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Zoo Story: Life In The Garden Of Captives (2010)

by Thomas French(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1401323464 (ISBN13: 9781401323462)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Hyperion

review 1: I really enjoyed this book that was about Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. The author did an excellent job changing back and forth between the story of the animals and the story of the humans involved. In fact, some of the most interesting parts of the book are when he compares the habits of the two. The look behind the cages at the world and lives of the zoo keepers was particularly interesting, but the best part of the book was the story of the rise and fall of Lex Salisbury, the zoo's CEO. As a Tampa Bay area resident, I distinctly remember both when Lowry Park Zoo was a horrible zoo to visit (small, concrete, iron-barred cages) and the political fallout of Salisbury's personal conflicts of interest with the zoo. Fortunately, he is no longer with the zoo and it continues to... more be a great place to visit (especially for families). Even if you aren't from the Tampa Bay area though, this is a fascinating look behind the scenes at a zoo over the course of a year.
review 2: I really enjoyed this book. It took a few chapters to pull me in, but once it did I was hooked. A few sections were certainly emotional, and I thought the build-up to the problems with the CEO was well done. I also appreciated that the author repeatedly addressed people's torn feelings about zoos (hating that animals are captive, but appreciating the opportunity to admire them and the zoo's conservation and care of endangered species), which I struggle with myself. less

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