West with Giraffes was my book club’s February pick. I had also been hearing coworkers talk about this so it seemed only a matter of time before I read it.
The publishers say the book is “part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story” and I think that’s a pretty accurate description of what this book is about. Set during the Great Depression in the midst of the Dust Bowl, an orphan from Texas makes his way to New York only to find himself becoming part of the quest to get the first giraffes from New York City harbor to the new San Diego Zoo by truck.
The Great Depression and Dust Bowl are an interest of mine because of how much I feel like I know, yet don’t know. It’s hard to imagine living in a time that felt so apocalyptic, financially and ecologically, and WWII is just around the horizon. The author does a good job capturing the chaos and cynicism of the period without letting it overwhelm readers. There are some bright spots and we do see the characters fighting hard to find joy and love amidst the societal collapse. The protagonist, Woodrow Wilson Nickel, sees the giraffes as that hope since they are not concerned at all with finances or ecology and yet show so much love to their humans.
What I did not like about the book is the story-within-a-story frame. We start with current centenarian Woodrow Nickel writing his memoir of driving with the giraffes. This voice keeps breaking into the plot of traveling from NYC to San Diego and it felt more distracting than adding to the characters or plot. I felt you could’ve taken this out and the story would have been just as good.
Another point against the book is the fact that this isn’t based on any one person, but only on newspaper accounts of the trip the giraffes took. By the time I found this out, it made me question why the book was as long as it was and why there were so many needless minor conflicts if it wasn’t based on actual events. Basically, it walks right up to the “trauma porn” line and stares into its eyes.
I would recommend this book, especially book clubs. I think talking about this book with others enhances the reading experience. If it were me, I would get this one from the library or used book store. It’s definitely not one I’m going to keep or read again, although I am glad I read it once.
