unwelcome Companions 189
82. Figan’s and My Predicament				191
83. Tropical Fruitery
192
84. Job-hunting
194
85. Scheherazade the Hen
195
86. Customary Grooming
196
87. Sahara Crossing
198
88. Gravity Rules
201
89. Re-Wild? Release?
Rehabilitate!
202
90. Assirik Daily Life205
91. Assirik Critters
208
92. Avian Enterprise210
93. Scavenging
211
94. Wild Baking
213
95. Flying Chimpanzee
214
96. Waterhole Watcher215
97. Revenge of the Village Dog			
218
98. Pygmies
220
99. Pirates!
223
100. Flying to the Field
224
101. Poachers
225
102. Handedness
228
103. Honey’s Costs
232
104. Indian Interlude234
105. Primate Archaeology
237106. Boa Constrictor
240107. Monkey Technology
241108. Impossible Bipedality244
109. Beyond Chimpanzees
246
110. Three Aces
247
Index

250