West With Giraffes by Lydia Rutledge, a work of historical fiction based on real events and real people, is the reading selection for all three Page Turners groups this month.
A reviewer in Lone Star Literary Life describes the book this way: “While conducting research in the archives of the San Diego Zoo, [the author] Rutledge came across a trove of newspaper articles about two giraffes that had survived a hurricane on the deck of a freighter and a cross-country trip, from New York to California, in 1938. Inspiration struck, and the result is this charming and wondrous enchantment of a novel.”
The tale is told by a cantankerous 105 year old veteran from his hospital bed and, while tragedy appears certain, the story still manages to be funny.
“West with Giraffes is a madcap scrape of a coming- of-age road trip, complete with stowaways, circuses, attempted giraffe-napping, biblical catastrophe, romance, shocking truths, brave sacrifices, and tragedy—in short, a grand adventure.”
We always welcome new members to the book club, and if you would like more information you can contact me, Frances, regarding the Monday afternoon group (meets the 4th Monday of the month) at fozoimec@cox.net or Steve and Ann Morris regarding the two Thursday afternoon groups (meet the 4th Thursday of the month) at samwrsi@cox.net.
—Frances Ozimec
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