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Title	:	Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris
Author	:	Michael Allin
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Deluxe Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 228 pages
Published	:	August 10th 1999 by Delta (first published May 31st 1998)
Categories	:	History. Animals. Nonfiction. Cultural. France. Africa. Environment. Nature

Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris

Michael Allin

Paperback | Pages: 228 pages

Rating: 3.59 | 506 Users | 80 Reviews

Interpretation In Pursuance Of Books Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris

In October 1826, a ship arrived at Marseille carrying the first giraffe ever seen in France. A royal offering from Muhammad Ali, Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt, to King Charles X, she had already traveled 2,000 miles down the Nile to Alexandria, from where she had sailed across the Mediterranean standing in the hold, her long neck and head protruding through a hole cut in the deck. In the spring of 1827, after wintering in Marseille, she was carefully walked 550 miles to Paris to the delight of thousands of onlookers.

The viceroy's tribute was politically motivated: He commanded the Turkish forces then fighting the Greeks in their war of independence, and hoped his gift would persuade the French not to intervene against him. But the viceroy and his intentions were quickly forgotten as France fell in love with its "beautiful stranger."
Zarafa chronicles the full story of this remarkable animal, revealing a kaleidoscope of history, science, and culture that opens an exotic window on the early nineteenth century. From the Enlightenment's blossoming fascination with science to Napoleon's ill-fated invasion of Egypt in 1798–from the eminent French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire to Bernardino Drovetti, French consul general in Egypt and tomb robber extraordinaire–the era was full of memorable events and characters. Michael Allin deftly weaves them into the story with an appreciation for detail and an uncommon affection.

The giraffe's strange and wonderful journey linked Africa and Europe in mutual discovery. Although her arrival did not keep the French out of Ali's war, she became an instant celebrity in Paris and over the next eighteen years she fascinated all of Europe. Through Michael Allin's narrative skill, Zarafa stirs the imagination as it provides a new context for the history of a distant age.

Mention Books To Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris

Original Title:	Zarafa
ISBN:	0385334117 (ISBN13: 9780385334112)
Edition Language:	English

Rating Appertaining To Books Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris

Ratings: 3.59 From 506 Users | 80 Reviews

Judge Appertaining To Books Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris

What I wanted: a charming, whimsical story of a giraffe. What I got: 150 pages on the politics/history of the relationship between France and Africa. 50 pages on a giraffe. I hate to stick my neck out here, but I found trying to learn so many names and events in such a short amount of time to be a tall order.

I bought this book for my giraffe-loving father several years ago and spied it on the shelf when I was visiting at Thanksgiving. My father gave it a lukewarm review, but it wasn't long and I love giraffes, too, so I brought it home to read. There was surprisingly less about the giraffe, Zarafa, then I expected. Nearly the first half of the book is dedicated to Egyptian and French history and the relations between the two countries. In fact, Zarafa's 550 mile walk from Marseille to Paris is

Excellent, well-researched story of a giraffe who travelled from Egypt to France almost 200 years ago. I learned so much about the geography, culture, and history surrounding the event.



Very nice. I like this sort of history - an interesting peculiarity from the past, recounted with supporting information about the time and place. This is about the gift of a giraffe to King Charles X of France from the Ottoman viceroy of Egypt, one Muhammad Ali, in 1826. She was the first giraffe ever seen in France and caused quite a sensation, especially during her long slow walk from Marseille to Paris. In the course of telling this tale, the author shines intriguing light on the history of

It was alright. There's some interesting side-notes and coincidences which Allin's research brings together neatly, giving context and fleshing out the backstory of Zarafa's journey up the Nile to Marseille. However you realise how dependent the tale is on the letters and notes of the French scientist overseeing Zarafa's journey, Goffrey Saint-Hillaire, when they peter out halfway up France. True, the tale of the first giraffe to step foot in France, a gift who takes in Napoleon's invasion of

This is an incredibly charming and well-written and researched book. Michael Allin condenses a lot of complicated political history of the 18th and 19th century in a straightforward and clear way, all entwined around the journey of Zarafa the giraffe. I was especially excited to read about Zarafa's brief stay in Valence, where I used to live in France. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. I wanted to know more about Zarafa's life in Paris, but I guess the really interesting story is