West with Giraffes

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge 371 pages

 

Author Lynda Rutledge has saved an almost forgotten story from slipping away for eternity. THANK YOU, LYNDA! “In 1999, while doing deep dives in the San Diego Zoo’s archives for a project, [Rutledge] uncovered a batch of yellowing news clippings chronicling the kind of story that captures the imagination and never lets go.”

 

Years later when Rutledge learned of the disappearing giraffes in their natural habit. She couldn’t let it go, and this novel was born.

 

For those of you who, like me, came late to reading it, all I can say is grab a copy as quickly as you can, clear your calendar and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

 

The story is the telling of a pair of giraffes who landed in New York during the Great Hurricane of 1938 that battered the eastern seaboard. Thankfully, the giraffes survived! They were loaded onto a specially made truck and driven across the U.S. to the San Diego Zoo. You must keep in mind that the country was still reeling from the Depression and the devastation of the Dust Bowl and there were no interstate highways to make the trek a smooth one.

 

The story is narrated by Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Nickel, who is now 105 years old. He currently lives in VA hospital. Getting the urgent call to tell the story of how the giraffes (named Boy and Girl) hauled were the first giraffes in America.

 

The story follows Woody, the zookeeper who Woody calls the “Old Man,” and a young woman name Augusta, but Woody refers to as Red who follows them in a green Packard, snapping photos as often and as many as she could. Her goal was to get a photospread for Life Magazine.

 

I’ve seen many comments on this book on various sites. Many loved it; many hated it. But I LOVED it. West with Giraffes receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.