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West with Giraffes
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2021)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.
“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.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2021
37752 people are currently reading
180346 people want to read
About the author
Lynda Rutledge
3 books1,484 followersLynda Rutledge is the bestselling author of "West with Giraffes," selected by Library of Congress-affiliated Texas Center for the Book as their 2023 Great Read and translated into 15 languages. She’s also the author of "Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale," winner of the 2013 Writers League of Texas Fiction Award which was adapted into the major 2019 French film "La deniére folie de Claire Darling" starring Catherine Deneuve. Her fiction has won awards and residencies from Atlantic Center for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and Ragdale Foundation, among many others.
Her latest novel, "Mockingbird Summer," set in a tiny segregated town in 1964 on the eve of massive cultural change, explores the impact of great books, the burden of potential, and the power of friendship with humor, poignancy, and hope.
In her eclectic career before becoming a novelist, she was a full-time professional writer––a freelance journalist, copywriter, film reviewer, book collaborator, and travel writer while also earning an MA in American literature and an MFA in creative writing,
After years residing in urban locales including Chicago and San Diego, she currently lives with her husband outside Austin, Texas. For much more information about all her books as well as Lynda, visit her website: www.lyndarutledge.com
Her latest novel, "Mockingbird Summer," set in a tiny segregated town in 1964 on the eve of massive cultural change, explores the impact of great books, the burden of potential, and the power of friendship with humor, poignancy, and hope.
In her eclectic career before becoming a novelist, she was a full-time professional writer––a freelance journalist, copywriter, film reviewer, book collaborator, and travel writer while also earning an MA in American literature and an MFA in creative writing,
After years residing in urban locales including Chicago and San Diego, she currently lives with her husband outside Austin, Texas. For much more information about all her books as well as Lynda, visit her website: www.lyndarutledge.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 20,048 reviews
December 30, 2021
a really sweet coming-of-age story that combines american history, animal friends, and a cross-country roadtrip. quite the fun adventure!
whist reading this, i could tell that it was well-researched. i actually learned some things about the dust bowl era, which was unexpected. i think this does a great job at taking true events and presenting them in a way that is quite readable.
the overall vibe of the story reminded me a lot of 'water for elephants,' but i didnt quite find this as emotional or impactful, which is why my rating is pretty average. i was just hoping for a little bit more to make me fall in love with this, and i never got it.
still a really lovely story that i know will find its way to multiple bookclubs.
↠ 3.5 stars
whist reading this, i could tell that it was well-researched. i actually learned some things about the dust bowl era, which was unexpected. i think this does a great job at taking true events and presenting them in a way that is quite readable.
the overall vibe of the story reminded me a lot of 'water for elephants,' but i didnt quite find this as emotional or impactful, which is why my rating is pretty average. i was just hoping for a little bit more to make me fall in love with this, and i never got it.
still a really lovely story that i know will find its way to multiple bookclubs.
↠ 3.5 stars
January 3, 2021
A delightful read, I couldn't put it down. Told through the memory of an aged veteran, the story is set against the background of the Dust Bowl, the Depression and the advent of a World War. This improbable, but fact-based, story of two giraffes transported cross country in what was basically an over-balanced flatbed truck made me laugh, cry. and actually care about the dangers they were experiencing. A touch of unrequited romance, a bit of larceny and a droll sense of humor kept me entranced to the end. This book stays in my library for later rereading.
October 16, 2023
My great escape
This story offered a delightful escape from today's stresses. I devoured it in two
days. One of those books you don't want to put down yet hate to see end. A wild rollicking ride with unique humans in touch with their better selves as they are drawn in by two gentle wild "beasts". For those who
cherish that special bond between animals and humans.
This story offered a delightful escape from today's stresses. I devoured it in two
days. One of those books you don't want to put down yet hate to see end. A wild rollicking ride with unique humans in touch with their better selves as they are drawn in by two gentle wild "beasts". For those who
cherish that special bond between animals and humans.
September 2, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up
What a gorgeously written and life affirming book! This was my book club read for September and I really enjoyed my reading experience. I listened to it as an audiobook (via KU) and Danny Campbell does a fantastic job of giving voice to Woody as both a young man and as an elderly man.
I have long been enamored by giraffes, I've had the privilege to be up close and personal with them on many occasions and they are magnificent creatures. I was immediately captivated by the story of the cross-country trek to take two giraffes to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. This book is part coming-of-age story, part adventure, part history, and overall just a wonderful read for me. I was glad it was a book club choice because I never would have picked it up otherwise!
What a gorgeously written and life affirming book! This was my book club read for September and I really enjoyed my reading experience. I listened to it as an audiobook (via KU) and Danny Campbell does a fantastic job of giving voice to Woody as both a young man and as an elderly man.
I have long been enamored by giraffes, I've had the privilege to be up close and personal with them on many occasions and they are magnificent creatures. I was immediately captivated by the story of the cross-country trek to take two giraffes to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. This book is part coming-of-age story, part adventure, part history, and overall just a wonderful read for me. I was glad it was a book club choice because I never would have picked it up otherwise!
June 14, 2022
I’m going to include a part of the blurb that enticed me to listen to this wonderful audiobook:
“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.”
Any time I see a story that involves animals I am always drawn to it. This story was told with great warmth and humor and filled with an incredible tale based on true events.
The novel begins with Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, who begins to write the story he knows he must write before he dies. It takes place mostly in the distant past with some reflections on other parts of his life.
At age 17 Woody had traveled to New York from the “dust bowl” destroyed lands of Texas. He has lost all of his family and like many from all of the states that were affected by the “dust bowl” he was looking for a new life, a chance to start over.
What he found himself in was the hurricane of 1938 which affected the East Coast and destroyed many homes, businesses and lives.
Miraculously, two giraffes who had crossed the Atlantic survived – the female with an injured leg. They were bound for the San Diego zoo.
Woody had nowhere else to go and when he learned that the giraffes were headed for California, he was determined to somehow follow them. Through a succession of incidents, Woody convinces the man who is charged with the safe delivery of the giraffes, that he can drive the specially designed rig across the country.
