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Amor Fugit by Alexandra Duncan
Babymouse: The Musical by Jennifer Holm
The Broken Ear by Georges Remi Hergé
City Makers by Remi A. Nadeau
Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka
Crow Call by Lois Lowry
The Department of Mad Scientists by Michael Belfiore
Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia
The Fairy Princess by Dennis Danvers
Ground Truth edited by John Pickles
Hell of a Fix by Matthew Hughes
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
I Miss You Everyday by Simms Taback
Inside Job by Connie Willis
King & King by Linda de Haan
The Light, The Dark and Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus
Monsters on Machines by Deb Lund
Night of the Ninjas (MTH #5) by Mary Pope Osborne
Peppermints in the Parlor by Barbara Brooks Wallace
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
The Real Martian Chronicles by John Sladek
San Francisco Then and Now by Bill Yenne
The Secret Lives of Fairy Tales by Steven Popkes
Selfless by David Michael Slater
Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple
Strange But True America by John Hafnor
Sugar Would Not Eat It by Emily Jenkins
ttyl by Lauren Myracle
Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

Rating System

5 stars: Completely enjoyable or compelling
4 stars: Good but flawed
3 stars: Average
2 stars: OK
1 star: Did not finish

Reading Challenges

My Kind of Mystery Reading Challenge 2017 February - January 2017-8

Comments for The Zookeeper's Wife

The Zookeeper's Wife: 11/22/10

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman was on my wishlist. I can't remember why exactly it was on my list. Maybe I read a review or maybe one of my book group friends was reading it. Anyway, a copy appeared at a recent book club meeting and I had to snatch it up.

The book is the account of the Poland Zoo during WWII and the Zabinski family who ran the zoo. With the Nazis at their zoo they worked with the resistance and hid Jews in plain sight.

But the book is more than just their heroic efforts. It's the story of Warsaw, the zoo, the animals, the ghetto and how all those pieces come together.

Some readers complain about the book's tendency towards listing things. Maybe it's because I'm a library science student now. Or maybe it's because I'm a list maker. I liked the lists: bugs, animals, musicians, and so forth. I found that they enriched the book.

Other posts and reviews:

books | Diane Ackerman | nonfiction | 2007

Comments (6)

Comment #1: Tuesday, November, 23, 2010 at 04:08:48

I've had the zoo keeper's wife on my tbr pile for a while. Must pick it up soon.

Comment #2: Saturday: November 27, 2010 at 23:07:40

Pussreboots

You should move it towards the top of your pile.

Comment #3: Tuesday, November, 23, 2010 at 15:18:48

I'm in the midst of writing a review, to be honest I couldn't finish it and that's too bad because it is a great story.

But the writing... and the lists....ouch.

Glad you liked it.

Comment #4: Saturday: November 27, 2010 at 23:11:51

Pussreboots

I enjoyed our conversation via Twitter about the book. You're not alone in your reaction to the book.

Comment #5: Wednesday, November, 24, 2010 at 08:34:30

I've wanted to read this book since the WWII challenge. I'll eventually get to it! ;) Glad to see you liked it. I'll get a link to your review on War Through the Generations soon.

Comment #6: Saturday: November 27, 2010 at 23:13:38

Pussreboots

Thank you for the link. I have a few more World War II books on my plate so you'll have more links to post in the near future.