Lake Union. I can't stand reading about animal cruelty, but this book is overall a feel-good adventure story. Until, one day, I finally began to write: A few of the THOUSANDS of reader reviews: "It's not often I have to sit in silence and recover when I finish a book, but I needed to after this one. Worley, Karen E. 2016. The Great Depression lingers. It's 1938. img#wpstats{display:none} Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. /* If html does not have either class, do not show lazy loaded images. They were to be the zoos first giraffes, and the city was excited about the impending arrivals. (Available in Hardback, Paperback, Audio, and Kindle E-Book) CLICK *HERE*to Sample or Buy on AMAZON THE He finds his only living relative, a cousin in New York, where he works until his cousins death in a hurricane. } I'm about a third of the way through and really enjoying it. This study guide contains the following sections: This detailed literature summary also contains Quotes and a Free Quiz on He grabs a rabbit and drops it onto the cage of the tiger, who eats it right away. The giraffes were blighted with an unnamed contagion and had to be destroyed before it could spread to. Thank you Lynda Rutledge for researching this story and writing this wonderful fictionalized account!! Riley Jones, aka Old Man: head keeper of the San Diego Zoo. West with Giraffes, a novel by Lynda Rutledge, gripped my attention from beginning to end. "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. THAT'S how good it is! The first words in the narrative that one sees in this novel is the beginning of an article published in the New York World-Telegram newspaper on September 22, 1938. In normal conditions this would be a rough trip, especially for temperature-sensitive giraffes, which were placed in crates and forced to endure whatever the high seas threw at them. Thank you for such an amazing story! Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Read the Study Guide for West With Giraffes. Discussing West with Giraffes? Thanks for the review, I'm definitly going to read it now! } Because I loved this book so much, I bought a paperback copy to give to my dad, and I'd also like to buy a Kindle copy to give away to one of you! Little did anyone now that in September 1938, during the final few days of their trip, these animals bound for San Diego would encounter what was then the most devastating hurricane to hit the upper East Coast, killing nearly 700 people. I loved this book! Giraffes Proud Parents at the San Diego Zoo. Los Angeles Times (August 28, 1952): 15. I'm going to try to convince my kids to read it--they don't like to take suggestions from their mom, because I'm so uncool ;), I'm SO glad that I picked it out for my First Reads book. West With Giraffes. An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. Reading it was like falling into another world. 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. If you want to skip over it, just skip to the horizontal line break. One of the giraffes is hurt and the cage is crushed around her. He has no money, no possessions, and no real direction for his life. . There is a part where they come across a gas station with a "zoo" in the middle of nowhere in the desert, and the man who owns it is cruel to his "attractions"--a bear, a rattlesnake, a tiger (? Anatole France, Nobel Laureate, 1921". I recommend reading the book before the guide. 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. This is the only image available, a newspaper article offering a glimpse of the finished traveling rig, with a tarp over it. DeLeon, Clark. Early on when Woody says he has no story to Red she responds, Sure you do. Finally, the last thing I can think of is that Woody describes his last day at home in Texas, where his father forced him to put down his horse with a rifle. Thank you for sharing it the magic of googling. He called me pickle puss and remembered me when I brought my 4 children to meet him. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. ", "The author manages to wrap a travelogue, a historical novel, a social and political commentary, a coming of age story, and a love story together in one book. Others view zoos as limiting the natural inclinations and wanderings of animals, treating them as property and keeping them from their native lands. Book excerpt: 1938: The Great Depression lingers. Giraffes Will Ride in Truck to California. Miami Herald (September 25, 1938): 4. That was the plan, anyway, but the female giraffe had had enough of travel crates! He plots to try to follow the giraffes to California, which proves more difficult than he hoped. Prior to becoming head keeper at the San Diego Zoo, he had been with the circus since he was eleven years old, including sixteen-year gig as the lead keeper of the Ringling Bros. circus. In the year 2025, at age 105, Woodrow Wilson Nickel reads that giraffes are becoming extinct, and suddenly memories come rushing back. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. As I looked for more historical information, I found your page. West with Giraffes Summary. Getting to see a giraffe in 1938 was a pretty rare occasion. The Question and Answer section for West With Giraffes is a great Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving . .printfriendly { outline:none; .figcaption {font-size: 75%;} 3rd ed. tells a story looking back at his youth of when he talked his way into helping drive a couple Giraffes from the East Coast to San Diego, California. Images of America Series. As soon as Smith had apprised Belle Benchley of the giraffes poor condition, Benchley contacted Dr. Charles Schroeder from the Bronx Zoo to assess her condition. And the novel is centered on Woody as he rapidly writes down his and Reds story because he feels its important to share with Reds daughter. @media screen { I loved the giraffes, the characters, the story, the writing. Imagine waves so severe that a rhino is tossed overboard. 8) How do you think the title, Such a Fun Age, relates to the story? 