We follow the giraffes and Woody on a 12 day road trip which will deliver them to the first female run zoo, “Belle Jennings Benchley (August 28, 1882 – December 17, 1973), known as “The Zoo Lady,” was the director of the San Diego Zoo from 1927 to 1953, guiding its expansion from a small collection of animals to an innovative, world-class zoo. “
This is a wonderful adventure story about a young man at a turning point in his life. The narration was very good and made for a great listen!
This was an audiobook from Audible.
“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.”
Any time I see a story that involves animals I am always drawn to it. This story was told with great warmth and humor and filled with an incredible tale based on true events.
The novel begins with Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, who begins to write the story he knows he must write before he dies. It takes place mostly in the distant past with some reflections on other parts of his life.
At age 17 Woody had traveled to New York from the “dust bowl” destroyed lands of Texas. He has lost all of his family and like many from all of the states that were affected by the “dust bowl” he was looking for a new life, a chance to start over.
What he found himself in was the hurricane of 1938 which affected the East Coast and destroyed many homes, businesses and lives.
Miraculously, two giraffes who had crossed the Atlantic survived – the female with an injured leg. They were bound for the San Diego zoo.
Woody had nowhere else to go and when he learned that the giraffes were headed for California, he was determined to somehow follow them. Through a succession of incidents, Woody convinces the man who is charged with the safe delivery of the giraffes, that he can drive the specially designed rig across the country.
We follow the giraffes and Woody on a 12 day road trip which will deliver them to the first female run zoo, “Belle Jennings Benchley (August 28, 1882 – December 17, 1973), known as “The Zoo Lady,” was the director of the San Diego Zoo from 1927 to 1953, guiding its expansion from a small collection of animals to an innovative, world-class zoo. “
This is a wonderful adventure story about a young man at a turning point in his life. The narration was very good and made for a great listen!
This was an audiobook from Audible.
April 1, 2026
Woodrow Wilson Nickel, as his name suggests, is a five cent loser of a 105 year-old - muttering indistinctly at all hours while in the throes of elderly dementia.
He has learnt Giraffes are on this year's Darwin List.
Like strychnine icing on a cake he's wolfed down. Why?
Woodrow, you see, is a Giraffe Whisperer. Some men have a knack for talking to the animals, but he had lost that talent in unspeakable infantile trauma.
But then he relives his talent when he befriends two giraffes who are brutally zoo-bound. That friendship proves to be the key to his Temps Perdu.
Rediscovering the last pieces thereof enables him to finally DIE. Far, far from the Madding Crowd! At peace.
As I am, now. In the throes of my own very real dementia. At peace. At last.
***
Woodrow Wilson Nickel had, previous to befriending these giraffes, been burnt-out and Dead to his Life as a youth. And, with them, his Full Humanity is Reborn. He is still a mooching, thieving grifter, but he's fully Alive.
As Jesus hinted that not only the Good are Saved.
Yes, it's a salvation of sorts, this permission to die one's death.
To Let it ALL go!
***
This book is a bitter pill to swallow.
To many of us, our trauma is non-reversable. Some of us take meds for it - they enable us to keep our eyes on the bouncing ball, so to speak.
But, the bitter pill of trauma, fully swallowed at death, tastes delicious to the stomach, as the Book of Revelation says.
Why?
Because it does to Christ, the Resurrected Ancient of Days, when the Final Scroll of judgement is finally Swallowed.
And it all really happened. It’s true!
***
Judgement will be final but the saved will be blessed!
All in all, my favourite novel of the ones I've read in 2024.
He has learnt Giraffes are on this year's Darwin List.
Like strychnine icing on a cake he's wolfed down. Why?
Woodrow, you see, is a Giraffe Whisperer. Some men have a knack for talking to the animals, but he had lost that talent in unspeakable infantile trauma.
But then he relives his talent when he befriends two giraffes who are brutally zoo-bound. That friendship proves to be the key to his Temps Perdu.
Rediscovering the last pieces thereof enables him to finally DIE. Far, far from the Madding Crowd! At peace.
As I am, now. In the throes of my own very real dementia. At peace. At last.
***
Woodrow Wilson Nickel had, previous to befriending these giraffes, been burnt-out and Dead to his Life as a youth. And, with them, his Full Humanity is Reborn. He is still a mooching, thieving grifter, but he's fully Alive.
As Jesus hinted that not only the Good are Saved.
Yes, it's a salvation of sorts, this permission to die one's death.
To Let it ALL go!
***
This book is a bitter pill to swallow.
To many of us, our trauma is non-reversable. Some of us take meds for it - they enable us to keep our eyes on the bouncing ball, so to speak.
But, the bitter pill of trauma, fully swallowed at death, tastes delicious to the stomach, as the Book of Revelation says.
Why?
Because it does to Christ, the Resurrected Ancient of Days, when the Final Scroll of judgement is finally Swallowed.
And it all really happened. It’s true!
***
Judgement will be final but the saved will be blessed!
All in all, my favourite novel of the ones I've read in 2024.
December 13, 2023
From the beginning, this remembrance of a few short weeks of one man’s life captured both my attention and my heart. (At over 100 years old, our elderly narrator is compelled to tell his story before it is too late.)
If you are an animal lover, then you’ll understand why this slightly sentimental and certainly fictional account of the real trip across the US in the late ‘30s to deliver the first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo was such a wonderful read.
But there are other reasons to spend a few hours with the Old Man, Boy, Girl, Red and Woody the least of which was unspoken camaraderie as the story unfolds.
It’s one of the best road trip novels I’ve read— the story also offers a look at Depression era America and not all of the vignettes are charming. It’s certainly an action oriented story but it’s not the action that shines here.
At its heart is Woody and the lasting impact those days on the road had on him personally. One ordinary boy. One extraordinary trip.
(Reviewed 3/5/22)
If you are an animal lover, then you’ll understand why this slightly sentimental and certainly fictional account of the real trip across the US in the late ‘30s to deliver the first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo was such a wonderful read.
But there are other reasons to spend a few hours with the Old Man, Boy, Girl, Red and Woody the least of which was unspoken camaraderie as the story unfolds.
It’s one of the best road trip novels I’ve read— the story also offers a look at Depression era America and not all of the vignettes are charming. It’s certainly an action oriented story but it’s not the action that shines here.
