THE ELEPHANT OF BELFAST

Initially, it seems that Hettie, a zookeeper in the city of Belfast saves elephant Violet, but in fact, it is Violet who saves her.

A tender relationship between a young woman and an elephant during the German 1941 blitzes: While Hettie is in mourning for the recent loss of her sister and father she finds solace in her relationship with Vi. The Elephant of Belfast reflects a complicated portrait of loss, grief, love, and resilience, and how the city of Belfast suffered during these catastrophic attacks. This story has it all: A wonderful debut novelist, a WWII story about little-known events, and an elephant rescue!

Kirk is a prolific short form fiction and nonfiction writer. Her essays have been published in the L.A. Review of Books, The New York Times and many more.