West with Giraffes

by Lynda Rutledge

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1542023343
• ISBN13: 9781542023344
• Release Date: February 2021
• Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Terrific Warm Story

I would give this book a million stars if I could. It was a "sleeper" that caught me totally off guard, not hearing too much about it. I loved everything about it - the style of writing in that the story is told in the first person by 100 year old Woody as it weaves deftly back and forth from the present day to the week in 1938 when he was the driver on a cross country road trip, New York to San Diego, to deliver two young African giraffes to the famous zoo. There are endearing characters, flawed but honest. The reader experiences exciting episodes and events that could only happen to the people living and traveling the roads during the depression in America. And there are the stars of the story - the giraffes. This is one of those books that will sit in my heart for a long time.

Such a PHENOMENAL story! A REAL story!

From front to back, this book was SO good! I purchased based on a suggestion from a historical book lover Facebook group. It's inspired by a true story, reads from the soul and inhabits your brain. The language and style used ito tell this story is just consuming; I couldn't put it down and was eager to get back to it when I did. Highly recommended! If you love animals, visual writing and historical fiction- this is your next read!

Delightful book

This really ranks higher than four stars...it's such an engaging, delightful book. Ms.Rutledge intertwines history with a great story that runs the gamut of emotions through frustration, anger, love, and suspense. I went into this basically blind and wish ALL new books surprised me just so. I loved it!

West with Giraffes is alive with character and history.

West with Giraffes is an interesting read. It is historical fiction - loosely based on the giraffes that once made a trek across country to be the first giraffes at the young San Diego Zoo. It has characters who have no reason to be together, save for the giraffes, on a long and often dangerous cross-country journey. It is full of emotion and conflict and the hardships of the depression with people who intend to survive the journey and giraffes who aren't really sure about all of this!