At its heart is Woody and the lasting impact those days on the road had on him personally. One ordinary boy. One extraordinary trip.
(Reviewed 3/5/22)
April 5, 2021
This book has a special place in my heart.
Take time for some exceptional comfort reading to lighten life's burden. Beyond the commercial hype of too many lackluster, frivolous book offerings, this is a true gem. Inspired by true events, this story 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.
"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.
'Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…'"
And so begins his story.
"I could spend what I feel in my bones is my life’s last clear hours to tell you of the Dust Bowl. Or the War. Or the French peonies. Or my wives, so many wives. Or the graves, so many graves. Or the goodbyes, so many goodbyes. Those memories come and go here at the end, if they come at all anymore. But not this memory. This memory is always with me, always alive, always within reach, and always in living technicolor from deadly start to bittersweet finish, no matter how old I keep getting. And—Red, Old Man, sweet Wild Boy and Girl—oh, how I miss you. All I have to do is close my worn-out eyes for the smallest of moments. And it begins."
And what an all consuming story it is. A well crafted story full of wonder and insight, abandonment and tenderness, adventure and jeopardy, betrayal and forgiveness, and much more, that had this twilight being of a reader leaking at both ends. It will likely resonate in my mind through whatever years I have left.
"I can only suppose that when you’re riding with two 'towering creatures of God’s pure Eden,' and you grasp the first rotten proof of your true self, you never quite forget it, no matter what you do later to make it right."
Through the twists and turns of life there are experiences that we relish recalling long after, and there are others we labor to forget or try to make up for. And along the way we are sure to encounter both decent beings and those with no conscience.
“ . . . it always seemed wrong to think an animal’s life isn’t worth as much as a human’s. Life is life . . . no matter who or what is living it, boy—a thing to respect,” he said. “You don’t get that, then you’re just a waste of skin.”
I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
Take time for some exceptional comfort reading to lighten life's burden. Beyond the commercial hype of too many lackluster, frivolous book offerings, this is a true gem. Inspired by true events, this story 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.
"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.
'Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…'"
And so begins his story.
"I could spend what I feel in my bones is my life’s last clear hours to tell you of the Dust Bowl. Or the War. Or the French peonies. Or my wives, so many wives. Or the graves, so many graves. Or the goodbyes, so many goodbyes. Those memories come and go here at the end, if they come at all anymore. But not this memory. This memory is always with me, always alive, always within reach, and always in living technicolor from deadly start to bittersweet finish, no matter how old I keep getting. And—Red, Old Man, sweet Wild Boy and Girl—oh, how I miss you. All I have to do is close my worn-out eyes for the smallest of moments. And it begins."
And what an all consuming story it is. A well crafted story full of wonder and insight, abandonment and tenderness, adventure and jeopardy, betrayal and forgiveness, and much more, that had this twilight being of a reader leaking at both ends. It will likely resonate in my mind through whatever years I have left.
"I can only suppose that when you’re riding with two 'towering creatures of God’s pure Eden,' and you grasp the first rotten proof of your true self, you never quite forget it, no matter what you do later to make it right."
Through the twists and turns of life there are experiences that we relish recalling long after, and there are others we labor to forget or try to make up for. And along the way we are sure to encounter both decent beings and those with no conscience.
“ . . . it always seemed wrong to think an animal’s life isn’t worth as much as a human’s. Life is life . . . no matter who or what is living it, boy—a thing to respect,” he said. “You don’t get that, then you’re just a waste of skin.”
I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
January 18, 2021
that's really only 2-1/2 stars. unlike almost every other reviewer, i could put the book down without any trouble. i loved the idea of the story, a road trip from new york to california with two young giraffes, the only part of the book that is non-fiction. i enjoyed the parts about the giraffes, their attachment to various characters, their enjoyment of the warm weather, sunshine, cool breezes. it was the main character that i could not bring myself to like. and what i found incredibly annoying was the constant reminder that he had a big secret and he couldn't let anyone know his secret and he couldn't talk about his secret, and if anyone knew his secret horrible things would happen and his secret was such a terrible secret; you get the picture. i guess this is supposed to build up suspense and have the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting with bated breath for the secret to be revealed. too many authors seems to be using this idea and with this book it definitely did not work for me.
August 12, 2023
A cross-country journey from New York to San Diego turns into the adventure of a lifetime for 17-year-old Woody Nickel, eclipsing his hopes and dreams and granting him so much more. A quietly absorbing coming of age tale of attainment and atonement .
Did Not Finish
August 29, 2023Started this on audio but the narrator is so bad I couldn’t listen to another minute!
January 10, 2024
4.25⭐
Genre ~ historical fiction
Setting ~ road trip from NY to CA
Publication date ~ February 1, 2021
Est page Count ~ 346
Audio length ~ 10 hours 29 minutes
Narrator ~ Danny Campbell
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ dual timeline ~ now & 1938, historical fiction based on true events, animal death .
Historical fiction is not my go to, but giraffes are, so thanks to my girl, Tiffany, who told me I absolutely had to read this one. She and I are big giraffe lovers. Back in 2017 (I think) we were glued to our screens together patiently waiting for April and Oliver's baby to be born via live stream at a zoo in NY. Anyone else?
Woodrow Wilson Nickle tells the story of when he drove 2 giraffes from New York to California over 12 days. He was only 17 years old and lost his entire family to the Dust Bowl.
The story alternates between now and 1938 as he tries to get the story written before he dies. A bit slow moving, but a heartbreaking tale that I won't soon forget.
Side personal~ish note ~ Woody was around the same age as my grandpa was, so I was picturing him while reading. They pulled into the San Diego Zoo a few days before my grandpa's birthday and I finished reading it the eve of his death anniversary. This doesn't really have to do with anything, but I just felt like sharing it.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ historical fiction
Setting ~ road trip from NY to CA
Publication date ~ February 1, 2021
Est page Count ~ 346
Audio length ~ 10 hours 29 minutes
Narrator ~ Danny Campbell
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ dual timeline ~ now & 1938, historical fiction based on true events, animal death .
