BONOBO : EK SHANTIDOOT

Book Details

• Publisher: Mehta Publishing House

• Author: Vanessa Woods

• Translator: Sharmila Phadke

• Language: Marathi (Translated from English)

• Edition: 1st Edition

• Publishing Year: August 2017

• ISBN: 9789386745248

• Pages: 304

• Cover: Paperback

• Category: Autobiography

About The Book

Bonobo Handshake is an extraordinary memoir that takes you deep into the heart of Africa and deeper still into the human soul. When Vanessa Woods, a young science writer, accepts a marriage proposal from a man she barely knows, she chooses to accompany him on a daring research expedition to the Democratic Republic of Congo—a nation shattered by war and conflict.

At a sanctuary for bonobos, a rare and endangered species of great apes, Vanessa encounters a society unlike any she has known. Bonobos live peacefully, led by females, where conflict is resolved through affection and compassion rather than violence. Through her interactions with these intelligent creatures who share 98.7% of our DNA, she begins a journey of discovery—of love, identity, resilience, and what it truly means to be human.

This Marathi translation by Sharmila Phadke brings alive Vanessa’s gripping experiences in war-torn Congo, her evolving love story, and her transformational insights. Bonobo Handshake is not just a memoir—it’s a powerful narrative of hope, empathy, and survival that resonates across species and continents.