Dr. Brandie Smith, director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will release a book about the Zoo's giant pandas on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
"In the Company of Pandas: My Life with the World's Favorite Bear," published by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, goes on sale Tuesday, Nov. 10, in hardcover ($30), e-book and audiobook formats. Proceeds support the Zoo's giant panda conservation program, according to the Smithsonian.
The book covers three generations of pandas at the Zoo, describing their distinct personalities and quirks. It also digs into the science of panda breeding, the history of "panda diplomacy" with China and the broader effort to keep the species from extinction. Fewer than 2,000 giant pandas live in the wild, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Smith grew up around animals in Indiana, Pa., and started her career as an intern at the Pittsburgh Zoo and the National Zoo. She has overseen breeding programs for endangered species.
Washington knows what pandas mean to the Zoo. Attendance dropped 20% during a yearlong stretch without them, Smith told Honolulu Civil Beat in August. "I've seen people burst into tears when they've seen pandas," she said in that interview.
The Zoo's current pair, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived from China in October 2024 and made their public debut on Jan. 24, 2025, in a ceremonial reopening of the Asia Trail exhibit. Their stay runs through April 2034 under a 10-year cooperative agreement with China. The Zoo pays China $1 million per year for the pair, Smith has said, though terms can vary.
Qing Bao is one of just five giant pandas living in North America. At her fifth birthday celebration at the Zoo on Sept. 12, keeper Mariel Lally said Qing Bao may seem reserved compared to Bao Li but is "actually quite goofy and quirky."
Smith will host a ticketed book talk at the Zoo on the evening of Nov. 10. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the talk at 7 p.m., audience Q&A at 7:30 p.m. and a reception with book sales and signing through 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Attendees who buy the book in advance for $30 receive an autographed copy at the event. Zoo members get 15% off signed copies purchased online with event tickets.
Parking at the Zoo for the event costs $30 in advance or $40 the day of. The Connecticut Avenue gates open at 6 p.m.
The book is available for preorder through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Politics and Prose, Simon & Schuster and other retailers, according to the Zoo's website. Kirkus Reviews called it "cheerful and enlightening." Early reviews in Publishers Weekly praised Smith's passion for the animals.