Historical fiction is not my go to, but giraffes are, so thanks to my girl, Tiffany, who told me I absolutely had to read this one. She and I are big giraffe lovers. Back in 2017 (I think) we were glued to our screens together patiently waiting for April and Oliver's baby to be born via live stream at a zoo in NY. Anyone else?
Woodrow Wilson Nickle tells the story of when he drove 2 giraffes from New York to California over 12 days. He was only 17 years old and lost his entire family to the Dust Bowl.
The story alternates between now and 1938 as he tries to get the story written before he dies. A bit slow moving, but a heartbreaking tale that I won't soon forget.
Side personal~ish note ~ Woody was around the same age as my grandpa was, so I was picturing him while reading. They pulled into the San Diego Zoo a few days before my grandpa's birthday and I finished reading it the eve of his death anniversary. This doesn't really have to do with anything, but I just felt like sharing it.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
June 2, 2022
Audiobook….read by Danny Campbell
….10 hours and 29 minutes
Great true story …. historical fiction wonderful storytelling…
… two giraffes…[Lofty & Patches]
…a brutal hurricane that killed many ...
…a three thousand mile journey from New York to the San Diego Zoo (fabulous zoo)…
…the dust bowl …
Great Depression era … (poverty sufferings)
…Hitler era …
…a combination of horrors, adventure hardships and hilarious funny moments with a few goofy characters —
Thank you Betsy who first inspired me to seek this book out —
followed by Liz, Karen, … and dozens of friends on Goodreads. I’m glad I took my turn.
The story was great - all of it - but am I the only one who thought it was almost as extraordinary that a 105 year old man was coherent enough to write his memories down?
This past memorial Day weekend we celebrated our friend, Dave’s, 80th birthday (a few days after my 70th).
Dave’s mother died recently ‘on’ her 106th birthday …
And ….
she too… like Woodrow Wilson Nickel, was still coherent at age 105… but not at 106.
With 47,036 ratings, and 5,027 reviews… nobody needs another from me …
other than….
add me to the list of readers who also enjoyed it…..
as in overall
HEARTWARMING! 🦒 🦒
….10 hours and 29 minutes
Great true story …. historical fiction wonderful storytelling…
… two giraffes…[Lofty & Patches]
…a brutal hurricane that killed many ...
…a three thousand mile journey from New York to the San Diego Zoo (fabulous zoo)…
…the dust bowl …
Great Depression era … (poverty sufferings)
…Hitler era …
…a combination of horrors, adventure hardships and hilarious funny moments with a few goofy characters —
Thank you Betsy who first inspired me to seek this book out —
followed by Liz, Karen, … and dozens of friends on Goodreads. I’m glad I took my turn.
The story was great - all of it - but am I the only one who thought it was almost as extraordinary that a 105 year old man was coherent enough to write his memories down?
This past memorial Day weekend we celebrated our friend, Dave’s, 80th birthday (a few days after my 70th).
Dave’s mother died recently ‘on’ her 106th birthday …
And ….
she too… like Woodrow Wilson Nickel, was still coherent at age 105… but not at 106.
With 47,036 ratings, and 5,027 reviews… nobody needs another from me …
other than….
add me to the list of readers who also enjoyed it…..
as in overall
HEARTWARMING! 🦒 🦒
January 7, 2026
"What if you had to live the rest of your life not spreading your wings?"
West With Giraffes grabbed my heart and soul and shook it hard. It is based on a true story in September 1938 when two giraffes survived a hurricane while being transported at sea. Then they traveled by pickup truck for twelve days from New York to the San Diego Zoo. This was in the midst of the Great Depression and an orphaned teenager who survived the Dust Bowl lied about his driving prowess in order to help transport the giraffes.
Over 500 newspapers across the US kept up with the story about the traveling giraffes. In the meantime, newspaper headlines indicated that Hitler had been stopped and peace was upon the world after the Munich Agreement was signed. Hitler had already seized Austria and wanted part of Czechoslovakia. One of the standout passages in the book stated, "The spooked Allies believed in fairytales told by a madman."
As the news about Hitler continued to change and abject poverty due to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression plagued the nation, the stories about two traveling giraffes lightened the nation's morale. There were two transcontinental auto trails at the time named Lincoln and Lee. The journey is filled with many hazards and obstacles: weather, wild animals, injuries, and unethical characters.
Belle Benchley is a true character. She was the only female zookeeper in the US at the time. She started at the San Diego Zoo in 1925 as a bookkeeper. She ended up running the zoo within two years. Her job title was executive secretary from 1927 - 1953. Shortly before she retired in 1953, the all-male Board changed her title to managing director. Benchley wrote her memoir, My Life in a Man-Made Jungle, in 1940 and it became an international bestseller. She wrote three additional books.
Other passages in the book that jump started my heart include:
* Animals know the secret to life.
* Memories stick to things.
* Temptation is as bad in inches as it is in miles.
* Home's not the place you're from. Home's the place you want to be.
* This home seemed fiercely worth holding on to, with both fists, as long as I could.
* A cough was like an invitation to a funeral.
* It is time to live instead of die.
* War's a cruel place to grow up.
* It is a foolish man who thinks stories do not matter.
The Author's Note at the end of the book is outstanding! Rutledge describes a 2014 TED Talk by Jon Mooallem, a nature writer. He stated that how we feel about an animal dramatically influences its future survival. He also said, "Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
This is a very special book, and I highly recommend it!
I also want to read Lynda Rutledge's other books:
Mockingbird Summer (published 2024)
Brave New Wanda
West With Giraffes grabbed my heart and soul and shook it hard. It is based on a true story in September 1938 when two giraffes survived a hurricane while being transported at sea. Then they traveled by pickup truck for twelve days from New York to the San Diego Zoo. This was in the midst of the Great Depression and an orphaned teenager who survived the Dust Bowl lied about his driving prowess in order to help transport the giraffes.
Over 500 newspapers across the US kept up with the story about the traveling giraffes. In the meantime, newspaper headlines indicated that Hitler had been stopped and peace was upon the world after the Munich Agreement was signed. Hitler had already seized Austria and wanted part of Czechoslovakia. One of the standout passages in the book stated, "The spooked Allies believed in fairytales told by a madman."
