West with Giraffes

This is a special book. Chosen for our book club for some lighter fare, we were all besotted with this teenage bowl dust surviving narrator. Set amid the backdrop of Hitler's march across Europe in 1938, this story chronicles some truly epic pieces of American history-most of which we had read little about. The hurricane that hammered New England, the devastating Dust Bowl, the Great Depression and central to it all- the real life story of the two African giraffes rescued then shipped across the Atlantic. Here the author creates a delightful story for the characters on this improbable cross country journey. With a beautiful narrative voice, she puts the reader right in that flatbed truck, safely along for a wild ride. Highly recommend this one. Good clean literary fun.

I've had this book on my TBR for a while now. I don't remember what drew me to it in the first place aside from it being historical fiction, so I went into it fairly blindly.

I was surprised in the opening pages to see it set in the future (2025) where we meet Woodrow Wilson Nickel toward the end of his life. After the introduction, the book follows him in the 1930s while tensions are building around the world when two giraffes are found to have survived a hurricane in transport. We follow their cross-country journey along with Woodrow and others.

It didn't register as I was reading that this book is inspired by a true story. I might have appreciated it more had I realized. I didn't find myself overly absorbed in the story, though I did enjoy the premise. It kept me good company during a day of commuting and waiting room visits, so for that, it was perfect.

3.5/5 stars