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 its too late.". A man from the zoo shows up to drive the giraffes across the country to the zoo, and that's where the whole adventure begins. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. body.custom-background { background-color: #505050; } A male giraffe's average size is 14-18 feet, but you'll find the female giraffes a bit shorter than them. It's not at all what I pictured, but it's cool to see! will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. That's up to you." They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. 100 Years of the San Diego Zoo. I hope to die there, I do. National Geographic shared a 2-minute video of murmuration of starlings in the Netherlands with an audio track that is mesmerizing to listen to all by itself. Oh, the writing! 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. The story is told by a man living his last days in a nursing home as he writes his story. the rig, the Old Man, and the giraffes were more homeand more familythan any home Id ever had. ", "It had me both laughing and crying. This Study Guide consists of approximately 43pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - After reading this,I'm ready to finish. and won the hearts of Depression-era America. Guest Reviewer Rating: Four out of Five Stars. Thank you! Thank you so much for the feedback! Disheartened, Red buys a ticket back east in Phoenix to be reunited with her husband Lionel. While waiting for the giraffe rig to begin its journey, Woody meets Red and falls in love with her at first sight. Would you like to? We had us an adventure, didnt we, Woody Nickel? I have to say, though, that no matter what I write on this post, it won't do justice to this book. The Question and Answer section for West With Giraffes is a great They were to be the zoos first giraffes, and the city was excited about the impending arrivals. by . *CLICK* ON IMAGEBELOWto go to its website for much more. Lynda Rutledge's West With Giraffes is written in the first person point of view, and utilizes both past and present tenses. img.pf-button-img + .pf-button-text { -webkit-box-shadow: none; An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. html:not( .jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled ):not( .js ) .jetpack-lazy-image { } West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. This month, the theme was "The One With the Chick and the Duck"--we were to choose a book that had an animal in it. The director of the zoo tells Old Man, Any friend of Mrs. Benchley is welcome here.. Values for the northern giraffe grouping were intermediate, with West African and Rothschild's giraffes diverging about Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, (Available in Hardback, Paperback, Audio, and Kindle E-Book), Many readers have asked to see an image of the real-life traveling rig. A giraffe's super muscular heart is two feet long and weighs about 25 pounds. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), his wish for giraffes at the National Zoo, https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3298.html, https://library.sandiegozoo.org/sdzg-history-timeline/#1930, http://timeline.sandiegozoo100.org/1930/1930-3/, https://www.sandiegozoo100.org/100-animals/lofty-and-patches, https://www.sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/timeline/1938/1938/, https://issuu.com/sdzglobal/docs/march_zn. The events of the twelve-day cross-country drive are difficult to decipher outside of what Smith revealed to journalists and The Boss Lady. He did not keep a journal, so Lynda Rutledge takes creative license to fill in the blanks for us. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. If youre looking for a good read where you dont need to think too much, except maybe to daydream about your own cross-country adventure, this novel is an excellent choice. Wanting more on the true story that inspired West with Giraffes?Click on this PHOTO for an unusual book review by a Zoo Historian. border: none; a woman on the running board of the truck feeding a giraffe in the crate, the crates being loaded with a giraffe leaning out the window of one crate, listen to giraffes humming in this YouTube video, 2-minute video of murmuration of starlings in the Netherlands, How to Tell Better Stories: 4 Simple Tips for Introverts from Introverts, Dear, cience of People shares tips from the science side. It sounds like a really interesting book! San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. 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. I dont want this story to evaporate from my memory. Book excerpt: 1938: The Great Depression lingers. Out of nowhere, something finds your nose, ears, or eyes and youre on the other side of the country or world or in a whole other decade, being kissed by a doe-eyed beauty or punched by a drunken pal. Responsible for transporting the two giraffes from New York to San DiegoAugusta aka Red: want-to-be Life magazine photographer following and recording the giraffes cross-country tripWild Girl: female giraffeWild Boy: male giraffeEarl: initial driver for trip who quit on the first night outLionel Abraham Lowe: Reds husband and reporterAugie Ann: Red and Lionels daughterMr. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. When, finally, I can bear the silence no longer, I let him know that I must have news. 3rd ed. As a reader I felt as if I were sitting with Woody, the Old Man, Red, Wild Girl and Wild Boy as they traveled west, feeling the giraffes snuffling, hearing their thrumming, watching them reach out for an onion. As a book junkie, when I receive new book alerts I almost always peruse the titles. I too felt the love for the giraffes and all animals really. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to become Southern California's first giraffes. 1997. Just finished this wonderful book!! The writer is a master story-teller, a beautiful story about why stories are written and remembered. 2016. Thank you Lynda Rutledge for researching this story and writing this wonderful fictionalized account!! . Red follows the giraffe rig taking pictures she hopes will be published in Life magazine. As the country teeters between a depression and Europes looming war, a pair of giraffes, survivors of a hurricane at sea, left a wake of much-needed cheer while driven cross-country to the San Diego Zoo, where lady zoo director Mrs. Belle Benchley awaited. } Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals; males (bulls) may exceed 5.5 metres (18 feet) in height, and the tallest females (cows) are about 4.5 metres. Jackson aka Big Papa: father of clan that owns Cottages for ColoredsMoses: eldest son of Big Papa, first to spot giraffes when they get stuck under overpass on detourPercival T Bowles: Circus ringmasterCooter: animal abuser who owns a run-down road side desert animal attraction. I read through the books for that month and just could't decide honestly, NONE of them looked good to me. Orphaned during the Dust Bowl, he found his way to New York to work for a distant cousin. Animal Quarantine Station in Athenia, New Jersey, for a federally mandated fifteen-day quarantine. I wasn't excited about reading it, but I wanted to stick with the theme. Watching the video is absolutely stunning. Two African giraffes, who barely survive the 1938 Hurricanewhile crossing the Atlantic, make it to New York City. display: flex; align-items: center; San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. She smelled of fur . Wild Girl and Wild Boy are at the heart of this novel and throughout and directly in her Authors Note following the novel, the author shares her views of how we can be charmed and inspired by animals. Using prehensile tongues almost half . Sharon's Book & Wine Club - May 2021 West with giraffes by Lynda Rutledge "A perfect balance between history and fiction Rutledge blends fictional characters with real historical personalities to create a story that is equal parts educational, quirky, and romantic." -POPSUGAR.com West with Giraffes is Austin writer Lynda Rutledge's second novel, preceded by Faith Bass Darling . .figcaption {font-size: 75%;} The Great Depression lingers. I really wish the book had included a photo of the truck that the giraffes were driven in, but I found this one online. Wonderful to see the photos and learn the history! But I just updated it and it's working now! (It can be read with the Kindle app on any device. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the . Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Woody happens to be standing nearby when a cargo ship that had two giraffes aboard (who were bound for the San Diego Zoo), arrives at shore after disastrous damage to the ship. This was kind of tough for me, because the books I read typically don't have animals in them. Have you shared it? The animal's legs are also 6 feet long. Hooray Lynda Rutledge. Thanks. What did you learn about your traveling companions and what did they learn about you? I highly recommend complementing the book with photos and/or audio. Rutledge didnt include photos of the actual trip with her novel, perhaps due to the expense of copyrights, perhaps because she wanted to keep it as Woodys story. "This is the kind of story that, when well-told, can change one's perspective on the world""Heartbreakingly beautiful""Simply magic""Lynda Rutledge has written a one in a million book""The depth of feeling that went into the writing of this wonderful book exudes from every page""This book is so good it gives me shivers""A modern masterpiece", -some of Lynda's favorite reader responses, An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. It was fascinating to see my route through the eyes of someone traveling there nearly 100 years prior. 