As the news about Hitler continued to change and abject poverty due to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression plagued the nation, the stories about two traveling giraffes lightened the nation's morale. There were two transcontinental auto trails at the time named Lincoln and Lee. The journey is filled with many hazards and obstacles: weather, wild animals, injuries, and unethical characters.
Belle Benchley is a true character. She was the only female zookeeper in the US at the time. She started at the San Diego Zoo in 1925 as a bookkeeper. She ended up running the zoo within two years. Her job title was executive secretary from 1927 - 1953. Shortly before she retired in 1953, the all-male Board changed her title to managing director. Benchley wrote her memoir, My Life in a Man-Made Jungle, in 1940 and it became an international bestseller. She wrote three additional books.
Other passages in the book that jump started my heart include:
* Animals know the secret to life.
* Memories stick to things.
* Temptation is as bad in inches as it is in miles.
* Home's not the place you're from. Home's the place you want to be.
* This home seemed fiercely worth holding on to, with both fists, as long as I could.
* A cough was like an invitation to a funeral.
* It is time to live instead of die.
* War's a cruel place to grow up.
* It is a foolish man who thinks stories do not matter.
The Author's Note at the end of the book is outstanding! Rutledge describes a 2014 TED Talk by Jon Mooallem, a nature writer. He stated that how we feel about an animal dramatically influences its future survival. He also said, "Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
This is a very special book, and I highly recommend it!
I also want to read Lynda Rutledge's other books:
Mockingbird Summer (published 2024)
Brave New Wanda
April 2, 2021
This is one of the most unusual and heartwarming road-trip/animal adventure/love stories I have ever read. Three improbable protagonists take it upon themselves to transport two giraffes, that survived a 1938 hurricane at the end of their trans-Atlantic crossing, in a trans-continental adventure from New York to San Diego. A very rewarding read.
January 7, 2021
Quite an adventure, indeed!
I love historical fiction, especially when it's able to really take me back in time like West with Giraffes did. This is the first book review I've written since High School, but here it goes.
I've never really thought about the lives of the people that lived the Dust Bowl, it was heartbreaking to witness that life through the eyes of 17 year old Woody Nickel. In a time in the US when most people have never seen a giraffe in person, the adventure Woody takes to get these magnificent creatures (and himself) safely to California is captivating and at times, pretty intense. The characters are all interesting with their own stories and the giraffes are impossible not to fall in love with.
I highly recommend this book for a quick but fun blast to the past full of giraffe slobber, dust, dreams and a little bit of romance.
I love historical fiction, especially when it's able to really take me back in time like West with Giraffes did. This is the first book review I've written since High School, but here it goes.
I've never really thought about the lives of the people that lived the Dust Bowl, it was heartbreaking to witness that life through the eyes of 17 year old Woody Nickel. In a time in the US when most people have never seen a giraffe in person, the adventure Woody takes to get these magnificent creatures (and himself) safely to California is captivating and at times, pretty intense. The characters are all interesting with their own stories and the giraffes are impossible not to fall in love with.
I highly recommend this book for a quick but fun blast to the past full of giraffe slobber, dust, dreams and a little bit of romance.
July 19, 2023
Finally my IRL book group has picked a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I doubt I would ever have picked this one up otherwise, so I am feeling a little grateful to the member who chose it.
Based on a real event, this is the story of the transporting of two giraffes from New York, after arriving in a ship that had just survived a hurricane, across the country to the San Diego zoo. The events are related in retrospect by the boy who drove the truck that transported them, now an old man in a Veterans home.
The boy, Woody Nickel, is an orphan who has clawed his way from the Texas panhandle dust bowl, where he has buried his entire family. He has made his way to New York and a cousin, but the hurricane leaves his cousin dead and him alone again, which is why he gets the bright idea of following the giraffes to California. How he comes to have the job of driving, the adventures and problems encountered on the trip, and the others involved, including a girl named Augusta who wants to be a reporter for Life Magazine and the zoo representative, Mr. Jones, forge a story that is exciting and very real.
The giraffes themselves, who are simply called Girl and Boy by Woody, are marvelous characters. While reading, you develop a genuine sense of who they are, their personalities, and the attachments our three main characters feel for the animals. This is a coming-of-age story, and the giraffes play a huge part in shaping the people, particularly Woody.
I’m always surprised when a book like this one leaves me in tears, but there were some flowing as I reached the end of the trip and the end of the story with Woody. They were tears of emotion more than of sadness, and I wished with all my heart that I might nuzzle the gentle creatures who were able to transform a lonely and lost boy into a better man.
Based on a real event, this is the story of the transporting of two giraffes from New York, after arriving in a ship that had just survived a hurricane, across the country to the San Diego zoo. The events are related in retrospect by the boy who drove the truck that transported them, now an old man in a Veterans home.
The boy, Woody Nickel, is an orphan who has clawed his way from the Texas panhandle dust bowl, where he has buried his entire family. He has made his way to New York and a cousin, but the hurricane leaves his cousin dead and him alone again, which is why he gets the bright idea of following the giraffes to California. How he comes to have the job of driving, the adventures and problems encountered on the trip, and the others involved, including a girl named Augusta who wants to be a reporter for Life Magazine and the zoo representative, Mr. Jones, forge a story that is exciting and very real.
The giraffes themselves, who are simply called Girl and Boy by Woody, are marvelous characters. While reading, you develop a genuine sense of who they are, their personalities, and the attachments our three main characters feel for the animals. This is a coming-of-age story, and the giraffes play a huge part in shaping the people, particularly Woody.
I’m always surprised when a book like this one leaves me in tears, but there were some flowing as I reached the end of the trip and the end of the story with Woody. They were tears of emotion more than of sadness, and I wished with all my heart that I might nuzzle the gentle creatures who were able to transform a lonely and lost boy into a better man.
June 12, 2021
Good book! Not a favorite. Good story line well written. Funny in many parts. I can see this made into a movie one day.
March 8, 2023
For those unfamiliar with the historical event upon which this novel is based: A massive hurricane hit the East Coast of the USA in 1938. The destruction on land was substantial but there were also maritime losses including a ship carrying African giraffes. It was astounding that, while the ship sank, the giraffes were rescued and wind up in New York Harbor. From there, they must be taken across the continent by truck to the relatively new zoological park in San Diego, California.
