Dreamland Staff Pick by Jessica Bamford

I’ve been dipping in and out of a nonfiction book for the past couple of months. The book is called “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” by Timothy Egan. I’m not sure why it’s taking me so long to read – I tend to set it aside for other books and then come back to it. I know this doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but it truly is a fascinating book. And it seems kind of fitting that an environmental disaster that spanned more than a decade and had long-lasting, far-reaching consequences should occupy my thoughts for a considerable stretch of time. So in this season when I’m ruminating often on the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, I keep thinking about a novel I read and loved a couple of years ago, “West With Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge.

The story opens with Woodrow Wilson Nickel, a 105-year-old man, reflecting on his life and recounting a great adventure of his youth, a cross-country road trip with two giraffes. The giraffes in question have survived a hurricane at sea during their trans-Atlantic voyage from Africa. They arrive in New York City much the worse for wear. Skittish, unsettled, and injured, the pair are bound for the San Diego Zoo – and their mode of transport is a rickety open-top trailer pulled by a truck.

When Woodrow spots these giraffes and learns they are headed for California, he knows he has to follow them. Through a series of events, his instant rapport with the beautiful animals earns Woodrow a job as their unlikely driver. It’s a harrowing cross-country trek and the rig is pursued by curious onlookers and reporters, as well as true villains. During the age of traveling circuses and sideshows, rare animals were big money-makers and greed can bring out the worst in people. But desperation can do the same, and Woodrow is not a perfect hero – he has come of age through the trauma of the Dust Bowl, his childhood home in the Texas Panhandle ravaged by drought and wind. Initially driven mostly by his desire to reach California and a new life, Woodrow grows on the journey as his commitment to the giraffes deepens.

If, like me, you’ve been pondering the hard times of the past, or you’re craving a road trip, or you just enjoy a story about how animals can bring out the best in us, give this one a try. The fictional story of Woodrow was inspired by true events, so you just may be motivated to learn more about the real giraffes who made this journey or the country’s first female zoo director, Belle Benchley, who orchestrated the whole venture to bring these amazing animals to San Diego.

A note about format: while the audiobook has mixed reviews on Goodreads, I personally did not enjoy the narration. I had started this book on audio, but switched to print pretty quickly and was very glad that I did.