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. .printfriendly { The following summary relies on the present tense. img#wpstats{display:none} At one point in the novel, Old Man stops at the zoo in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the night to procure some medication for Girls wounded leg. I recommend reading the book before the guide. GradeSaver, 11 February 2022 Web. ); The author added a bit of suspense that could have been more well-thought out and sure, a 105-year old man couldnt have reasonably written, let alone recalled, the events in the novel. what is a voter acknowledgement card nj. I dont know how I was led to this book.Thank you to whomever suggested it. } 2015. Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving . Staff would often sneak in some of the animals when visiting herbaby foxes, binturongs, and other small mammals . } West with Giraffes is a heart-warming novel based on a true story. New York: Scribner. west with giraffes ending explained. Lofty and Patches. San Diego Zoo: 100 Years. What motivates you to action? What happened on that ship during the storm is almost too crazy to be true. How do you think zoos are important and when are they not? This is the only image available, a newspaper article offering a glimpse of the finished traveling rig, with a tarp over it. margin-left: 6px; Why do you think the author chose to write their memoir? In Tennessee, Woody and the Old Man get the giraffe rig stuck in a precarious position beneath a low bridge and are unable to get it out by themselves. Of course, I knew your zoo history background already, so I was delighted to see your additions to this beautiful story. -webkit-box-shadow: none; We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Lake Union Publishing, 371 pages, $14.95. Were you rooting for the couple to get together all along? Kindle Edition. Overall, I don't think that the subject of animal cruelty is present enough in this book to keep anyone from reading it. I Has it been made into a movie, or any chance it might be? It's 1938. In the novel, Woody is able to stop chasing the truck as, after much begging and pleading, he is offered the driving job by Old Man after a falling out with Earl. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. According to Benchley, Our relations as Boss and Man-Friday are ludicrously funny, and when he thinks he is working for me I am overjoyed. Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes. Others view zoos as limiting the natural inclinations and wanderings of animals, treating them as property and keeping them from their native lands. 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. I want to confirm my idea that Woody was the father of little Augie, who was the one who received his foot locker after his death with the porcelain gifaffe. . Home. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. DeLeon, Clark. Notice that it is very different from the only image online (seen with Zoo Historian's book review BELOW), showing the wobbly, patched hurricane-whipped crates being moved off the ship by the empty truck before the real-life traveling rig itself was fashioned while they were in quarantine. You can see a map of it on this Tillman County Blog. Perhaps you will fall in love with those giraffes and enjoy the adventures of Old Man and Woody as much as I did. Spies, Wars, Winners and Losers, It's All So Intriguing To Me! Later down the road, a circus ringmaster named Percival Bowles bribes Woody with money, and convinces him to open the giraffe crate. This book was released on 2021-02 with total page 372 pages. It just hurts so much, animals are so innocent! We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. Seattle, WA: Lake Union Publishing. Im so glad you enjoyed it! box-shadow: none; It has a happy ending. mercedes timing chain replacement; settings, processes, methods, and tools in communication; 1 lb propane tank regulator for tabletop grills; chebrolu surname caste "West With Giraffes Study Guide: Analysis". (272 kilograms). I'm doing a Friends-themed read-athon for 2021, and each month there is a different "Friends-based" theme to choose a book. Other than the female hurting her leg in the hurricane, they are uninjured. 1997. There are many photos of dust storms from the 1930s online. 2016. https://www.sandiegozoo100.org/100-animals/lofty-and-patches. Another regular occurrence, this one fictional, was the sighting of a fancy green Packard, driven by a redhead full of determination. It is rare to pick up a book that is really DIFFERENT. The book was wonderful and reading this was the icing on the cake! ETA: Ugh, this form wasn't working because I forgot to change the permissions last night. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. I see a message that, "This form can only be viewed by users in the owner's organization.". 25 Feb/23. .wp-block-image figcaption {text-align: center; font-size: 75%}, As the country teeters between a depression and Europes looming war, a pair of giraffes, survivors of a hurricane at sea, left a wake of much-needed cheer while driven cross-country to the San Diego Zoo, where lady zoo director Mrs. Belle Benchley awaited.. 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