A lesson in the power of following your dreams, Benjamin Mee's inspirational story is one of triumph over tragedy and the passion and perseverance it takes to succeed. Mee's story is the subject of the highly acclaimed feature film, We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, which was released in December 2011.

While searching for a new home for his family, Mee discovered the dilapidated Dartmoor Wildlife Park in the English countryside, and soon began pursuing his new dream: to buy the zoo, refurbish it, and run it as a family business. A former journalist, Mee uprooted his family, and they spent their life savings to purchase and restore the park. As if that wasn't a big enough challenge, the Mee family was confronted by another obstacle: caring for the park's 200 exotic animals.

But those weren't the only challenges Mee and his family faced along the way. Shortly after they moved into the park, they lost their beloved wife and mother, Katherine, to a recurring brain tumor. Dedicated to keeping the dream alive in her memory, Mee opened the zoo to the public in 2007, achieving his goal and saving many of the park's animals in the process.

In his memoir, We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever, Mee shares his unbelievable story and the courage and determination it took to realize his dream. He reminds us of the importance of striving to meet our goals--even in the face of adversity.