I found this historical novel to be very, very interesting. It was chosen for my book group but I am starting to get nervous that they will not have liked it as much as I did. Being that I am a history teacher I loved the fact that most of this novel was based on research by the author and told like a biography. I think that some people will find this style of book off putting.

The book tells the tail of a Zookeeper and his family who live in Warsaw at the start of WWII. The story tells the tail of this family (primarily the zookeeper's wife) during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. The book tells the tale of what happened to the Jewish population of Warsaw, life in the Warsaw ghetto, and how the zookeeper's family helped as many people as possible. It was a great look into not only what life was like in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation, but what life was like for a family (particularly a housewife) during this era.

For me what I liked was the historical aspect of the book. I loved the first hand accounts of what life was like in the city during the war and what it was like for the Jews living in Warsaw during the occupation, reassignment to the ghetto, and eventual liquidation of the ghetto. More importantly the aspect that I loved about this book was it showed how average people did above average things to help the Jewish community during WWII. Everyone has heard of people the Schindler who saved thousands, but you never hear about all those who helped three or four people along the way. This book showed how one family made a difference for several people and risked their lives in the process. Not only is it a great historical piece, it also a great psychological piece in that it looks at the human condition and the desire to help others versus our desire to protect ourselves.

For those who love historical books this is a must read. I give the book **** according the the J. Kaye scale.

This book was terrific. The bravery and brotherhood to all men make it uplifting. But it is also full of dismay at the inhumanity men can show to other men. I read it and recommended it to others. My grandson is reading it now (17 years old).

Book arrived in excellent condition. I am reading it now. Very interesting story with a clever plot.

I wanted to like this book... the title suggested an interesting and insightful tour through the journal of the wife of a Zookeeper in Warsaw during WWII. But I found Ackerman did so much extra research, the journal of the Antonina Zabiniski, the Zookeepers wife really gets rather lost in long "whimsical" rambling passages of struggling to save the zoo during the ravages of WWII.

The things the Nazi's did just cannot be written lightly. This book is very good at conveying what the life of a Pole was like in Hitlers world - you were essentially not human. And if you were a Polish jew, you weren't even accorded the status of being an animal - you were simply to be exterminated. The Zabiniski's were some of the many incredible and brave people who sheltered their own as much as they could from the wrath of the Nazi's and its a shame that large chunks of their story gets lost as Ackerman pads this out with abundant research from the effects of the war on other Warsaw survivors.

Furthermore, the journal as such, seems to stop around 1942-43... as if Antonia suddenly could no longer write. As such, the last 2 years of the war seem to fly by in this book, and yet this is probably when things were at their worst. Similarly, when the war ends, its brief, sudden and abrupt with hardly any mention from Antonaia's journal. One suspects for some reason she stopped writing, but there is no clue given in the book.

My heart was wrenched apart reading of the war atrocities committed - with or without Antonia's comments and to read any book on the impact of the Nazi's in areas they conquered is a harrowing experience. If nothing else, Antonia's observations that how can this treatment be inflicted on human beings makes you thankful we don't live in such times now.. or do we? Unfortunately, some of Ackerman's research hits to close to home now and maybe there isn't one race out there commiting genocide... but there are plenty of examples where human life has little to no value, and its developed as well as developing countries showing this.

So as ever.. a book on one of history's worst moments serves only to remind me that humans don't seem to learn. I just wish Ackerman could have more succinctly followed the story of the zookeepers rather than drowning their story in supportive research.

The Zoo Keeper's Wife was a significant read for me. As a lover of historical fiction, I understand and appreciate history more when in story form-especially if I feel I am there with the characters.
I couldn't put this book down. I have much deeper insight as to the question of "I wonder what it was like...."
I had a somewhat linear experience in this read, just as the actual persons did. Not all details were freely shared or known, thus the problem of fluidity as noted by other reviewers really depicts the characters experiences of the time. I got to be there with them.
AND I did grasp a much better understanding of how and why this happened-like it or not. It happened.

This is a remarkable story and one that deserves to be told - well! Unfortunately this book is not the one to do this.
I found Ackerman's narrative stilted and disjointed with no real flow. The characters that were rescued seemed to appear, then disappear as in a series of vignettes, rather than a linear story. The various incidents that are written up in the book seem to follow no distinct time-line and the tale tends to stop and start, rather than to seamlessly unfold.
I was disappointed with the depiction of the various characters and found them to be two-dimensional and wanting in personal colour. Antonina comes across as hardworking and long-suffering, but lacking any charm or warmth and that can surely not be the case! While Ackerman portrayed the devotion of Antonina to her son, the son seemed to be a shadowy figure and I was never quite sure exactly how old he was at any given time. I am left with no clear impression of Jan at all.
This is really an exceptional story of courage and daring and merits a compelling,page-turning recounting, but I was, disappointingly, not swept up in the story at any stage.

I got my promptly. I even recieved an personalized email prior to recieving the book assuring me that if anything was wrong that it would be quickly solved. But, there was nothing wrong the book was in excellent condition. Thank you.

An interesting story from a different perspective of WW II. There is some difficulty in keeping the characters straight.

Lots of history here and certainly a close look at the Nazi invasion of Poland. The author obviously did much research and it shows.

In spite of the author's attempt to make this book very personal, I felt it almost read more like a history textbook in places. Although Jan and Antonina Zabinski were certainly interesting and admirable, I never felt any kind of real attachment to them. It was always as if I was "looking in" on the events. And, at times, I was simply confused with some of the details.

The animals took on more of a personality than did Jan and Antonina; however,that seemed a stretch. A chick climbing on the back of a rabbit which is "hopping around the garden together, rider and steed." doesn't quite belong among all the other factual information. And, I couldn't help but wonder about the mess these animals would make in the house. I don't believe you can housebreak a chicken; I know for a fact that they will relieve themselves whenever and whereever they want. Perhaps that is a petty observation, but there were so many instances of rabbits, hamsters, chickens, and pigs in the house, I couldn't help but wonder. The book attempted to be so factual and realistic, some of the animal antics seemed out of place. And, I wondered about the role of the housekeeper who apparently was not receptive to the idea of hiding the Jews. How could see not know?

However, there were also stories that are extremely interesting and memorable. Janusz Korczak, the "Pan Doctor" who took care of Jewish orphans and went with them to their death is an example. The Nazi interest in extinct animals was also new to me. If one is a student of WWI or if one is a real animal lover, this is an excellent book. For the rest of us, it is interesting but not particularly engaging. For another look at the role of the Warsaw Zoo during WWI, check out the short film entitled "Safe Haven; the Warsaw Zoo" at [...]