Visions Caliban CL

In an unusual collaboration, historian Peterson ( The Deluge and the Ark ) and anthropologist Goodall ( In the Shadow of Man ) explore human-chimpanzee relationships, beginning with a look at the interaction of the primitive chimpanzee-like figure of Caliban and the powerful Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest . Peterson reports on the current conservation situation; he gives a chilling account of the illicit international trade, and of the animals used as pets and in the entertainment business. It is an ugly story. Goodall discusses ethical issues associated with our treatment of chimpanzees in captivity, focusing on biomedical laboratories. She advocates legislation to prohibit private ownership of great apes, to prevent their use in entertainment and to phase them out of medical research. Both authors draw on personal observation and experience to make a powerful statement for humane treatment of these close-to-human creatures. (Mar.)