Book Review #421 - We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee

Benjamin Mee decided to uproot his family and move them to an unlikely new home: a dilapidated zoo on the English countryside, complete with over 200 exotic animals. It was his dream to refurbish the zoo and run it as a family business. There was much work to be done, and none of it easy. Tigers broke loose, money ran low, the staff grew skeptical, and family tensions ran high. Then tragedy struck. His wife had a recurrence of a brain tumor, forcing Benjamin and his children to face the heartbreak of illness and the devastating loss of a wife and mother. But inspired by her memory and the healing power of the incredible family of animals they had grown to love, Benjamin and his kids resovled to move forward. The Mee family opened the gates of the revitalized zoo in July 2007.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I was interested in reading this book as I am somewhat of an animal lover. I thought that this book gave a great insight into the inner management of a zoo.

The writing was the only problem I had with this book. At times it seemed too clinical. I would have liked there to have been a heavier focus on the animals rather than the funding problems.

The book starts slowly, solely focusing on his family life in France. His wife's battle with a brain tumour was very detailed which was something that I found really interesting.

Book Review #420 - Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her “Chief.” She’d know about her mom’s new family. She’d know about her dad’s fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him back.
 

But Naomi picked heads.

My Rating: 4/5

After reading and enjoying All These Things I've Done last month I decided to read what many refer to as Gabrielle Zevin's best book.



Naomi was a character that was easy to relate to and fun to listen to. Even before her accident she was always thinking of the alternate lives she could have lead had she not been adopted by Americans. 


When Naomi awakens after diving down the stairs she discovers the last thing she remembers is being twelve years old. 


I felt like the story could have focused a little more on the things that Naomi had forgotten, like her parent's divorce and subsequent relationships with other people rather than Naomi's love life. 


I liked the wittiness of Will, but never saw him as anything other than Naomi's best friend.  


In a way her falling down the stairs was a positive for her as she got to reevaluate her life in ways that made her happier within herself.

Book Review #419 - My Left Foot by Christy Brown

Christy Brown was born a victim of cerebral palsy. But the hapless, lolling baby concealed the brilliantly imaginative and sensitive mind of a writer who would take his place among the giants of Irish literature.

This is Christy Brown's own story. He recounts his childhood struggle to learn to read, write, paint and finally type, with the toe of his left foot.

My Rating: 3/5

There were two main aspects of this book that I found interesting. The first was the detailed insight into living with such a debilitating condition in a time period where it was nowhere near as understood as it is today.




The second was the time period as it was set from the 1930's up until the mid 1950's.




Since Christy was a child he never saw himself as being different. This plays a dominant role in his personality and is the reason why he was able to accomplish as much as he did with his life.




Christy's mother was an amazing woman as she never gave up on Christy and was able to care for him even though she had twenty plus other children.