Monkeys on Interstat

When the Columbus Zoo (Ohio) hired Hanna as director in 1978, its chief attraction was the gorilla collection, but all the animals were caged and the buildings run-down. With hard work, imagination and a genius for promotion--this man could have given P. T. Barnum lessons--Hanna revamped and revived the zoo, turning it into one of the finest in the country. Since his childhood, he has loved animals; he had a home menagerie, ran a pet shop and petting zoo, worked for a wildlife adventure outfit. Written with Stravinsky ( The Not So Great Moments in Sports ), here is a collection of exuberant stories about the Columbus Zoo: successful breeding of endangered species, animal births and deaths, escapes (the monkeys of the title went north on I-71 to Cleveland in seven months), local and national TV appearances ( Good Morning America ; Late Night with David Letterman ), safari adventures. The book will leave zoophiles and animals lovers breathless. Photos. First serial to Cosmopolitan; Troll Book Club selection; author tour. (June)