Review by Booklist Review
The backstory of how author Webb, an American from small-town northern New Mexico, literally lurched her way through the deepest jungles of Indonesian Borneo in 1993 as an undergraduate biology major to study orangutans is worth the price of the ticket here, so arduous was her journey, and so fantastical her ultimate destination, the Gunung Palung National Park, home to some of the world's greatest diversity of flora and fauna. Yet it was her return to that park years later, with a medical degree, that would help transform the Indigenous communities, through "radical listening," from dependence on destructive but lucrative logging to sustainable, healthful, and even more profitable small-scale vegetable farming. Using that template, Webb's nonprofit Health in Harmony would expand both its services and its range--now it also works to save native forests, and communities, in Madagascar and Brazil. This really is a journey of hope, told with an observant eye and an open heart.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Even when things look hopeless, it might still be possible to avoid disaster," writes physician Webb in this valiant debut that addresses climate change and health care head-on. She originally traveled to Indonesia from America as a college student in 1993 to work with orangutans (and in the process, met and married her husband, Cam), but after being struck by the intense need for medical care that she witnessed in the country's remote villages, she pivoted her studies to become a physician. Not long after graduating from Yale's medical school, Webb returned to Indonesia, in hopes of helping mitigate the costly health care that led many to turn to illegal logging, which offered "large amount of cash quickly." Working with international and local teams, she eventually founded Health in Harmony and Alam Sehat Lestari, two nonprofits "designed to improve people's health as the key to saving rain forest." After a near-fatal sting by a box jellyfish in July 2011, Webb was forced to scale back her hands-on humanitarian efforts, but her devotion to fighting for the health of the world and its people remains unflagging, as evidenced in her galvanizing and hopeful story. Those looking for a jolt of inspiration would do well to pick this up. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The inspiring story of the creation of an award-winning model for reversing rainforest loss and improving human well-being. In 1993, as an undergraduate biology major, Webb traveled to Indonesia to study the dispersal of seeds by orangutans in the mountains of Gunung Palung National Park. She immediately fell in love with the land, the animals, and the people. After hearing her "least favorite sound: the whine of a chain saw in the far distance," she learned that logging was one of the few ways the locals could make money to pay for health care. Watching the forests of Borneo disappearing, she "felt like my heart was being ripped out." With the conviction that public health and the planet's health are intrinsically intertwined, Webb returned to Indonesia after medical school and co-founded Alam Sehat Lestari ("healthy nature everlasting"). The organization initiated a reforestation program and a clinic to provide affordable health care to the community. Webb also founded Health in Harmony, an international nonprofit dedicated to fighting climate change by preventing the destruction of rainforests. In a compelling narrative, the author shares the details of her journey and the cultural nuances of the region. At the heart of her mission is the concept of "radical listening." By actively engaging the community while building her program, she was able to create real and sustainable results. Webb dedicated herself wholeheartedly to her organizations, working long hours and making numerous sacrifices. She candidly shares the personal and physical struggles she endured, including a box jellyfish sting that nearly killed her. Having already created the framework for her program, Webb decided to expand her work beyond Borneo. "The human species may be deeply flawed," she writes, "but we also have the capacity for beauty, transcendence, and unexpectedly rapid change." Webb's vision is notable for its focus on truly listening to community members, not just leaders. A unique perspective that offers immense hope and direction for humanity in the face of climate change. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