There was not one American in a million who had actually seen a live giraffe and there was no way that those giraffes could be hidden. In fact, the Age of the Automobile had just begun and there were only a few disconnected bits of actual highway that a truck could use and no standards for the height of bridges that vehicles must pass under.
This is a hurricane force adventure that moves from one peril to another:
There are giraffe injuries that must be watched and tended to;
There are those who would want to steal these rare animals;
There are the usual difficulties of bad roads and unreliable vehicles;
There are the reporters and photographers and their pursuit and demands;
There are ethnic and racial confrontations; and,
There are storms and deserts to contend with.
The characters are well-drawn and each of the main characters has a mysterious back-story. Rutledge weaves it all together with a touch of magic that these massive creatures bring to almost everyone. The period is rich with its Depression, Dust Bowl and on-the-brink-of-war elements.
Some will not like that the story is being told as a reminiscence by one of the characters who has lasted into the 21st century. But it worked well for me because it allowed the author to give us dual “now and then” perspectives.
An easy to read and hard to put down delight. 4.5*
There was not one American in a million who had actually seen a live giraffe and there was no way that those giraffes could be hidden. In fact, the Age of the Automobile had just begun and there were only a few disconnected bits of actual highway that a truck could use and no standards for the height of bridges that vehicles must pass under.
This is a hurricane force adventure that moves from one peril to another:
There are giraffe injuries that must be watched and tended to;
There are those who would want to steal these rare animals;
There are the usual difficulties of bad roads and unreliable vehicles;
There are the reporters and photographers and their pursuit and demands;
There are ethnic and racial confrontations; and,
There are storms and deserts to contend with.
The characters are well-drawn and each of the main characters has a mysterious back-story. Rutledge weaves it all together with a touch of magic that these massive creatures bring to almost everyone. The period is rich with its Depression, Dust Bowl and on-the-brink-of-war elements.
Some will not like that the story is being told as a reminiscence by one of the characters who has lasted into the 21st century. But it worked well for me because it allowed the author to give us dual “now and then” perspectives.
An easy to read and hard to put down delight. 4.5*
May 11, 2022
The first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed the topic, the setting and the giraffes!!
This is a novel that is set amongst the true story of two giraffes who are being transported from New York to their new home at the San Diego Zoo back in 1938. The giraffes survive a hurricane, one of them is injured due to the storm, and they need to get across the country in no less than 2 weeks in order to ensure their health.
And while this is a story about giraffes it also is about the two men who drive them across country and the red-headed girl who dogs them trying to get photos for Life Magazine. It is a nice story filled with all the adventure that you would expect from trying to transport 2 giraffes across county in the 1930's and having to encounter all the different people and obstacles that confronted them. The narrator of the story is the 17/18 year old Woody Nickel and this is as much his story as one about the giraffes. Very good work by the author and if you are not a fan of giraffes when you start the book you will be in love with them by last page!
Feel free to read my more in-depth review at www.viewsonbooks.com
This is a novel that is set amongst the true story of two giraffes who are being transported from New York to their new home at the San Diego Zoo back in 1938. The giraffes survive a hurricane, one of them is injured due to the storm, and they need to get across the country in no less than 2 weeks in order to ensure their health.
And while this is a story about giraffes it also is about the two men who drive them across country and the red-headed girl who dogs them trying to get photos for Life Magazine. It is a nice story filled with all the adventure that you would expect from trying to transport 2 giraffes across county in the 1930's and having to encounter all the different people and obstacles that confronted them. The narrator of the story is the 17/18 year old Woody Nickel and this is as much his story as one about the giraffes. Very good work by the author and if you are not a fan of giraffes when you start the book you will be in love with them by last page!
Feel free to read my more in-depth review at www.viewsonbooks.com
January 25, 2021
This is a good book for the whole family to read. If you liked Water for Elephants you will certainly enjoy this book. Takes place in the same time frame. We talk about Covid-19 and it’s horrors, but read this and it will have you rethinking how bad we have it... we don’t
Grab a box of Kleenex.. and enjoy a great book!
Grab a box of Kleenex.. and enjoy a great book!
May 3, 2026
This book reads like a remake of Water for Elephants.
Woody drives for a while.
They stop so the giraffes can eat.
They run into road trouble.
Red is following them and takes pictures.
They solve their trouble.
They stop for the night.
Repeat the same sequence tomorrow, and the next day.
Oh yeah, there are interludes with the protagonist as an old man in a nursing home--just like Water for Elephants.
Woody drives for a while.
They stop so the giraffes can eat.
They run into road trouble.
Red is following them and takes pictures.
They solve their trouble.
They stop for the night.
Repeat the same sequence tomorrow, and the next day.
Oh yeah, there are interludes with the protagonist as an old man in a nursing home--just like Water for Elephants.
July 25, 2021
How do you mess up a story about two giraffes, an orphaned boy, a hurricane, and a cross country trip? With horrible writing. Who was the editor on this one? I was so excited to read this book but couldn't get past the first third.
The passivity of the voice started as annoying and grew to be grating. Every paragraph is built around sentences like these one:
"Falling out of the hut's bed, I threw myself out the door."
"Trying to keep from going to complete mush watching her caress Boy [a giraffe], I scrambled for something, anything, to say and heard one of Old Man's warnings come out of my mouth."
"Listening for the old man's snores, I led her to the rig through the shadows of the campfire light."
And so on. Ad nauseam. Used sparingly, this style of writing would have been palatable. Rutledge's reliance on this sentence structure killed the story. I could not have been more disappointed.
The passivity of the voice started as annoying and grew to be grating. Every paragraph is built around sentences like these one:
"Falling out of the hut's bed, I threw myself out the door."
"Trying to keep from going to complete mush watching her caress Boy [a giraffe], I scrambled for something, anything, to say and heard one of Old Man's warnings come out of my mouth."
"Listening for the old man's snores, I led her to the rig through the shadows of the campfire light."
And so on. Ad nauseam. Used sparingly, this style of writing would have been palatable. Rutledge's reliance on this sentence structure killed the story. I could not have been more disappointed.
