Title:

West With Giraffes

Author:

Lynda Rutledge

Category:

Literature

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

April 20, 2024

y father was born in 1924, so he grew up during the Great Depression. The Great Depression seems like ancient history now, but it was less than a hundred years ago. Given our suddenly uncertain economic times, that era has become a lot more relevant. I have read The Worst Hard Time - Timothy Egan, Hard Times - Studs Terkel, and The Boys in the Boat - Daniel James Brown, all nonfiction books that describe Depression era events. The level of poverty and desperation were astounding. Some people reacted as saints and more were driven to selfishness and lawlessness. The Dust Bowl was an ecological disaster made worse by the economic depression. West With Giraffes is a fiction novel, but it is based upon actual events: in 1938, a powerful hurricane struck the east coast. Amongst all the wreckage, a battered ship landed with its cargo of two African giraffes. The giraffes were destined for the San Diego zoo. A special truck rig carried them from New York City to San Diego, much to the delight of the US citizenry hungry for some good news.

West With Giraffes invents the character of Woodrow Wilson Nickle (which gives him the much-disliked nickname of Woody Nickle). Via flashback, we learn that Woody and his family lived in the Texas panhandle. The dust bowl killed his sister, mother and father (they call it "dust pneumonia" when the ceaseless dust motes clog your lungs, eventually killing you.) After burying his family, seventeen year old Woody jumps on railroad boxcars and makes his way to New York City. He happens to be there when the powerful hurricane strikes. When Woody sees the two giraffes unloaded from the ship, he is enchanted by the great, stately creatures. He learns that the giraffes are destined to be driven across the USA. Woody resolves to follow them, so he steals a motorbike and follows them out of New York.

The tale is told from a first person perspective. It is written as a memoir by Woodrow when he is 105 years old and living in an assisted living home. Woody suddenly feels to compelled to write down the best thing he did in his long life before it is too late. Although there are hints in Woody's narrative that he fought in WWII, married several women, and had many other amazing life events, traveling across the country with the two giraffes is the highlight of his long life.

Mr. Riley Jones (whom Woody usually refers to as Old Man in his writing) has come to New York with a special truck for hauling the giraffes, and he has a driver, Earl. But soon after they acquire the giraffes, Jones catches Earl drinking when he should be watching the animals. He fires Earl. Woody immediately volunteers to become the replacement driver, lying about his experience and age. Jones doesn't trust him, but needs to get moving and so hires Woody until a replacement driver can be found. Of course, no replacement is needed as the events in the tale unfold.

Also fascinated by the giraffes is a young female photographer from Life magazine named Red. She keeps following the special giraffe truck in her green Packard (Woody often sees her in the rearview mirror), much to the annoyance of Mr. Jones. Though Jones is frustrated with Red, Woody is in love. She is just a couple years older than him, she wears trousers, and drives a car all on her own (how unseemly for a woman to be out and about on her volition in these times!)

Various adventures ensue as Woody and the giraffes travel west. The US highway system had not been constructed yet, so Jones is navigating along side roads and going from town to town. To Woody's dismay, their route takes them across the dusty Texas panhandle, not far from the abandoned farm where he buried his family. The most dramatic scenes occur there.

This was an interesting novel. I liked the characters, the descriptions of Great Depression and Dust Bowl are interesting, and the fact that the story is based upon actual events of giraffes being transported across the USA in 1938 made it a better read.