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. It was a wonderful novel. That puckish little ship battled the onslaught of the tempest for six hours and it is definitely worth keeping in mind that ships charged with transporting exotic animals back looked nothing like the state-of-the-art vessels of today. . 2021. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. . west with giraffes ending explainedhot wheels mystery car code list west with giraffes ending explained. .printfriendly { How do you feel about zoos? Sold! The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. There are several viewable at Wisconsinhistory.org, such as this one of a woman on the running board of the truck feeding a giraffe in the crate and this one of the crates being loaded with a giraffe leaning out the window of one crate. Have you ever dreamed of taking or have you taken a driving trip cross-country? Boston: Little, Brown and Co. Croke, Vicki. The following summary relies on the present tense. 100 Years of the San Diego Zoo. It's not at all what I pictured, but it's cool to see! But heres the really amazing part of West with Giraffes. Old World Stone and Garden; Build; Glossary; Forum; west with giraffes ending explained. In this week's Book Bites trailer, Shelly tells us about West With Giraffes by Lynda R. Stephenson. Now. Download or read book West with Giraffes written by Lynda Rutledge and published by Lake Union Publishing. The tone is so well-crafted, the dialog so realistic. } Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. After loading the giraffes onto the truck, they headed to the U.S. Book: West With GiraffesAuthor: Lynda RutledgeEdition: Hardcover, Lake Union Publishing. Thank you so much for the feedback! When have you been so driven to do something that you felt like nothing could stop you? west with giraffes ending explained west with giraffes ending explained. During that time they had seven offspring, including aptly named D-Day, born June 6, 1944. border: none; Home; Products. It's gripping, moving, and so incredibly touching. West With Giraffes, while an historical novel, reads as a beautiful memoir of one brief and eventful journey. Vol. Unbeknownst to him, she is a married woman and is being pursued by the police for stealing her husbands car and crossing state lines without a male chauffeur. 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. Everybodys got one. page 96. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. He uses a stolen motorcycle to follow the giraffes, and when the Old Mans driver, Earl, suddenly quits his job, Woody propositions him to be the new driver. Disheartened, Red buys a ticket back east in Phoenix to be reunited with her husband Lionel. 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. After his death, Woodys last wish is fulfilled, and his manuscripts are delivered to Augie Ann. Even so, this is a novel; a work of historical fiction. ", "It had me both laughing and crying. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, aka Woody Nickel, almost 18, happens to be on a New York dock in 1938 when the hurricane-battered SS Robin Goodfellow limps into the harbor. box-shadow: none; The 130-foot storm-ravaged cargo ship finally reached soggy and mangled Brooklyn on September 23. She was delighted when Coronado selected West with Giraffes for their city-wide Community Read . "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. Thanks. These dates argue for a mid to late Pleistocene radi Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. mercedes timing chain replacement; settings, processes, methods, and tools in communication; 1 lb propane tank regulator for tabletop grills; chebrolu surname caste Woodrow Wilson Nickel aka Woody: 105 year-old man in 2025 writing about his experiences driving the two giraffes westMr. So preciousIt reminded me of my days at the St Louis Zoo and Bill Ross the elephant man. Thank you. West with Giraffes. . Lofty and Patches lived at the San Diego Zoo for nearly 30 years. Romance. Charley Smith would update Benchley via telegram during the twelve-day trek. Woody learns that Red is pregnant, and that she lied about being a photographer for Life magazine. Imagine my surprise, then, when I read the very first sentence of the prologue and I was hooked immediately. But was he proud of the two beautiful animals! I refuse to give out any spoilers about the novel, but I encourage you to pick it up. This is the only image available, a newspaper article offering a glimpse of the finished traveling rig, with a tarp over it. poeticpoet 8 yr. ago .printfriendly.pf-alignleft { And unlike the typical Broadway musical of the 1950s and before, West Side Story does not offer audiences a happy ending. West With Giraffes, Lynda Rutledge "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. FYI - the Google form doesn't appear to be working. An aged veteran (105!) By this time, the hurricane giraffes had made national headlines. html:not( .jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled ):not( .js ) .jetpack-lazy-image { ", "I was profoundly moved by West with Giraffes. justify-content: center; Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. He has nothing keeping him in New York, no family, no home, and a lot of ideas about the opportunities that await in California. I started getting worried about something terrible happening to the giraffes so I thought I'd check for spoilers. 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. 2021. As a book junkie, when I receive new book alerts I almost always peruse the titles. While the cars and signs and lodgings have changed, there remains something special about a cross-country road trip. I hope to die there, I do. 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. These giraffes, Boy and Girl, win the love and respect of Woody; the Old Man; and Red, a. 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. Stephenson, Lynda Rutledge. Some people value zoos as a place to help individuals connect with animals they may never otherwise meet or a place to safeguard an animal from extinction. oh, those sky-high eyes of theirs. "Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes" Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. Initially they refused to leave their traveling carriers but were eventually lured out with onions.