May 28, 2021
I loved this book from the first page to the very last. It's hard to imagine a time when most of the population had never seen a giraffe. It's harder to imagine hauling two of them across the United States during the Dust Bowl. But the author does a magnificent job. The trials and hardships of an old man, a young man, and a dreamy eyed girl are laid out for all to breath in through the action, imagery, and emotion of life during the hardest of times. I would give this book ten stars if possible. I certainly recommend it as a book club read.
February 14, 2021
My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a review e-copy of this one.
West with Giraffes is an endearing, and also heart-rending piece of historical fiction. The story is set around a truly extraordinary real life occurrence that took place in 1938. Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving a hurricane at sea. Then they made another journey, a road trip of over 3,000 miles to San Diego Zoo (then under the first female zoo director Belle Benchley), which became their home for the next nearly 30 years.
The story is narrated by Woodrow Wilson Nickel, a fictional character. When the story opens, he is 105, and being the age he is, he wishes to write of the experience of a lifetime, one he had when he was only 17, so that it does not get lost. Woody Nickel, at that young age has survived near poverty in the dust bowl where all his family lie dead, and after an arduous journey to his cousin in New York, must face the devastating hurricane of 1938. Barely surviving this, he comes across the two giraffes being unloaded from the ship the travelled on. They too have survived. Woody (who has a deep feeling for animals) feels an instant connect with them, and decides to follow them on their journey to San Diego, for ‘Californy’ he is sure is a land of opportunity. Circumstances become such that some way down the road, Woody finds himself driving the giraffes with zookeeper Riley Jones (‘Old Man’). Along the way, they keep running into Augusta Red, a reporter documenting the giraffes’ journey in pictures, whom Woody takes to immediately.
The journey is an eventful one with plenty of bumps in the road, and they meet both kind-hearted people and some with rather nefarious plans. Alongside, we also learn the stories of the people we are travelling with—secrets, ambitions, fights for survival. Our characters must also face up to their pasts, but in the company of these graceful animals, this becomes somewhat easier as they experience a comfort like no other.
Like another reviewer has said, I did find myself a little confused at the beginning for from my reading of the description of the story, I somehow was under the impression that Woody was 105 when the events took place, and the story seemed to open in the future. But once I had gotten my head around how it was structured, it began to make more sense and I really began to enjoy it. The journey itself is a great deal of fun, and like all enjoyable roadtrip tales, we meet an assortment of characters, and also witness life in those times, the prejudices that people had and hardships they lived under. Woody’s own life too, we learn about as we go along—reading about life that people in the dust bowl had, what they had to face day after day, with little hope of escape or anything different is truly heart-wrenching, as is the discrimination and prejudices that were far stronger in the period—against women, and people of colour. Measuring what we consider hard alongside this, one realises how minor our own problems feel.
Amidst all this, the giraffes themselves represent peace, for with them, our characters manage to forget their hardships, even perhaps what lies ahead and experience true feeling. They are truly connected with the earth, with life, and our characters feel that with them, as to an extent do we. I loved the sentiment that author keeps at the centre of her story—that of all life having value, human or animal and needing to be respected for that reason. Her love for animals shines through in her characters, and me as an animal lover felt that with them, and also cheered when some of the less savoury characters got their just desserts. I also loved the incorporation of the giraffes’ humming and love of onions, both of which I didn’t know about. In fact, reading about this, I ended up googling giraffe sounds because I honestly hadn’t even considered the sound they make/their call before this.
This was a really lovely and emotion-filled story, a great combination of history, fiction and love for animals, which I enjoyed very much; the only things that I didn’t like were the confusion at the start (a minor complaint) and the fact that at some moments, things felt a little too dramatic. But other than that an excellent tale--4.5 stars!
A couple of lines that I liked;
‘Whenever I locked eyes with an animal, I felt something more soulful than I felt from the humans I knew…’
'Life is life, no matter who or what is living it…a thing to respect’.
This review is also on my blog here: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2...
West with Giraffes is an endearing, and also heart-rending piece of historical fiction. The story is set around a truly extraordinary real life occurrence that took place in 1938. Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving a hurricane at sea. Then they made another journey, a road trip of over 3,000 miles to San Diego Zoo (then under the first female zoo director Belle Benchley), which became their home for the next nearly 30 years.
The story is narrated by Woodrow Wilson Nickel, a fictional character. When the story opens, he is 105, and being the age he is, he wishes to write of the experience of a lifetime, one he had when he was only 17, so that it does not get lost. Woody Nickel, at that young age has survived near poverty in the dust bowl where all his family lie dead, and after an arduous journey to his cousin in New York, must face the devastating hurricane of 1938. Barely surviving this, he comes across the two giraffes being unloaded from the ship the travelled on. They too have survived. Woody (who has a deep feeling for animals) feels an instant connect with them, and decides to follow them on their journey to San Diego, for ‘Californy’ he is sure is a land of opportunity. Circumstances become such that some way down the road, Woody finds himself driving the giraffes with zookeeper Riley Jones (‘Old Man’). Along the way, they keep running into Augusta Red, a reporter documenting the giraffes’ journey in pictures, whom Woody takes to immediately.
The journey is an eventful one with plenty of bumps in the road, and they meet both kind-hearted people and some with rather nefarious plans. Alongside, we also learn the stories of the people we are travelling with—secrets, ambitions, fights for survival. Our characters must also face up to their pasts, but in the company of these graceful animals, this becomes somewhat easier as they experience a comfort like no other.
Like another reviewer has said, I did find myself a little confused at the beginning for from my reading of the description of the story, I somehow was under the impression that Woody was 105 when the events took place, and the story seemed to open in the future. But once I had gotten my head around how it was structured, it began to make more sense and I really began to enjoy it. The journey itself is a great deal of fun, and like all enjoyable roadtrip tales, we meet an assortment of characters, and also witness life in those times, the prejudices that people had and hardships they lived under. Woody’s own life too, we learn about as we go along—reading about life that people in the dust bowl had, what they had to face day after day, with little hope of escape or anything different is truly heart-wrenching, as is the discrimination and prejudices that were far stronger in the period—against women, and people of colour. Measuring what we consider hard alongside this, one realises how minor our own problems feel.
