The book water for elephants

I felt the book was contrived, and the author lacked depth in terms of writing talent and knowledge of the subject matter. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. Its an exciting, fastpaced novel, with lovable characters and an amazing cast of interesting circus performers.

Sara gruens arresting new novel, water for elephants, explores similar subject matter the pathetic grandeur of the depressionera circus. Water for elephants by sara gruen is a must read a story about a 90yearold man remembering his days with a circus during the great depression. Water for elephants was a completely different read for me. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Water for elephants questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on water for elephants. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. Sara gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. His lie telling the old ladies that he used to carry water for the elephants is what triggers jacobs memory about working with the circus. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. Apparently water for elephants was a very popular book when it was published. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book.

The man agrees, saying that jacob will go down in the records book as the oldest man to run away with the circus. But its the setting and animal subplot that add flavor to this book. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Ittells the story of jacob, a young man who joins the circus and ends up falling in love with both a woman and an elephant in different ways, thank goodness. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading water for elephants. Water for elephants is not only a wonderfully written story, but also an historic account of the life of the travelling circus and depressionera america. With its spotlight on elephants, gruens romantic pageturner hinges on the humananimal bonds that drove her debut and its sequel riding.

In your opinion, what is the most courageous act in the book and why. I decided to not watch the movie when i heard it was coming out simply because i didnt want to possibly ruin the experience id had with the book if the movie wasnt uptopar. Pdf water for elephants book by sara gruen free download. Water for elephants by sara gruen, and the 2011 movie. If you like water for elephants, you might like little heathens by mildred armstrong kalish seabiscuit by laura hillenbrand the adventures of miles and isabel by tom gilling. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked.

However, in her 2006 novel water for elephants, sara gruen showed that the circus life might not have been as glamorous as it appeared from the outside. The first edition of the novel was published in may 26th 2006, and was written by sara gruen. The two readers, david ledoux and john randolph jones, did a wonderful job of bringing both jacobs young and old to life. Ittells the story of jacob, a young man who joins the circus. I read water for elephants for our book club, and i expected it to be as slow, dull, and superficial as most of the other books we have read. Was it braver to kill august or to refrain from doing so.

The most interesting aspect of the book is all the circus lore that gruen has so. Free download or read online water for elephants pdf epub book. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz. For a movie set in the 1900s circus world, it does hold and show the magic of circus on screen as it is beautifully shot and told. Water for elephants 2011 frequently asked questions imdb. With lines of startling beauty, haunting and evocative scenes and finelydrawn characters who dance off the page, readers can dip in and out of the novel, immersing themselves in jacobs memories. On our first date, my husband took me to see tod brownings freaks, a 1932 horror film with a distinctly diane arbus feel.

Water for elephants by sara gruen is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. A novel and millions of other books are available for instant. I bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it. The circus, the great depression, a complex elephant, equally complex love, the mists and twists of memory articulated in the utterly winning voice of a very old man whos seen it all. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other.

The setting of the story changes throughout the book. Water for elephants is a 2011 american romantic drama film directed by francis lawrence and written by richard lagravenese, based on sara gruens 2006 novel of the same name. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. This may be a totally amateur answer, but i totally thought the book was titled water for elephants because of the old man in the book that jacob despised. In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. It was adult, and it was realistic, and i loved it. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932 illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Cant say ive ever been curious enough about its workings to read a book revolving around one, but i am so glad i. Water for elephants is a delightful, moving book, and the ending was a very pleasant surprise. Also, if you want a special treat, listen to it on audiobook. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen.

There, he works as the shows vet, and falls ever more in love with marlena, the star of the circus and beautiful wife of the temperamental ringmaster august. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. A circus elephant, a love story, and a prohibitionera thriller. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. Gruens novel isnt deep literary fiction exploring the big questions of life but rather a beautifully told story of one man, his coming of age, his first love, an unexpected summer filled with adventure as well. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books.

At what point in his life did he seem to be the happiest. The book, water for elephants by sara gruen, is also available on audible. Its the story of jacob, who runs away to the circus during the depression when his life falls apart around him. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. It is also apparent that the more popular a book is, the quicker its screen adaptation gets produced. After jacob gets dressed up to go to the circus with his family what happens. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. The novel was adapted for the movie by american screenwriter richard lagravenese.

See more of official water for elephants movie on facebook. Water for elephants is a 2006 novel by canadianamerican author sara gruen. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I need to read the authors biography more carefully in the future. Water for elephants resembles stealth hits like the giants house, by elizabeth mccracken, or the lovely bones, by alice sebold, books that combine outrageously whimsical premises with crowdpleasing romanticism. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Official page for sara gruen and her books, including the international bestseller water for elephants 2006. Joshilyn jackson, author of gods in alabama so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only. Jacob laughs and says, im not running away, im coming home. In the sections of the book set in the present, when jacob is in his 90s, he makes a big deal about his age and seems really upset by it. Sara gruens very readable novel is a story of impossible love set in the circus world during the 1930s and is set to be made into a blockbuster film starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life.

Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. Her works have been translated into fortythree languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Water for elephants teaches us that courage is everywhere, everyday. Should the murderer in water for elephants be punished. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. All we as viewers and fans can hope for is a script, production, and acting body that gives the book the attention it deserves.

Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. Water for elephants, published in 2006, is sara gruens third book and her most successful to date. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. Readers may find themselves churning through this book at a rapidfire pace, eager to see what lies ahead, then slowing down as they realize the pages are dwindling.