West with Giraffes
Books | Fiction / Historical / General
4.6
(246)
Lynda Rutledge
An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes..." Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. It's 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes. Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it's too late.
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More Details:
Author
Lynda Rutledge
Pages
372
Publisher
Amazon Publishing
Published Date
2021
ISBN
1542023343 9781542023344
Community ReviewsSee all
"It was a good book"
E S
Elizabeth Sanders
"This was not the best book I’ve read, but something about it drew me in and kept me reading. If you want to read something different give this book a try. I liked the giraffes in the story more than the characters, however, and didn’t overly connect with any of them. The narrator comes across younger than the 17/18 year old he is. For the reviews I read of this I was really hoping to like it more than I did. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 "
"Wow! Incredible book!"
N K
Nicole K
"Well researched and charming novel. Reminds me of Water for Elephants"
J A
Jessica Antash
"I don’t know if this gets better. Giving up at chapter 2"
K W
Kate Wester
"West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. I read lots of good reviews on this one. It’s 1938 and the San Diego zoo has procured two giraffes that survived a hurricane to arrive in New York. Woodrow Wilson Nickel is still technically a teenager when he manages to get the job of driving the giraffes across the country. I still haven’t finished this one. I’m 2/3 of the way through and I’m just bored."
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