West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge – 371 pages

Book Blurb:

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.

My Review: 4.5 stars

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West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge was a surprise hit when it released in 2021. Who knew that a story based on a pair of real-life giraffes that survived a major hurricane while at sea would touch so many readers.

I had heard over the years how great this book was but as all readers know, you must pick and choose what to read next, and it’s never easy. As a book club facilitator, I decided to discuss this book with book clubs because it would force me to read it – and I’m so glad I did. Animals are spectacular creatures, and this book delves deeply into the relationship between man and animal. Never in a million years would I have considered how to travel across the country with two giraffes in tow.

The storytelling in this book was on point and the pacing was perfect. Equal parts concern, suspense and friendship were highlighted throughout the novel. Amazing character development and richly drawn imagery made this a stand out book for me.

Quotes I liked:

It is a foolish man who thinks stories do not matter—when in the end, they may be all that matter and all the forever we’ll ever know.”

“Time heals all wounds they say. I’m here to tell you that time can wound you all on its own.”

“The thing about knowing you’re doing something for the last time is that it takes the joy right out of it. I’ve done lots of things for the last time in my long life, but I didn’t know it.”