West with Giraffes
A Novel
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West with Giraffes
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Narrated by:
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Danny Campbell
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By:
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Lynda Rutledge
About this listen
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.
©2021 Lynda Rutledge (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Critic Reviews
“A delightful read.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Every year I find at least one book that soars above all the others. This year West With Giraffes is that book.”—Florida Times Union
“[A] larger-than-life story about the power of both animal magnetism and human connection…witty, charming, and heartwarming.”—Booklist
What listeners say about West with Giraffes
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tracy
- 28-05-2021
Loved it
This book should be made into a movie. Loved it. Couldn’t stop listening. A++ highly recommended
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nick
- 17-11-2024
Writing was beautiful
If you like journey stories, if you like Steinbeck you’ll like this. Narrator evoked the time and brought the story to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anita van der Veer
- 05-07-2023
Soul touching story
A beautiful story, loved every second. Beautifully written. One of those book you just don’t want to end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Janice Hill
- 02-03-2024
charming, endearing, touching, unusual
As gentle and touching as the giraffes in the story, this memoir is a coming of age story set in the pre-war, depression era of USA.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- E Vander Reyden
- 27-09-2022
beautiful tale
This is not a book I would typically pick up but it captured me and I couldn't put it down. You feel so many emotions towards Woody and the choices he makes and the giraffes just tie everything together with such beauty and peace.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Janine
- 05-02-2024
Terrible Narration
I had to stop listening as I could literally not listen to the narrators voice.
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