R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on + 1436 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Narrated by 105-year-old Woody Nickel (Woodrow Wilson Nickel), this tale is primarily about two giraffes traveling from New York to San Diego. Requested by Belle Benchley, first known female zoo keeper, the giraffes are to be driven carefully across the country. The world is at war. Middle American citizens in are plagued by the Dust Bowl forcing thousands to abandon their farms, including Woody, whose father and mother died. With the little money left, he travels to New York to a cousin he doesn't know. Here he sees the giraffes that miraculously survived the 1938 hurricane. Enthralled by the two, he follows them west and when Riley Jones, who is in charge of the trip, fires the drunken driver, Woody vows to get the giraffes to San Diego. T
It's a trip fraught with adventure, strange and new experiences for the 17-year-old who has never driven a huge flatbed truck nor seen mountains, let alone drive through them. Nor does he know much about women when he meets Augusta Red, a photojournalist following them who says she is journaling the trip for Life magazine. Woody has a way with animals and works well with the giraffes. Everywhere they go Americans who have never seen such animals flock to see the Boy and Girl. Some are generous and kind but others scheme to claim the animals for their own purposes.
The author used the numerous newspaper accounts documenting the trip and always looked for a diary that might have chronicled it but there was none. Her chosen narrator, close to death, was compelled to tell the story of his life focusing on his love for the giraffes. What he writes will be given to someone who will appreciate and understand the value of the gift. This is a wonderful story told in a fascinating way. I hope others discover it.
It's a trip fraught with adventure, strange and new experiences for the 17-year-old who has never driven a huge flatbed truck nor seen mountains, let alone drive through them. Nor does he know much about women when he meets Augusta Red, a photojournalist following them who says she is journaling the trip for Life magazine. Woody has a way with animals and works well with the giraffes. Everywhere they go Americans who have never seen such animals flock to see the Boy and Girl. Some are generous and kind but others scheme to claim the animals for their own purposes.
The author used the numerous newspaper accounts documenting the trip and always looked for a diary that might have chronicled it but there was none. Her chosen narrator, close to death, was compelled to tell the story of his life focusing on his love for the giraffes. What he writes will be given to someone who will appreciate and understand the value of the gift. This is a wonderful story told in a fascinating way. I hope others discover it.
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