John Fowler holds a BS in Zoology from the University of Georgia and an MS in Technology and Science Policy from Georgia Tech. In the wake of Fossey’s murder, Zoo Atlanta invited him to Africa to assist a television crew, WSB-Atlanta, filming a documentary about Fossey in Africa. In 2007, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International asked him to participate in their fortieth anniversary celebration by escorting a group of travelers to Rwanda to visit the mountain gorillas and the site of the original Karisoke Research Center. Fowler appeared in the pages of Fossey’s Gorillas in the Mist as well as Farley Mowat’s Woman in the Mists. After twenty-one years working in zoological parks, he is now a research professional in Tallahassee, Florida.
"A vivid inside view of field research on two equally famous
subjects: the gorillas and the notoriously difficult Fossey."
*Booklist (starred)*
"John Fowler is a born storyteller. Prepare to climb with him high
up into the forest as you experience fear, exhaustion,
rain-drenched chill, and, finally, the supreme thrill of proximity
with the awe-inspiring mountain gorillas. It was her love for
them, and her fight to save them, that finally alienated Dian
Fossey from human society. Unpredictable, tormented, and
embittered, she now casts a dark shadow over this remote
world."
*Jane Goodall*
"Both a visceral ethological record and a disturbing portrait of an
anguished and embittered Fossey. Fowler ultimately gives Fossey her
due as the researcher who taught the world to love a kindred
species, even as she became increasingly estranged from her
own."
*Nature*
"Fowler describes in detail his life and work in the beautiful
Virunga Mountains and shares his experiences studying gorillas at
Karisoke. Vividly descriptive of the landscape, plants, and animals
Fowler encounters, this fascinating memoir will appeal to those
interested in Dian Fossey, gorilla conservation, and the life of a
research scientist."
*Library Journal*
"Of interest to students of field science as well as devotees
of Gorillas in the Mist."
*Kirkus Reviews*
"Fowler’s memoir of his year spent as a student assistant at the
Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda conveys delight in and
appreciation for gorilla-human relationships."
*Publishers Weekly*
"Finally a detailed account on Dian Fossey, the savior of the
mountain gorillas who was murdered in 1985. There’s plenty of
lyrical natural description on the flora and fauna, as well as
portraits of individual gorillas and colleagues whom he came to
know well. It must have been hard for Fowler to relive the
abuse he was subjected to by this damaged woman, but I'm glad he
has left us such a full record of his time in the magical
Virungas."
*Alex Shoumatoff, author of The Wasting of Borneo and editor of
DispatchesFromTheVanishingWorld.com*
"Be prepared for tension, joy, and awe as you trek through the
primitive cloud forest in Rwanda—an unnerving chill takes hold in
response to Fowler’s vivid descriptions of the rugged and wild home
of the mountain gorillas, along with the overwhelmingly
cantankerous manner of their protector, Diane Fossey. You will
experience stark contrasts between the relentless rain and the
warmth of the engaging personality of a baby gorilla, whom the
author cares for and helps reunite with her own kind. The result is
a deeply insightful portrait of a famous heroine whose bizarre
nature teaches us as much about primates as ‘her' gorillas teach
us."
*John Crocker, author of Following Fifi: My Adventures Among Wild
Chimpanzees*
"A Forest in the Clouds is a vivid and heartbreaking portrait
of the last years of one of the most compelling figures in wildlife
conservation history. My heart goes out to the author, one of Dian
Fossey's students, who faced her rages, her tirades, and
flashes of her compassion and insight. But my sympathy goes to Dian
as well, and to all the sometimes-warring factions of quirky
researchers, students, former students, brave Rwandan staff,
and local expats you will meet in this book. But most of all, I
loved reading about the gorillas, especially the baby the author
cared for and returned to the wild. Reading this book gives me
new appreciation for the miracle of the mountain
gorillas.", Sy Montgomery, author of Walking with the
Great Apes
"John Fowler cut his teeth in the animal world working as a
researcher for Dian Fossey on her renowned Karisoke Research Center
in Africa. High up in the mountains of Rwanda, he introduces us to
the gorillas and the people studying their everyday habits as
they trek through an impossibly thick, wild habitat. Fowler's
refreshing honesty and affection for the gorillas runs through
every page of this book. The gorillas become
fascinating characters, along with Fossey, who is often more
dangerous than the subjects of her study.", Elizabeth Hess,
author of Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp who Would be Human
"An important historical document of that period—the writing
is so excellent and descriptions so detailed that reading the book
is a great pleasure.”
*George Schaller, author of The Mountain Gorilla: Ecology and
Behavior and The Year of the Gorilla*
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