Zoo on the Road to Nablus: A Story of Survival from the West Bank

I came across this book through the recommendation of a friend. I was surprised at the extremes of emotion that are provoked by this book. I found myself laughing hysterically at the antics of Dr. Sami as he tried to keep his zoo running smoothly. At the end the story of the giraffe was very sad. This book is very well written. It provides a unique insight into a volatile region. Speaking as an American, I am used to seeing people from this region reduced to caricatures by the news. This book shows the human side of the Palestinian people and how they deal with the occupation. This book is worth reading.

This is a book that is interesting not only as the story of a zoo, but as a story of how people live during times of violence and war. Sami Khedar is the only veterinarian in Palestinian regions specializing in zoo animals. Although he is not the manager, he is the driving force behind the Qalailya zoo on the left bank of the Jordan river. Dr. Sami, as he is known, is determined to have a zoo that qualifies by international standards, and he is surprisingly undeterred by having to deal with war, in addition to standard, but exacerbated problems like red tape, competition for government funding, Sami nurses abandoned infants in his home, with the less than joyous cooperation of his wife. He builds three museums inside the zoo; he used his taxidermy skills to provide the exhibits for the Natural History Museum. He seeks assistance and animals from other zoos in the region, and often gets them with the help of other zookeepers and veterinarians who, like Sami, put their profession above politics. It is also somewhat surprising to read about life in a Palestinian city during the turmoil of Arab-Israeli struggles. I must say that I never expected one of the projects of the embattled government to be purchasing carnival rides to build a fun fair for the children. I guess that people struggle to maintain a normal life, and need to be able to convince themselves that their efforts will not be in vain.