Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Triviaquiz for fans features youll discover inside. Official page for sara gruen and her books, including the international bestseller water for elephants 2006. In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz the film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are jacob jankowski, rosemary.
Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. The two readers, david ledoux and john randolph jones, did a wonderful job of bringing both jacobs young and old to life. Strange sounds can have many sources, and when the source. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. 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. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. Water for elephants, after being rejected by publishers initially, went on to become a new york bestseller and is available in 46 languages. Books that defined a generation water for elephants. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. They say that the best relationship start off as a friendship first. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. It shouldnt be a surprise that in the prologue we cant tell whether jacob is talking about marlena or rosie when he uses the word she he loves them both and thinks of them both as individuals.
Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. An american book association indiebound best seller. Its the story of jacob, who runs away to the circus during the depression when his life falls apart around him. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. A depressionera traveling circus is an intriguing and colorful setting for a book, and one that held a lot of promise. Water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. Water for elephants is fun, sweet and thrilling and will pull you into the mysterious life of the circus so far that you wont want to leave. Sara gruens arresting new novel, water for elephants, explores similar subject matter the pathetic grandeur of the depressionera circus. Free download or read online water for elephants pdf epub book. Also, if you want a special treat, listen to it on audiobook. 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. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that. The history of the circus and its role in that period of american history was interesting, yes.
I thought that water for elephants read like a screenplay. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times. When a local pastor takes a nefarious interest in cussy, claiming that god has sent him to rid society of her. 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. Pdf water for elephants book by sara gruen free download. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. The story of an idealistic but emotionallyclosed vet who joins a circus is far more realistic than many similar tales. Pdf water for elephants download full pdf book download. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Water for elephants, published in 2010, is a contemporary novel by sara gruen. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends.
Review of water for elephants good books for catholic kids. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 335 pages and is available in paperback format. Water for elephants was a completely different read for me. 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 original motion picture soundtrack licensed to youtube by sme, adrev for a 3rd party on behalf of t c f music publishing, inc, ascap fox music. Water for elephants is a delightful, moving book, and the ending was a very pleasant surprise. Best international film beste buitenlandse film best international actor beste buitenlandse acteur. The book went on to receive numerous awards and nominations as well as a film adaptation in 2011 starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon.
I felt like a toddler whose tantrum was being allowed to run its course. Love is a driving force in water for elephants, and its not limited to the love one human feels for another. Water for elephants resembles stealth hits like the giants house, by elizabeth mccracken, or the. Her works have been translated into fortythree languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide.
Stories similar to water for elephants circus of the stars. Read online water for elephants by sara gruen for free. Cussys patrons refer to her as bluet or book woman, and she delights in bringing them books as well as messages, medicine, and advice. A comprehensive guide to aid in discussion and discovery 30 multiple choice questions on the book, plots, characters, and author insightful resource for teachers, groups, or individuals keep track of scores with results to. 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.
People also love animals, and animals love them back. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Water for elephants contains several very brutal acts of violence. 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. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in. Later in the book, it is suggested that he is a paranoid schizophrenic, to explain his violence. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. 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. As the sadistic august, waltz simmers with alternating charm and viciousness two qualities he perfected in his oscarwinning turn in inglourious basterds.
Water for elephants is written as a firstperson account and closely follows the life of jacob jankowski as flashbacks of his 20s, as he spends his old age in a nursing home. A novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932. 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. Fans of the story looking for more gritty, circus related tales should check out the following books like water for elephants. The most interesting aspect of the book is all the circus lore that gruen has so carefully. This book assists to remind all of us that ordinary people have phenomenal tales to tell if we would certainly just bother to reduce as well as listen. 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.
Cant say ive ever been curious enough about its workings to read a book revolving around one, but i am so glad i did because it was sooo much more than that. The dialogue was both predictable and unnatural, and the love story at the core of the book was entirely unconvincing. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. But otherwise, i didnt find much that was compelling about the book. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. The book begins with ninety year old jacob remembering a very intense and disturbing event from his time with the circus that will leave you wanting to find out. Water for elephants by sara gruen everyday i write the book.
With robert pattinson, reese witherspoon, christoph waltz, paul schneider. Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. The first edition of the novel was published in may 26th 2006, and was written by sara gruen. With gruens bestselling book as his source material here, lawrence concentrates on more domestic horrors missing in his other films.
Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for. It was adult, and it was realistic, and i loved it.
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