Besides the below book club questions, remember, the easiest way to be . Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. I too cannot read a book or watch a movie or anything involving animal cruelty/death. ", "A journey through a world both intimately familiar and lost in the dust of the past. 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 ________". [NOTICE: The Kindle version has all the back information, including the Authors Note, Historical Notes, and Acknowledgements. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the . I wasn't excited about reading it, but I wanted to stick with the theme. @media print { These dates argue for a mid to late Pleistocene radi Lynda. I refuse to give out any spoilers about the novel, but I encourage you to pick it up. 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. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. Seattle, WA: Lake Union Publishing. Her fictional account follows the giraffe truck across the Lee Highway and illustrates the scenes of America in 1938. 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West With Giraffes: A Novel Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. The original handwritten caption reads: "7 negatives of D-40 Internationals sold to San Diego Zoo to transport 2 giraffes across the continent from New York. West with Giraffes Quotes. I seldom read books more than once, but this one I will return to again in the future! I had to turn on comment moderation due to a ton of spam comments, but I will approve your comment ASAP. help you understand the book. San Diego Zoo Centennial Timeline: 1938. https://www.sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/timeline/1938/1938/ (accessed 2/9/2021). display: flex; align-items: center; 1999. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 219 Reviews. They were given names Lofty and Patches, the winning entries in a naming contest. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) I loved the poetic, whimsical play with the words. Woodrow Wilson Nickel aka Woody: 105 year-old man in 2025 writing about his experiences driving the two giraffes westMr. It reminded me of The Green Mile (movie) where Tom Hanks' character is ridiculously old and he tells the whole story of The Green Mile to a woman at the nursing home where he lives. "A boy running from his mystery past, two giraffes, a gruff old zoo keeper, a red headed photographer and an adventure so extraordinary it has given me goosebumps", "West with Giraffes, along with Water for Elephants, The Last Bus to Wisdom, News of the World and Where the Crawdads Sing are the kind of books that the reader wants to devour in a dayonly to immediately turn back to the beginning to savor each page.", "This is a book unlike any I have ever readThere is black humor, heartbreak, and hope all balled up into a crazy road trip and a story that spans 100 years that will touch heart and soul", "Read this book. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone--from about 12 years old and up, whether you're an "animal person" or not, or interested in history or not. He has nothing keeping him in New York, no family, no home, and a lot of ideas about the opportunities that await in California. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. These giraffes, Boy and Girl, win the love and respect of Woody; the Old Man; and Red, a. West with Giraffes is a wonderful novel based on the true story of the cross-country road trip America's first giraffes took in 1938. After three days of being fed pancakes (and the giraffes are indeed fed pancakes at one point in the novel), she mustered up the energy to pull herself up. This book is AMAZING and it's one of those books that you just can't forget. The Great Depression lingers. It is clear from Belle Benchleys memoir that she had a wonderful relationship with many of her keepers, particularly Charley Smith. Thanks. The giraffes, probably only a few years old, were met at the Brooklyn dock by the San Diego Zoos head keeper Charley Smith (Riley Jones and Old Man in the novel) and city truck driver Ed Seuss (Earl). Red shares with Woody that she suffers from a broken heart. Would you like to? It is as efficient in conveying all the necessary facts of the incident as the incident is seemingly absurd. . Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the worlds 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. 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. Animal Quarantine Station in Athenia, New Jersey, for a federally mandated fifteen-day quarantine. In the year 2025, at age 105, Woodrow Wilson Nickel reads that giraffes are becoming extinct, and suddenly memories come rushing back. 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. 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