Synopses & Reviews
A true story as powerful as Schindler's List in which the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands.
When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombers devastated Warsaw and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen guests hid inside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes.
With her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. She shows us how Antonina refused to give in to the penetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her.
Review
"[A] shining book beyond category....[A] book to read and reread and give to others." Los Angeles Times
Review
"With its biblical allusions, cuddly characters and well-covered historical subject matter, The Zookeeper's Wife might have been a gamble, had anyone else but Diane Ackerman tackled it." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"[An] absorbing book." New York Times
Review
"Ackerman has done an invaluable service in bringing a little-known story of heroism and compassion to light. Highly recommended." Library Journal
Synopsis
When Germany invaded Poland, bombers devastated Warsaw and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski smuggled Jews through the empty cages, saving hundreds of people from Nazi hands.
Synopsis
When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombersdevastated Warsaw-and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepersJan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jewsinto empty cages. Another dozen guests hidinside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging afterdark for dinner, socializing, and, during raremoments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active inthe Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives inthe animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kepther unusual household afloat, caring for bothits human and its animal inhabitants-otters, abadger, hyena pups, lynxes.Withher exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages usviscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. Sheshows us how Antonina refused to give in to thepenetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive anatmosphere of play and innocence even as Europecrumbled around her.
Synopsis
The New York Timesbestseller: a true story in which the keepers of the Warsaw zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands.
Synopsis
2008 Orion Book Award A true story--as powerful as --in which the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands.
About the Author
Diane Ackerman is the author of the best-selling A Natural History of the Senses, among many other books of nonfiction and poetry. She lives in upstate New York.