This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
Centre County Reads, “a community program that encourages residents of all ages within Centre County to explore the human condition and related current issues by reading and discussing the same book,” according to its website, has announced the 2025 book selection.
“West With Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge has been selected as this year’s community read. A virtual Zoom visit by Rutledge, moderated by Penn State Professor of English John Marsh, will be held Wednesday, March 26, at 7 p.m.
“Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away,” the book’s synopsis on Rutledge’s website shared. “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 twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to become Southern California’s first giraffes. 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.”
“Rutledge examines connections between people and our attachment to the animals in our lives,” Maria Burchill, head of adult and teen services for Schlow Centre Region Library, said. “The book was selected for its atmosphere and the experiences that the main character, Woodrow Wilson Nickel, has during his journey.”
Leading up to the virtual author visit, book discussions, events, a panel discussion and a writing contest sponsored by the Center for American Literary Studies will be held. For a full schedule of events and contest details, visit centrecountyreads.org/events.
Centre County Reads first began in 2002 when, according to the Centre County Reads website, “a group of individuals from the community, including libraries, schools and bookstores began to discuss the merits of a county-wide effort to share a book.” The following year, the community read was “To Kill a Mockingbird,” for which the website noted “the community response was terrific and so the project continued.”
Since, Centre County Reads has selected “The Giver,” “Riding the Bus with my Sister,” “A Walk in the Woods,” “The Buddha in the Attic,” “Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood,” “The Maltese Falcon,” “The Glass Castle,” “The Book Thief,” “Caramelo,” “Packing for Mars,” “Beautiful Ruins,” “Liar Temptress Solider Spy,” “Under a Painted Sky,” “Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist,” “Vulture, “Charming Billy,” “The Address Book,” “Braiding Sweetgrass,” “Remarkably Bright Creatures” and “The Violin Conspiracy.”
More information on the book, community reading program and author visit can be found at centrecountyreads.org.
