The Medici Giraffe: And Other Tales of Exotic Animals and Power

This book is offers entertaining twists on how animals have played a part in driving explroation or politcal intrigue throughout history. To me, the book read like a handful of unrelated stories that demonstrated the authors strength in research, interpretation on historical events and documentation, and care in picking relevent yet manageable stories. The title is misleading, the Medici Giraffe is but one vignette, and not even the best one in the book in my opinion, but the strength of the book is that it doesn't focus on one geography, one timeline, and one set of historical characters, instead it is like a tour guide through the author's lense of events. Some of the connections to animals seems a stretch while reading it, but I think the body of work stands well in its entirety. I would have loved to see the cutting floor from all the stories that didn't make it in the book. I suspect there are more such books from this author on different slices of history.

Don't be fooled by the title, this book is not filled with cute stories featuring fluffy animals. Instead it is a scholarly treatise in which the author explores the role of exotic animals in international politics from ancient times to the modern day. The animals appear in the stories but more as backdrops than as main characters, even the titular Medici giraffe receives only a few paragraphs. Marina Belozerskaya has chosen seven such instances and devoted a chapter to each. Beginning in Alexandria, Egypt we learn about elephants as war machines. From there, Ancient Rome where exotic animals are used for entertainment in the arenas. The more exotic the animal the better it is received by the crowds. Then comes the Medicis and their giraffe, and how it (and other animals) turned their family from merchants into nobility. Next stop, the New World and the Aztecs where the kings kept extensive private zoos - that included albinos and other exotic humans among the exhibits. The next chapter details the menagerie of Rudolf II, a strange and eccentric king who often ran out of money to feed his wild cats, yet still gave them free run of the palace grounds. There is also the story of Malmaison, where Empress Josephine (wife of Napoleon) kept her collection, including her favorite black swans, the descendants of which can still be seen today. Next up, Animal welfare advocate William Randolph Hearst's ranch at San Simeon where he kept herds of exotic hoofed stock roaming freely to the delight of the guests. And the final chapter details the giant pandas given to First Lady Pat Nixon by Chairman Mao Zedong as a diplomatic gift. The author hopes that by telling the stories, it will show that the way we perceive and treat animals illuminates our own values, concerns and aspirations. And that by pondering these relationships, we may discover something about ourselves. Altogether an erudite and well-polished window into the world of animals in politics, this book should interest both history buffs and animal lovers alike.

This beautifully produced, well-written and well edited book would make a perfect Christmas present for those in search of stimulation as well as entertainment. The chapters are introduced by interesting illustrations as well as by amusing and provocative quotations. Although the book is based on thorough research and wide reading, the author carries her scholarship lightly. Sources are listed for each chapter rather than as single bibliography, which makes tracking down the information used relatively easy. Superscripts would, however, have made this even easier and the work more useful as a reference source. However, The Medici Giraffe does not set out to be a comprehensive history of private zoos. The author's vision of linking the acquisition of great and extraordinary animals to human power frames the book in an interesting way and she brings it right up to date with some interesting reflections on pandas, and on conservation. An excellent book for the general reader. Strongly recommended.

Exotic animals have long inspired humans who marvel at them, and THE MEDICI GIRAFFE: AND OTHER TALES OF EXOTIC ANIMALS AND POWER explores this fascination throughout history, from Roman times on up. How did the introduction of such animals and knowledge of their existence change empires and perceptions? THE MEDICI GIRAFFE follows these accompanying changes, bringing to life stories from around the world and blending natural and human history. A fine, lively pick any library should have. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch