an early history of the London zoo, which focuses on the various people who " built " it. There is the architect, the veterinarian, the zookeeper, the animal preservers and illustrators and many more. This is a very hard book for an animal lover to read. The author does not sugarcoat anything. These people knew very little about the animals they were trying to collect and display and it is brutal. Still, they were trying to move from a menagerie mentality to a focus on science , education and even, ultimately conservation. Particularly enjoyed the Darwin and Edward Lear mentions ( )

Very enjoyable story of the founding of the London Zoo, told through mini-biographies of many of its founders. The book flows right along, with fascinating (and frequently appalling) detail -- very well written, very well researched, with a believable presentation of some interesting people. It's a hard read -- I think that zoos perform a critical part in the chain of conservation, but when you're taking a look at the behavior of early naturalists, the loss of life they casually deemed acceptable was truly astounding. Not surprising, perhaps, and paving the way for better and more humane things, but still a potent reminder of the callousness of our species. ( )

The Zoo: The Wild and Wonderful Tale of the Founding of London Zoo: 1826-1851 by Isobel Charman is just what it says in the subtitle, the story of the founding of the Zoological Society of London and, in turn, the first days of the London Zoo. It was definitely a tough read at times because of the lack of knowledge of how to properly house and care for wild animals and also their incompatibility with London's filthy air and chilly climate. This was balanced, though, by the work of some good men who truly cared and wanted to learn about the creatures they were charged with looking after.

Each chapter is written to focus on a specific man and to highlight his contribution to the zoo, be he a visionary, an architect, or an Earl. What led me to crave my next read was the chapter on Darwin, whose voyage on The Beagle and return with samples and ideas coincided with some of the first years of the zoo.

(Note: this is narrative non-fiction but Charman was very careful in using original sources to create the narrative. She added 12 pages of Notes on the Use of Sources at the end so I trust that she didn't take many liberties. Still, I know some readers aren't fans of narrative non-fic, hence this warning.)

http://webereading.com/2017/05/new-releases-zoo-and-book-that-changed.html ( )

Book received from NetGalley.

Prior to reading this book, I believed the London Zoo was started when the animals of the Tower of London were moved to a better living area. I had no clue just how wrong I was. This book goes into the founding of the Zoological Society of London and the aristocracy that fought to bring the zoo to life. So different from what I believed. I have to admit this book will not interest everyone, and I did skim a few areas that seemed to drag which is why I lowered the rating for this book. I think this would be a great book for someone who enjoys this era of history and I will likely buy a copy for my research shelves. ( )