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 its too late.". What aspects of the story could you most relate to? . Did you notice any other prevalent themes? Orphaned during the Dust Bowl, he found his way to New York to work for a distant cousin. When have you felt joy with an animal whether domesticated or in the wild? This is a book that I read with my heart as well as my eyes, every page a joy", "There is so much history in West with Giraffe's travels including artfully-woven reminders of the tragic Dust Bowl and the many struggles and prejudices African Americans endured", "Publishers actually seem to encourage writing books that are like some other books: "Reminiscent of _________, for fans of ________". They were finally able to leave quarantine on October 10, 1938. But when she was angry she made Mount Vesuvius seem considerably less dangerous. "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. I got this book as one of the amazon first reads as well but I hadn't started it yet because like you I wasn't sure I was going to like it even though I love animals but I thought it would bother me with what happens with the animals and that it may be too historical. Woody displays an unusual gift for working with animals, and the Old Man agrees to keep him on as the driver for the duration of the journey. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. ", "It had me both laughing and crying. The family generously feeds them and buys them a new set of tires, getting them safely back on the road. help you understand the book. The 45-mile drive from Brooklyn to the quarantine facility through flooded and debris-ridden streets, avoiding potentially low-rise overpasses, was certainly a true test of how the giraffes might handle a drive across the country, which in fact had never been done before with the towering creatures. Im so glad you enjoyed it! An aged veteran (105!) What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern Californias first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. It's 1938. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the . The Oklahoman published a set of photos on the 80th anniversary of Black Sunday. With Woody behind the wheel, true to the actual events, the giraffe truck stopped regularly at auto camps under appropriate trees with the top of the crates open to let Boy and Girl reach up and browse. } One of the aspects of the novel I enjoyed the most was the depiction of Belle Benchleysweet but tough, and highly respected. Americas First Zoostory: 125 Years at the Philadelphia Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. @media screen { As Riley tells Woody, animals know the secret to life. page 79. and later watching the murmuration of the birds beside the road, the 105-year old Woody writes, For two full hours, my sideview mirror was brimming with both birds and giraffes, framing it all like a picture, the giraffes long necks swaying along with the billowing birds, and each glance surprised me with what I can only describe as a jolt of joy. page 237. I Loved this book, and hated to see it come to an end. An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. I rode Miss Jim when I little every summer and even in her cage to feed her a carrot. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes". The animal's legs are also 6 feet long. img.pf-button-img + .pf-button-text { What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to become Southern California's first giraffes. I did some research too and found a website that gave me an idea of what the two crates looked like. West With Giraffes, while an historical novel, reads as a beautiful memoir of one brief and eventful journey. Feel free to leave a comment! Giraffes grow about 4 feet (1.2 meters) in their first year of life. I really wish the book had included a photo of the truck that the giraffes were driven in, but I found this one online. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, (Available in Hardback, Paperback, Audio, and Kindle E-Book), Many readers have asked to see an image of the real-life traveling rig. My sister passed it on to me and knew Id enjoy it. "Lynda Rutledge has written a one in a million book", "The depth of feeling that went into the writing of this wonderful book exudes from every page", "This book is so good it gives me shivers", Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. } Benchley preferred to transport the giraffes by vehicle so that they could stop as deemed necessary to nourish and rest the animals. West With Giraffes, while an historical novel, reads as a beautiful memoir of one brief and eventful journey. Pages : 372 pages. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company. Wanting more on the true story that inspired West with Giraffes?Click on this PHOTO for an unusual book review by a Zoo Historian. Have you ever dreamed of taking or have you taken a driving trip cross-country? Gawky Giraffes to Leave Athenia Today for Coast. Paterson (N.J.) News (October 10, 1938): 35. display: none; (272 kilograms). Woody learns that Red is pregnant, and that she lied about being a photographer for Life magazine. Have you shared it? Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. What did you discover in the expanse of your country? border: none; Smith spent a few days easing her into the crate while attempting not to spook her, and getting kicked in return. /* If html does not have either class, do not show lazy loaded images. Maybe, like me, you have a story you want to share and make it come to life like Woodys story comes to life in West with Giraffes. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes". even Maggie the orangutan. The Modern Ark: The Story of Zoos: Past, Present and Future. poeticpoet 8 yr. ago What happened on that ship during the storm is almost too crazy to be true. Notice that it is very different from the only image online (seen with Zoo Historian's book review BELOW), showing the wobbly, patched hurricane-whipped crates being moved off the ship by the empty truck before the real-life traveling rig itself was fashioned while they were in quarantine. Responsible for transporting the two giraffes from New York to San DiegoAugusta aka Red: want-to-be Life magazine photographer following and recording the giraffes cross-country tripWild Girl: female giraffeWild Boy: male giraffeEarl: initial driver for trip who quit on the first night outLionel Abraham Lowe: Reds husband and reporterAugie Ann: Red and Lionels daughterMr. by . But he doesn't give up. 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. The keepers and other staff members would visit her daily; [s]ometimes as many as eight would come during the same day or evening, she recalled. Thank you Lynda Rutledge for researching this story and writing this wonderful fictionalized account!! display: none; If youre looking for a good read where you dont need to think too much, except maybe to daydream about your own cross-country adventure, this novel is an excellent choice. This is the only image available, a newspaper article offering a glimpse of the finished traveling rig, with a tarp over it. } 1944. display: none; West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge tells the great adventure story of 17-year-old Woodrow Wilson Nickel, who drives two giraffes cross-country in 1938 America, finding himself along the way through the joys and conflicts of the voyage. It's also a coming of age story that demonstrates the positive influence caring friends and gentle animals can have on a young man's life. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. While the cars and signs and lodgings have changed, there remains something special about a cross-country road trip. The writer is a master story-teller, a beautiful story about why stories are written and remembered. ", "The author manages to wrap a travelogue, a historical novel, a social and political commentary, a coming of age story, and a love story together in one book. Thank you for this! He resolves to follow them to California. Values for the northern giraffe grouping were intermediate, with West African and Rothschild's giraffes diverging about Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving . I enjoyed West with Giraffes too, and your review was a delight -- remembering the book once again. .pf-button-img { As a reader I felt as if I were sitting with Woody, the Old Man, Red, Wild Girl and Wild Boy as they traveled west, feeling the giraffes snuffling, hearing their thrumming, watching them reach out for an onion. 7) How did the events that unfolded in Such a Fun Age ultimately lead to Emira finding her path into a career? Lake Union Publishing, 371 pages, $14.95. Instead of running away from the crazed primate, she stretched out her arms and caught it in mid-air and carried it back to its pen. ), and some rabbits. Giraffesan animal most Americans had never actually see for themselves with their own two eyes at the timehad actually somehow managed to survive a wild ride aboard the SS Robin Goodfellow when it headed straight into a typhoon off the coast of Haiti. After his death, Woodys last wish is fulfilled, and his manuscripts are delivered to Augie Ann. I have to say, though, that no matter what I write on this post, it won't do justice to this book. The game plays on that feeling a lot, with the fact that humanity now has to adapt to this new infection and do things that they didn't do before to survive. He uses a stolen motorcycle to follow the giraffes, and when the Old Mans driver, Earl, suddenly quits his job, Woody propositions him to be the new driver. He realizes that he must tell his story for the sake of the animals he loved so much, and so that Reds daughter Augie Ann will know her mothers true story. The story begins with a centenarian named Woodrow Wilson Woody Nickel sitting in his nursing home watching a TV documentary on the near extinction of giraffes and other endangered species in Africa. With a tarp over it. crazy to be true have either class, do not show lazy loaded images death. 272 kilograms ), Woodys last wish is fulfilled, and that she about. 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