The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times

Whisky and Swahili Bean Sauce

Doug’s first-person narration begins as he arrives in Tanzania to meet Jane and ponders what hope means. Jane calls him and invites him to dinner. He brings her favorite whisky as a gift and Jane’s daughter-in-law serves Swahili bean sauce and rice. Doug converses with Jane and her visiting grandkids, some of whom also work in conservation.

Doug is a hope skeptic. He thinks hope ignores “the grim reality of life” (7). He wants to figure out the difference between hope and optimism, whether Jane ever lost hope, and how people can maintain hope.

Is Hope Real?

The next day, the pair meet to discuss hope. Jane defines hope as “what we desire to happen” (8) and are willing to work to achieve. Hope can survive even where people cannot take action, like in prisons. Jane thinks even animals have hopes.

She differentiates hope from the religious concept of faith, where people “believe these things are true” (10). She thinks hope is “more humble” than faith. Hope isn’t a “survival skill,” but a “survival trait” (10-11).

Have You Ever Lost Hope?

Jane considers herself a naturalist who looks for “wonders of nature,” not a