West with Giraffes

'Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes ...'Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.It's 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a 12-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.Part adventure, part historical saga and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time and a story told before it’s too late.

Lynda Rutledge is the bestselling author of West with Giraffes, selected by Library of Congress-affiliated Texas Center for the Book as their 2023 Great Read and translated into 15 languages. She’s also the author of Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale, winner of the 2013 Writers League of Texas Fiction Award which was adapted into the major 2019 French film "La deniére folie de Claire Darling" starring Catherine Deneuve. Her fiction has won awards and residencies from Atlantic Center for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and Ragdale Foundation, among many others. Lynda also holds an MA in American literature and an MFA in creative writing.In Lynda's eclectic career before becoming a novelist, she was a full-time professional writer––a freelance journalist, copywriter, film reviewer, book collaborator, and travel writer. During this career, as a lifelong animal lover, she had the joy of petting baby rhinos, snorkeling with endangered turtles, and strolling with a tower of giraffes.After years residing in urban locales including Chicago and San Diego, Lynda currently lives with her husband outside Austin, Texas. Her latest novel is Mockingbird Summer. Barry is a former US Navy nuclear engineer. He developed his voicing skills briefing admirals, generals, congressmen, and other dignitaries. After he retired from government service several years ago, he began honing his talents with a series of professional voice acting coaches in Southern California. He can now be heard on radio commercials, eLearning courses, corporate imaging features, and even telephone system auto-attendents which he records in the professional studio in his home. But his forte and true love is “long form narration” including nature documentaries and audio books! His smooth style and evocative characterizations make him “effortlessly believable” according to a recent review of his work. And, besides, he says, I can work all day in my pajamas!

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