I loved this book. It took place during the dust bowl. ( )

A 17 yr old Woody makes his way from Texas to New York after the Dust Bowl kills his family. He happens to be there when he sees two giraffes being taken off a ship and put in a trailer bound for San Diego, CA. He becomes infatuated with them and decides he will follow them to California. When he is over 100 and a nursing home, he feels it is purpose to journal his story so it can be shared with other after he passes. It is a remarkable journey getting the giraffes to San Diego. Princeton Book Review: PBR Review: (by- Andrea)Based on an actual event, West with Giraffes is an endearing story about transporting two young giraffes across the country in 1938. 17-year-old Woody, a dust bowl orphan, finds his way to NY during the hurricane of 1938 and ends up driving across the country with a scrappy older man, Riley, to deliver the giraffes to the San Diego Zoo.The journey is complex and filled with adventures and mishaps. They encounter shady characters, unforeseen circumstances, and several obstacles. Both good and evil people are interested in these beautiful animals, and they struggle to deliver them safely. Throughout this challenging journey, Woody is given many opportunities to grow and reinvent himself.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.Barnes and Noble: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.

My sister visited in the summer and "shared" several dead-tree books that she had recently read. I generally read on Kindle, but I accepted the challenge of reading one or two of the books she "donated" to us. This was the first such book, and I rather liked it.

It concerns a young man, Woody Nickle, who grew up in the Texas Panhandle. Basically, his family was wiped out during "dust bowl" days. at 19, Woody found himself in New York living with Cuz. But a massive hurricane took out Cuz, and Woody was alone. But, down on the docks, he saw a ship unloading a pair of giraffes who were bound for the San Diego Zoo. One, "Girl", was injured, and needed some medical treatment, including a splint for a broken leg. Somehow Woody was enraptured and felt a need to be with the giraffes. So, when the giraffes headed out on their truck, Woody followed them in a "borrowed" motor cycle.

Eventually, the driver quit and Woody somehow wrangled himself into the job of driving the giraffes, but "only to the next town or two". But, he managed to keep on and, after rather a lot of adventures, Woody and Riley Jones, the Zoo Keeper, delivered "Boy" and "Girl" to the zoo.

Along the way they kept running into another person who was enraptured by the giraffes, a young woman known as Augusta Red. She was claiming to be a fancy photographer who would get the story in Life magazine, but she really was just another giraffe junky.

I dunno, it sounds a bit silly, but it was really an intriguing story. I guess I owe my older sister. ( )

As a wildlife and historical fiction lover, I anticipated liking this book quite a bit after reading the summary of it. That did not turn out to be the case, however. I did not like this book. In fact, I very much did NOT like West with Giraffes. You can likely chalk that up to personal preference with genres, writing styles, symbolism, etc.

The idea of the book was born from an actual event that took place in the 1930's involving a pair of giraffes who had survived a hurricane and were transported across the country to the San Diego Zoo. The fictional characters in this book are introduced to us in small, shadowly details; with little flashbacks, never fully illuminated and always cloaked in mystery. Thus I found they kept me at an arm's length, to say the least. I could not grow close to them. Actually, I ended up disliking all of the characters populating the story, to one degree or another. The details we were given about them were dark. This was not the upbeat, adventurous story of transporting giraffes across the country at a time when no one had ever seen one before more or less. The characters and symbolism were focused on the dark side of human nature and as such, I found them disagreeable. The giraffes were the central point drawing these humans together. It was truly a window into the tangled webs we humans often make of our lives. Even the awkward attempt at a romantic interest in the book was unsatisfying and somewhat repulsive under the circumstances.

I gave it three stars rather than a lower score based on my personal dislike of the storyline, because the writing itself was fine, although the story was laid out in a choppy, disjointed manner; purposefully I assume. ( )

Excellent book, especially if you love animals and spent a lot of time at the San Diego Zoo (like I did!)
Would be a great choice for book clubs - lots of interesting topics to discuss. Now I want to read more about Belle Benchley! ( )