THE ZOOKEEPERS WIFE

By Diane Ackerman.  This book is excellent. Though it does start off slow, I felt, and was at first weighed down with in-depth description of things other than the meat of the story, but by the end, I loved it.

Jan and Antonina Zabinski run a reputable zoo in the Polish capital of Warsaw pre-WW II. Their lives are good and their career of zookeeper fulfilling.  Home is happy where they share their dwelling with a variety of healing zoo animals or zoo animals that have become pets.  I laughed out loud many times with the tales of these typically wild animals living with human beings. It is a unique home, for sure.

 But, WWII comes and the Germans invade Poland. Life at home and at the zoo change drastically for the Zabinskis and their son Rys.  I learned  so much about what the Polish suffered in this war and because of this story, admire and respect them as a beautiful and courageous people.

This is a book about a woman and her bravery. It is a book about her husband and his conviction to duty and helping a people, the Jews, who he loved. As to duty, I like to quote Jan Zabinski's words, "I only did my duty. If you can save someones life, it's your duty to try. We did it because it was the right thing to do." The right thing to do!

If you like animals and history and true stories of the Holocaust, you will like The Zookeeper's Wife. Good read!