#FridayReads THE ZOO by Isobel Charman "I just finished this amazing book that looks at the creation and formative years of the London Zoo through the eyes (and writings) of the men who were there. It's fascinating to see the different perspectives and priorities of the animal preserver (for example) compared to the architect or head keeper or surgeon. Young Charles Darwin was a favorite, seeing him wrestle with his discoveries and balance them with the social politics of the era. Zoo can be a hard read at times, since they were importing animals they had never seen before, let alone knew how to provide basic food and housing (and air in some cases). But even with hardship, or because of it, it was a joy to read about how dedicated most were to science and the goal of bringing such exotic wonder to people in this capacity." - Rachel What are you reading? #friday #amreading #thezoo #isobelcharman #londonzoo #history #animals #stewardship #stafffav #bookrecommendations #whatareyoureading (at Bookshop Santa Cruz)