Skip to content
  • Podcast
  • Microcast
  • Books
  • Context
  • Search
    • Podcast Programs
      • Chapters
      • Engaging the World
      • How + Why
      • Medium History
      • The Fire Problem
      • Without...
    • Podcast Series
      • Adjust Accordingly
      • Eichler Sessions
      • Environmental Justice
      • Ethnic Studies
      • Gender and Sexuality
      • Love of Food
      • Placing Equity into Practice
      • Science + Technology
      • Significance of Race
      • Sounds + Stories
      • The Grammar
    • Book Collections
      • Arts
      • Biography + Memoir
      • Business + Education
      • Children
      • Comics + Graphic Novels
      • Cooking
      • History
      • Poetry
      • Science + Technology
      • Young Adult
    • Book Lists
      • Children Bestsellers
      • Fiction Bestsellers
      • Nonfiction Bestsellers
      • Book Awards
      • Indie Next List
      • Indie Next List for Kids
  • Sign in
0

Past ForwardPast Forward

  • Podcast
  • Microcast
  • Books
  • Context
  • Search
    • Podcast Programs
      • Chapters
      • Engaging the World
      • How + Why
      • Medium History
      • The Fire Problem
      • Without...
    • Podcast Series
      • Adjust Accordingly
      • Eichler Sessions
      • Environmental Justice
      • Ethnic Studies
      • Gender and Sexuality
      • Love of Food
      • Placing Equity into Practice
      • Science + Technology
      • Significance of Race
      • Sounds + Stories
      • The Grammar
    • Book Collections
      • Arts
      • Biography + Memoir
      • Business + Education
      • Children
      • Comics + Graphic Novels
      • Cooking
      • History
      • Poetry
      • Science + Technology
      • Young Adult
    • Book Lists
      • Children Bestsellers
      • Fiction Bestsellers
      • Nonfiction Bestsellers
      • Book Awards
      • Indie Next List
      • Indie Next List for Kids
0

Past ForwardPast Forward

Your cart

The Elephant of Belfast by Walsh, S. Kirk

The Elephant of Belfast

The Elephant of Belfast

S. Kirk Walsh

$27.00

$22.95

 More payment options This item is a recurring or deferred purchase. By continuing, I agree to the cancellation policy and authorize you to charge my payment method at the prices, frequency and dates listed on this page until my order is fulfilled or I cancel, if permitted.

Inspired by true events, this vivid and moving story of a young woman zookeeper and the elephant she's compelled to protect through the German blitz of Belfast during WWll speaks to not only the tragedy of the times, but also to the ongoing sectarian tensions that still exist in Northern Ireland today--perfect for readers of historical and literary fiction alike.

Belfast, October 1940. Twenty-year-old zookeeper Hettie Quin arrives at the city docks in time to meet her new charge: an orphaned three-year-old Indian elephant named Violet. As Violet adjusts to her new solitary life in captivity and Hettie mourns the recent loss of her sister and the abandonment of her father, new storm clouds gather. A world war rages, threatening a city already reeling from escalating tensions between British Loyalists and those fighting for a free and unified Ireland.

The relative peace is shattered by air-raid sirens on the evening of Easter Tuesday 1941. Over the course of the next five hours, hundreds of bombs rain down upon Belfast, claiming almost a thousand lives and decimating the city. Dodging the debris and carnage of the Luftwaffe attack, Hettie runs to the zoo to make sure that Violet is unharmed. The harrowing ordeal and ensuing aftermath set the pair on a surprising path that highlights the indelible, singular bond that often brings mankind and animals together during horrifying times.

Inspired by a largely forgotten chapter of World War II, S. Kirk Walsh deftly renders the changing relationship between Hettie and Violet, and their growing dependence on each other for survival and solace. The Elephant of Belfast is a complicated and beguiling portrait of hope and resilience--and how love can sustain us during the darkest moments of our lives.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Counterpoint LLC
Published: 04/06/2021
ISBN: 9781640094000
Pages: 336

Mission

Past Forward is a public service dedicated to educational accessibility.

Podcast

Listen to episodes on our website, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Books

Search millions of discounted books with next business day shipping in the US.

Information

To learn more, please visit the following pages for Context, Disclaimers, Policies, and Terms.

© 2014-2025 Past Forward