Rating: 
Summary: A fantastic project half accomplished!
Review: "Zarafa" has been an enlightening piece of work for me. Mr. Allin weaves a very colorful background for the gift, the giraffe, from Egypt to France. Or he tries to, at least. I've learned a lot of historical and geographical details from the book, in addition to the giraffe's long journey. However, in trying to incorporate too much history into this little lovely story, Mr. Allin's sometimes disregards the revelance of such facts. As a result, the story of the leading lady is left half told while the structure of the book seems loose. In other words, the writing isn't good enough for the story. In reflecting on this book, another book came to mind. Mark Kurlansky's "Cod-A biography of the fish that changed the world" is one of the most charming books I've read in many years. Also created out of an interesting animal story, Mr. Kurlansky writes beautifully, too.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic project half accomplished!
Review: "Zarafa" has been an enlightening piece of work for me. Mr. Allin weaves a very colorful background for the gift, the giraffe, from Egypt to France. Or he tries to, at least. I've learned a lot of historical and geographical details from the book, in addition to the giraffe's long journey. However, in trying to incorporate too much history into this little lovely story, Mr. Allin's sometimes disregards the revelance of such facts. As a result, the story of the leading lady is left half told while the structure of the book seems loose. In other words, the writing isn't good enough for the story. In reflecting on this book, another book came to mind. Mark Kurlansky's "Cod-A biography of the fish that changed the world" is one of the most charming books I've read in many years. Also created out of an interesting animal story, Mr. Kurlansky writes beautifully, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful True Tale of Giraffe's Journey Up The Nile...
Review: ...across the Mediteranean, and through the countryside of France, and into Paris! This great little book will be enjoyed for many years to come by people of all ages. Just transporting this bulky beast was enough of a headache, but fortunately its demeanor was (usually) cool, calm, and collected. In 1826, how could this animal set upon such a long, difficult journey? You'll learn in this book! And the French were enthalled by this animal, so unique from all other animals in creation. The "Zarafa" became the center of a huge tourist industry attracting throngs of well-wishers and curiousity seekers for over a thousand miles! Like today's Super Bowl or Academy Awards, all kinds of momenta were made to celebrate (and earn a few francs) this singular giraffe, including clothes, and pottery. A great value and a fine book!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful True Tale of Giraffe's Journey Up The Nile...
Review: ...across the Mediteranean, and through the countryside of France, and into Paris! This great little book will be enjoyed for many years to come by people of all ages. Just transporting this bulky beast was enough of a headache, but fortunately its demeanor was (usually) cool, calm, and collected. In 1826, how could this animal set upon such a long, difficult journey? You'll learn in this book! And the French were enthalled by this animal, so unique from all other animals in creation. The "Zarafa" became the center of a huge tourist industry attracting throngs of well-wishers and curiousity seekers for over a thousand miles! Like today's Super Bowl or Academy Awards, all kinds of momenta were made to celebrate (and earn a few francs) this singular giraffe, including clothes, and pottery. A great value and a fine book!
Rating: 
Summary: Flawed but fascinating
Review: A quirky but insightful and highly entertaining book, Zarafa was poorly edited, per style as well as fact-checking. Try Max Rodenbeck's Cairo: The City Victorious to get the a more accurate -- and immensely entertaining -- perspective on Egyptian history.Nonetheless, Allin's main topic is fascinating. Fewer (and more carefully researched) digressions would have made Zarafa a better book, but it's a terrific read regardless.
Rating:
Summary: Whimsical cabinet of curiosities
Review: Allin describes a custom of the Victorian age in which the landed gentry would collect and display a broad spectrum of natural curiosities. You would find skins of various creatures, bones, unusual stones, and so on brought together not because of any intrinsic affinity amongst the items, but rather as a display of erudition and education. Seen in the same way, one could regard both Allin's subject, Zarafa -- the first giraffe on the European continent since Roman times -- and the book itself as examples of the same kind of intellectual curiosity. Much of what Allin describes is connected by the thinnest of threads. His history of the French occupation of Egypt, of the Mamelukes and Napoleonic sea battles have all but the slimmest contextual connection with the life of the giraffe first corralled in Ethiopia and transferred to Paris. This would be a greater complaint if the stories were less compelling, but on some level the book doesn't quite rise to the sum of its parts. Ultimately, this is the story of a sensation -- of the exotic species that briefly bewitched the French in the mid-nineteenth century -- but one in which the object of this sensation is never quite more than an ethereal object of gossip and speculation. At the center of the story the giraffe is strangely (though perhaps not surprisingly) absent. As if its magic is exhausted by its docility. This disappointment is met by the interest I found in other aspects of the many storylines, but none of this is terribly compelling, even if it is well told.
Rating:
Summary: Whimsical cabinet of curiosities
Review: Allin describes a custom of the Victorian age in which the landed gentry would collect and display a broad spectrum of natural curiosities. You would find skins of various creatures, bones, unusual stones, and so on brought together not because of any intrinsic affinity amongst the items, but rather as a display of erudition and education. Seen in the same way, one could regard both Allin's subject, Zarafa -- the first giraffe on the European continent since Roman times -- and the book itself as examples of the same kind of intellectual curiosity. Much of what Allin describes is connected by the thinnest of threads. His history of the French occupation of Egypt, of the Mamelukes and Napoleonic sea battles have all but the slimmest contextual connection with the life of the giraffe first corralled in Ethiopia and transferred to Paris. This would be a greater complaint if the stories were less compelling, but on some level the book doesn't quite rise to the sum of its parts. Ultimately, this is the story of a sensation -- of the exotic species that briefly bewitched the French in the mid-nineteenth century -- but one in which the object of this sensation is never quite more than an ethereal object of gossip and speculation. At the center of the story the giraffe is strangely (though perhaps not surprisingly) absent. As if its magic is exhausted by its docility. This disappointment is met by the interest I found in other aspects of the many storylines, but none of this is terribly compelling, even if it is well told.
Rating:
Summary: A most delightful reading experience
Review: As a book and animal lover, I read this most delightful book with pleasure that I never really experienced in the past.The historical data which I found most interesting, added to the flavor of the subject.Zarafa, as detailed in the book, actually became my adopted daughter. By the strangest coincidence, I had a very fine detailed ceramic Giraffe among my collection. I moved her, after christening her, "Zarafa," in the most prominent location, and look at her often with the fondest affection.Reading the historical data as well as the descriptions of Zarafa and the emotional impact she made on all that came into contact with her, was something that will remain with me forever.In my opinion, what a gift Mother Nature gave us in the creation of the Giraffe, and Zarafa will forever have a place in my heart.I am grateful that Mr. Michael Allin, took it upon himself to share this treasure with us.This heartwarming book will be read by me many times, and will remain a treasure among my book collection.I am fortunate that I had read a review of this book in the newspapers.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly charming
Review: Delightful, charming, magical. The story of the giraffe will stay with you like a dream. An enjoyable and non-cynical fable about colonialism, the birth of the modern world and the death of wonder. I think the success of these elegant little non-fiction books (Longitude, Cod etc) is somehow very heartening. Long live the General Reader!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating history lesson
Review: Heard the taped version of ZARAFA by Michael Allin, the true story of how a giraffe in 1826 got from Africa to become the first such animal ever seen in France . . . she was a royal offering from Muhammad Ali, Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt, to King
Charles X of France, presented in the hopes of keeping the French out of Ali's war against the Greeks . . . although her arrival did not accomplish its intended task, Zarafa did become an instant celebrity and fascinated all of Europe for the next 18 years. Although the tale skipped around a bit too much, I did find it a fascinating history lesson . . . what's more, it gave me a good look at what publicity was all about--back in the nineteenth century . . . and it made me appreciate the herculean effort that took place in moving this magnificent creature such a distance.
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