West with Giraffes

Paperback, 371 pages

Published Feb. 1, 2021 by Lake Union Publishing.

ISBN:: 9781542023344

(1 review)

“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, …

“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.

5 editions

Machinedreamread@bookwyrm.social reviewed West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

Terrible Audio Narration, ‘just okay’ story

2 stars

I listened to this book in Audible because it wasn’t available through Libby. (I know, I’m ashamed). The narrator was TERRIBLE!!! Worse voice imaginable. The writing of this book was redundant too, a lot of repeated words to describe things that had me rolling my eyes at parts. The story was okay, but it could have been so much better. It had so much potential, especially to me as a Giraffe lover! Worst book I’ve read all year. Not the worst book of all time though. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT listen to the audio recording of this book if you decide to read it.