Amidst all this, the giraffes themselves represent peace, for with them, our characters manage to forget their hardships, even perhaps what lies ahead and experience true feeling. They are truly connected with the earth, with life, and our characters feel that with them, as to an extent do we. I loved the sentiment that author keeps at the centre of her story—that of all life having value, human or animal and needing to be respected for that reason. Her love for animals shines through in her characters, and me as an animal lover felt that with them, and also cheered when some of the less savoury characters got their just desserts. I also loved the incorporation of the giraffes’ humming and love of onions, both of which I didn’t know about. In fact, reading about this, I ended up googling giraffe sounds because I honestly hadn’t even considered the sound they make/their call before this.
This was a really lovely and emotion-filled story, a great combination of history, fiction and love for animals, which I enjoyed very much; the only things that I didn’t like were the confusion at the start (a minor complaint) and the fact that at some moments, things felt a little too dramatic. But other than that an excellent tale--4.5 stars!
A couple of lines that I liked;
‘Whenever I locked eyes with an animal, I felt something more soulful than I felt from the humans I knew…’
'Life is life, no matter who or what is living it…a thing to respect’.
This review is also on my blog here: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2...
April 27, 2021
I did not like this book. I almost stopped reading 4 or 5 times and I should have. I stalled in the middle to read another book. I love animals and historical fiction and was so excited about this book before it came out. Like some others, I found the tone and dialogue annoying. I’m shocked this was rated so highly. The end was slightly redeeming and interesting which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. Prepare to read the word caterwaul more than you have in your entire life up to this point.
August 10, 2024
I'm a sucker for a story that takes place cross country. Add in a couple of giraffes and some memorable characters you meet along the way, and you have a winner! This book is more than just a retelling of a similar experience that took place in the 1930's, it has a life affirming tone that is sprinkled throughout the story. No matter what gets in your way, there is always opportunities for second chances.
Can't recommend this one enough, and perfect for a book club discussion!
Can't recommend this one enough, and perfect for a book club discussion!
June 29, 2021
In 1938, two giraffes were transported by boat to New York, then by trailer to the San Diego Zoo. That historical event inspired this fictional story starring an experienced zoo keeper, a 17 year old orphan, an aspiring photo journalist and 2 giraffes. The narrator is the orphan, now 100 years old and nearing death, who has decided that he can’t let the story die with him. So, although he can’t speak, falls out of his wheelchair, isn’t eating, he commits this story in sprawling detail to the pages of notebooks. It was the voice of the narrator that I struggled with. No one recalls exact conversations, the gap teeth of a service station attendant, the color of vehicles along the road after 80 years. Weakened by age, racing against a clock, hallucinating, writing long hand, I could not believe that a writer would include details about billboards, flying birds, the physical look of hotels and camp grounds. At times, he spoke with folksie colloquialisms and the next sentence seemed to be constructed with the aid of a thesaurus. The author certainly did her research into American life in 1938 and she wove every bit of what she learned into this novel. 2.5 stars
September 6, 2023
I read this book in one day. I don’t generally have a day to devote to reading, but I started this on the morning of Labor Day, a US holiday, and I only stopped reading to make and eat meals. I finished at bedtime.
This book, “based on a true story,” is about a journey from New York to San Diego in 1938, with two giraffes who survived a hurricane, on their way to the San Diego Zoo. It is quite an adventure, a growing up story, a love story, a trip through the Dust Bowl with a flash flood and several villainous characters along the way. They take the Southern route called the Lee Highway through Memphis to the Texas panhandle, through Arizona to San Diego. The journey is perilous.
This would be a good companion book to Lincoln Highway, both being cross country trips on the first highways in America. I think I liked this book better. It is a story with a lot of heart.
This book, “based on a true story,” is about a journey from New York to San Diego in 1938, with two giraffes who survived a hurricane, on their way to the San Diego Zoo. It is quite an adventure, a growing up story, a love story, a trip through the Dust Bowl with a flash flood and several villainous characters along the way. They take the Southern route called the Lee Highway through Memphis to the Texas panhandle, through Arizona to San Diego. The journey is perilous.
This would be a good companion book to Lincoln Highway, both being cross country trips on the first highways in America. I think I liked this book better. It is a story with a lot of heart.
August 2, 2023
i'm super confused by all the positive reviews of this book because i honestly just found it really, really... boring. the premise sounds so intriguing, but in reality, 75% of the plot is just driving, driving, driving, let's feed the giraffes, let's stop for the night at this motel, and repeat x 50.
there are some little conflicts & problems scattered throughout, but they always get resolved fairly quickly. the author tries to build suspense throughout the novel via a few plot points -- the will-they-won't-they relationship between woody & augusta/red, whatever traumatic thing happened to woody back home that makes him have nightmares whenever he tries to sleep, whether riley jones is really a murderer -- and yet none of these things were suspenseful to me because i found that i just didn't care and wanted to be done with the book.
the book is also interspersed with chapters that jump forward like 90 years into the future, in which the protagonist is in some kind of retirement home, writing a book (the very story that we are reading). these scenes were dull and added nothing to the story. in general, i find this such a lazy technique, and it was not well executed here either.
with that being said, i actually found the author's note at the end really lovely and impactful. when i read it, i perked up for the first time in 350 pages and actually started paying attention. why couldn't the whole book have felt like that????
there are some little conflicts & problems scattered throughout, but they always get resolved fairly quickly. the author tries to build suspense throughout the novel via a few plot points -- the will-they-won't-they relationship between woody & augusta/red, whatever traumatic thing happened to woody back home that makes him have nightmares whenever he tries to sleep, whether riley jones is really a murderer -- and yet none of these things were suspenseful to me because i found that i just didn't care and wanted to be done with the book.
the book is also interspersed with chapters that jump forward like 90 years into the future, in which the protagonist is in some kind of retirement home, writing a book (the very story that we are reading). these scenes were dull and added nothing to the story. in general, i find this such a lazy technique, and it was not well executed here either.
with that being said, i actually found the author's note at the end really lovely and impactful. when i read it, i perked up for the first time in 350 pages and actually started paying attention. why couldn't the whole book have felt like that????
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