Streamlined Novel for Readers

"Few true friends have I known, and two were giraffes..." Reflecting on his life, the 105-year-old Woodrow Wilson Nickel feels his time ebbing away. However, when he learns that giraffes are facing extinction, he is compelled to recount an unforgettable experience that he cannot take to his grave.

It is 1938, and the Great Depression still lingers. As the world braces for the looming threat of Hitler in Europe, the weary American public yearns for moments of wonder. Their wish is granted when two giraffes miraculously survive a treacherous journey across the Atlantic Ocean during a hurricane. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck, tasked with delivering these remarkable creatures to the San Diego Zoo – the first of their kind to grace the West Coast.

At the wheel of this journey is the young Dust Bowl rowdy, Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves together real-life figures and fictional characters, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and an assortment of colorful individuals as spotted as the giraffes themselves.

Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, "West with Giraffes" explores the transformative power of the natural world, the kindness of strangers, and the fleeting nature of time. It is a story that must be told before it's too late, a testament to the profound impact that even the most unexpected encounters can have on our lives.

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