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    West with Giraffes: A Novel
    West with Giraffes: A Novel
    West with Giraffes: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    West with Giraffes: A Novel

    Written by Lynda Rutledge

    Narrated by Danny Campbell

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateFeb 1, 2021
    ISBN9781713551140
    West with Giraffes: A Novel
    Author

    Lynda Rutledge

    Lynda Rutledge, a lifelong animal lover, has had the joy of petting baby rhinos, snorkeling with endangered turtles, and strolling with a tower of giraffes in her eclectic freelance career writing nonfiction for well-known publications and organizations while winning awards and residencies for her fiction. Her debut novel, Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale, was the winner of the 2013 Writers’ League of Texas Book Award. It was adapted into the 2018 French film La dernière folie de Claire Darling starring Catherine Deneuve. Lynda, her husband, and their resident dog live outside Austin, Texas. For more information visit www.lyndarutledge.com.

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    Reviews for West with Giraffes

    4.5/5

    939 ratings90 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a moving and interesting story that resonates with them. They appreciate the excellent writing, compelling characters, and the portrayal of the wonder of animals. The book is described as a delightful, beautiful, and heartwarming tale that brings hope and humor to a difficult time in history. Some reviewers mention that the book is a joy to listen to, with a wonderful and heartfelt adventure. However, there is one negative review that criticizes the character development and the abrupt ending. Overall, readers highly recommend this book and consider it one of the best reads of the year.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Awesome book about a trek across the country in 1939 to transport two giraffes to the San Diego Zoo .

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Beautiful story, exceptional characters, and passionate portrayal of the wonder of animals. Took a very difficult time in history and filled it with hope and humor.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This wasn't my typical genre but really enjoyed the story!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Only one word can adequately describe this story……. EXCELLENT…… it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so very much.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Very interesting. Never read a story quite like this one. Loved the animals.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Excellent, clean, fun read! Loved the audio version and the languaging pulled me back to the time period.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I like the colloquialisms of the period.
      Readers may like to know that there is a large breeding herd of giraffes in Colorado Springs at the Cheyenne Mtn Zoo. You can hand feed them lettuce leaves and see their big prehensile tongues. They are a sight to see!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book! Listening to the audio version the Narrator took me back to another time, another place -he did an excellent job! I loved this heartwarming story; the characters were precious; the author had a wonderful way of adding everything that makes great story! It’s in my top 10 favorite books now, so will buy the hardcover to add to my collection.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      One of the best books I've consumed all year! I loved it! Highly recommend!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      It was a very moving book and the “adventure” really resonated with me.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A wonderful very gripping story! I loved the book a lot.
    • 5/5
      This is a really beautiful story. Narration was amazing as well.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this! It took a bit to get used to the narrator but after ending the book, it makes sense for the choice.
    • 5/5
      I did love it. I couldn't put it down. Very well-written, tight story.
    • 5/5
      Poignant and richly emotional, a must read book for all.
    • 5/5
      The story is captivating! Full of suspense and totally charming! Will listen to more of this author’s books.
    • 4/5
      I love reading stories based on an actual event. Well done.
    • 5/5
      Read this masterpiece! I rushed to buy a physical copy because I loved it that much. Woody will forever live in my heart.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed reading this book. Woody had such an adventure with Red and Mr Jones. It was a touching book and narrated well
    • 5/5
      Fantastic. Not the kind of book I normally read but this one sucked me in good. The reader is absolutely perfect for the story and does a good job, doesn't try to put on voices or anything. Highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      It’s a sweet story with a good voice actor. I enjoyed it very much.
    • 3/5
      It's a good story! Thought it was a bit hard to get into. The middle was the most fun to listen to. The end was a bit anticlimactic. I did enjoy it, though.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely heart wrenching and delightful! Can help but consider my grandparents while listening to this! Woody is one of my forever favorites as a “leading man”!
    • 5/5
      Excellent story and very good reader. I highly recommend listening.
    • 4/5
      Danny Campbell did a great job reading this very touching story. I sometimes wondered where the story was going and it didn't lead to where I anticipated. It just ended. Not abruptly but a very sad yet very happy ending.
    • 5/5
      I was so surprised at how much fun it was to listen to West with giraffes. It was especially easy because of the narrator sounded like an older guy who is telling a memory. It did refer to the actual transportation of two giraffes through after a hurricane and a storm, who made it across the United States in 16 days, it was worth reading.
    • 5/5
      I read a lot of books and many of them have a deep effect on me. This one though, has covered a lot of my emotional territory.
      I’ve loved this book and feel myself changed for the better by reading it.
    • 5/5
      This story had it all: humor, thrills, humanity, compassion, regret and a lesson about appreciating the natural wonder
    • 4/5
      Beautiful story with a heartfelt ending. Works love to see this as a movie.
    • 5/5
      This is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. By the end, Woodie, Augusta Red, the old man and the giraffes feel like old friends you've known all your life. A blessing of a book.