Help Me Take "The Primates" to the Next Level

Hello Everyone,

My name is Matthew Richardson, and I am a natural history author based in Canada. My latest book, Threatened and Recently-Extinct Vertebrates of the World was published by Cambridge University Press in 2023. It was the first to discuss all IUCN Red List vertebrates, and to arrange them biogeographically (i.e., by where they live - or lived - in the world). Ten years in the making, it provides the latest information on endangered species as well as the stories of those driven to extinction during the modern era. You can see a review in the Quarterly Review of Biology:

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/729262

My next book, The Primates, is perhaps even more ambitious. The first major synthesis on the subject in almost two decades, it is unique in discussing both living as well as extinct species (among them, our own ancestors). Drawing upon decades of research, and with the cooperation of the world's leading experts, it will provide a vitally-needed, up-to-date taxonomy along with the latest available updates on behaviour, evolution, conservation, and so much more. My hope is for it become a foundational text, useful for both expert and amateur primatologists alike.

Writing massive projects of this sort is extremely time-consuming, not to mention expensive. It requires specialized knowledge of the subject matter, obsessive dedication, and, frankly, a great deal of personal hardship. Photos need to be licensed, hundreds of maps created, and a million words written and vetted. It's no secret that, in this age of ever-more powerful AI, the vast majority of academic writers such as myself are simply no longer able to do this sort of work, let alone make a living at it. Those that have chosen to carry on must find other ways to support themselves. So it is that I am appealing to each of you now, through GoFundMe, for help in seeing this project through to completion.

I know that there are endless calls for funding these days, and that we are living in extremely difficult times. But if you or your organization are able to support a project with direct, measurable benefits for both science and conservation, I submit that this might be one worth investigating. All donations over $100 will receive a free copy of the book upon publication, not to mention my sincere gratitude. Larger donations will be acknowledged in the book itself, and I am certainly open to corporate sponsorship as well (i.e., your organization's logo on the inside cover).

I've been doing my part for academic writing for decades. If you can help me with this particular project, please consider doing so. If you cannot I quite understand (though perhaps you might share this appeal with your colleagues). Either way, I appreciate your taking to the time to read this, and wish each of you every success in bringing your own dreams to life.

Matt