What I Learned At The 'Zoo

by Dale Beasley

Coming of age during the turbulent 1970's, Dale Beasley for one short time only thought that he hailed from Texas. His father, the late Brigadier General Glenn D. Beasley, Sr., United States Army, knew and determined that his son would also know, instead, that the youngster's roots ran deep from the soil of the Mississippi Delta. What I Learned At The 'Zoo reveals the younger Beasley's fictionalized account of his 14th summer in Yazoo City — a summer that features an eccentric family, a plot to smuggle Cold War secrets from Mississippi to spies in East Germany, and the forging of a lasting bond between the boy and his Great Uncle Dallas Crabtree. Set during the height of the Cold War while his family live in Stuttgart, Germany, the story introduces a bizarre family steeped in Southern culture, colorful characters, and an espionage plot to smuggle Cold War Secrets from the Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg to spies probably working for East Germany and North Korea. Plot, scenes, and action evolve from well-crafted dialogue featuring stereotypically Southern language reimagined from a young teen's point of view.

Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2020

Reviews

[Danita Quebedeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading the book this past weekend. It was delightful!

I lived in Tinsley for several years during my youth. And I spent many days going to town (the ‘Zoo) with one of my parents or my older sister. So your book was like a pleasant stroll down memory lane for me.

As I read, I could visualize the marble interior of the Bank of Yazoo. I knew exactly where ice cream was purchased on a summer afternoon. And I knew where “Gold in the Hills” was performed in Vicksburg.

I laughed at the scenarios your eccentric family members found themselves in on a regular basis. And I appreciated that they embraced the concept that one’s family is defined not as much by shared genetics, but more by the deep love and commitment each person has to one another.

I am truly looking forward to reading your future works!

[Mark Winecoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book, or I should say just finished it for the third time. Each time, I have discovered something new about the characters and their interaction with each other that makes me feel as though I know them.

In this book Dale has taken a cast of eccentric, disfunctional yet,very likeable members of a southern family and their friends and in some cases enemies and woven a tale that will take the reader on a wonderful, exciting and very funny trip from Germany to Mississippi and back again.

This book would and will in my opinion will make a great movie.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from Dale in the future.

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a great young adult novel!! i’m in high school and i think it’ll be great to read! the characters are well put together and very realistic:)

[Lauren Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great YA book! It is heart wrenching in all of the good ways and just a glorious coming of age story.

[Lisa Welborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dale Beasley is a masterful storyteller. I really enjoyed how he intertwined a coming of age story with intrigue and mystery. I recommend What I Learned At The Zoo whole heartedly! You won't be disappointed.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope everybody enjoys this book as much as I did! The “family” are all colorful, somewhat eccentric, but believable characters you wish you knew. Espionage in Yazoo City, Mississippi? The author was able to weave this in the story in a most reasonable and entertaining way. Nothing is predictable, which keeps you reading. Hope there is a movie! I nominate Harry Connick, Jr for Uncle Dallas...or maybe Matthew McConaughey!

[Linda]

I loved this book! Having grown up in Yazoo City, it was fun to recall many of the places Dale referred to in this exciting story as they were back in the seventies. The characters are so memorable, exciting, and eccentric. I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out if I knew any of them personally! I really loved the intrigue and mystery that was such a big part of the plot. Dale Beasley is a masterful storyteller and really meet the mark with this his first book. I can’t wait until his next release. Read this book, you will not be disappointed!

[Mary Kiddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr Beasley's writing is a little jumpy, a few moments in the book names, events, times and locations were a bit rushed without full clarity. However, his characters were delicious. Dales extended family was just like mine, loud, boisterous, bickering, teasing and just fun to be around. The story line was fascinating, although old enough to have lived through the cold war, not everyone would understand why events happened in the 70's that tied up the Crabtree and Beasley family. A fun read to learn about Mississippi.

[Rod Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a hoot to read and a heck of a good debut novel. I describe it like this: Blend equal parts of JD Vance, Lewis Grizzard, and Eudora Welty together, throw in a splash of Daniel Silva, and serve it over ice on a hot summer front porch; call it Two Sunsets and drink deeply.

Opening in modern-day Iraq, the book slingshots you back to what us people with gray hair might call “simpler times” during the Cold War. Part quasi-autobiographical bildungsroman and part espionage saga, What I Learned at the ‘Zoo peels back the curtains to reveal characters, situations, and turmoil common to most families in the Deep South.

Uncomfortably accurate in its portrayal of the social (and antisocial) tendencies of small town America, including language not meant for young ears, the novel does not shy away from complex issues of friendship, family, post-military life, religion, addiction, race, and sexuality, among others.

If you have a few days and want to laugh- and possibly to cry- be sure to download or pick up a copy. I’m glad I did.

[Jeffrey Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't quite know what to expect from this book. Beasley's first voyage as an author. He took me on a world-wide cruise. From the small Mississippi town's like Yazoo City to the cities and countrysides of Germany. It was a beautifully woven journey with quite possibly some of the most interesting characters (Dallas, MiMi and Shorty Pimp, etc.) I have ever read. I need a pair of blue suede shoes now. Fantastic first voyage and looking forward to your next.

[Scott Catington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mississippi writers have a special knack for weaving a strong sense of family and place into their stories. Dale blends a tale of strong family bonds seamlessly with a yarn of international espionage and intrigue. I’m looking forward to the next one! Give this a read - you’ll thank yourself.

[Leslie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summer read. I liked it a lot. The story moved well and I finished it in a couple of days. I am from Mississippi and I was about 12 in 1974, so I really enjoyed the references to life in the 70's in Mississippi. Brought back a lot of childhood memories.

[Martha Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read.

Totally enjoyed this book. Characters so believable! And most of all its from "home". Thanks Dale, for a fine read! Congratulations on a first book! !

[Oscar MCDANIEL · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the worst and most difficult to read books I’ve drug my eyes across since my mama taught me to read. Complete misuse of alliterations and continuous grammatical errors that prompt a nauseating amount of run-on sentences. This joke of an author needs to stick to whatever mediocre day job that’s had the misfortune of employing him (and for the love of God take an English 101 refresher).

[Lynn Shurden · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re from Mississippi, I recommend this book. And the author does a great book talk and likes to go to libraries.

[Elizabeth Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a trip at the Zoo!

This book What I Learned at the Zoo was a wonderful tail to be believed. I'm from Mississippi and born in the Delta, know many who !I've there. As far as I know in much of the book it is true to life. I'd recommend this to a book club. It was fun. It was sad. It was kind and wonderful!