Jul 12, 2007 water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. I am pondering this sad fact when i realize the blackness of. Sara gruen wrote water for elephants in 2006 as part of the national novel writing month. 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. The book was published on may 26, 2006, under algonquin books, in the united states of america. The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011.
Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 335 pages and is available in paperback format. Water for elephants, after being rejected by publishers initially, went on to become a new york bestseller and is available in 46 languages. Summary an atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons when jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a. Book has very mild bumping to head and foot of spine, one very small ding to top edge of front board, one dog eared page and a a fairly noticeable lean else clean, unmarked and fairly tight. Love is a driving force in water for elephants, and its not limited to the love one human feels for another. 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. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. Cussys patrons refer to her as bluet or book woman, and she delights in bringing them books as well as messages, medicine, and advice. In what other ways does water for elephants parallel the story of the biblical jacob. I really loved the perspective of the character, jacob jankowski, as an old man looking back at his life in the circus. Water for elephants is fun, sweet and thrilling and will pull you into the mysterious life. May 26, 2006 water for elephants is a coming of age book.
Water for elephants is a delightful, moving book, and the ending was a very pleasant surprise. They create a plan to completely ruin the circus for good. Water for elephants contains several very brutal acts of violence. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. I felt the book was contrived, and the author lacked depth in terms of writing talent and knowledge of the subject matter. Along the way, he falls in love with a performer and befriends an elephant named rosie. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other. I give up on rage, which at this point has become a formality, and make a mental note to get angry again in the morning. With a showmans expert timing, gruen saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of americana.
The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. Free download or read online water for elephants pdf epub book. Best international film beste buitenlandse film best international actor beste buitenlandse acteur. 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. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. Sara gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. It was adult, and it was realistic, and i loved it. 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. It was the early part of the great depression, and for jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. Gruen seamlessly weaves the chapters between past and present.
The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are jacob jankowski, rosemary. He is inconsolable and doesnt want to leave without her. Water for elephants is the story of a veterinarian who runs away and joins the circus during the great depression.
Water for elephants thorndike paperback bestsellers. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011.
Water for elephants by sara gruen, first edition abebooks. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. 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. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that his parents have been killed in a car accident.
Apr 22, 2011 because of this, water for elephants is one of those few magical times when a movie is better than the book it is based on, when all the little details that generally engender people to love a. Water for elephants is an enchanting pageturner, the kind of book that creates a world that engulfs you from the first page to the last. The story of an idealistic but emotionallyclosed vet who joins a circus is far more realistic than many similar tales. Official page for sara gruen and her books, including the international bestseller water for elephants 2006. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years. Jacob, once it becomes known that he has veterinary skills.
I believe that of all animals, choosing an elephant as the title animal was appropriate given elephants are known for their good memories. 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. Beautifully written, water for elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. 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. This book was influenced by very important literary movements, such as romanticism, realism, regionalism, and naturalism. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. Discover and share water for elephants book quotes. After his parents death, jacob jankowski is left penniless and homeless. When a local pastor takes a nefarious interest in cussy, claiming that god has sent him to rid society of her. Fans of the story looking for more gritty, circus related tales should check out the following books like water for elephants. Water for elephants is a fascinating read, filled with danger, acts of evil, overwhelming kindness, and enduring love. The first edition of the novel was published in may 26th 2006, and was written by sara gruen. Water for elephants pdf as a young man, jacob jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the benzini brothers most spectacular show on earth.
I need to read the authors biography more carefully in the future. This story opens up the history of the travelling circus from the prospective of a young man struck by tragedy and looking for a new life. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. In fact, we see walter at his worst when queenie gets lost right before the circus train pulls away from a town.
Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Water for elephants, published in 2010, is a contemporary novel by sara gruen. The band starts playing very fast and the redlighters set all the circus animals loose. Water for elephants water for elephants is a romantic period drama that takes place in the depression era with a struggling circus full of misfits as its background. Water for elephants is the story of jacobs life with this circus. Water for elephants was a completely different read for me. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world.
Then i let myself drift, because theres really no fighting it. Hi, this morning when i was on my way to work, my daughter, who is in 6th grade and will be 12 in july, asked me if she could read like water for elephants. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants. Therefor water for elephants has a more metaphorical meaning that deals with jacobs decision to stay with the circus, providing water for elephants. Water for elephants is it too adult for an 11 year old. 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. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss august whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. With robert pattinson, reese witherspoon, christoph waltz, paul schneider. Water for elephants was a book that i couldnt put down. Also, if you want a special treat, listen to it on audiobook. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times.
The climax of the the book, water for elephants, is when several survivors who were redlighted return to the circus during one of the shows. Water for elephants was on the new york times best seller list for 12 weeks in 2006 and the paperback hit number one on the same list on july 8, 2007. Pdf water for elephants book by sara gruen free download. Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. The book went on to receive numerous awards and nominations as well as a film adaptation in 2011 starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Water for elephants is told in the first person but from two different perspectivesjacob jankowski at 23 years of age and again, at 93 years old. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz.
In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Water for elephants sara gruen, 2006 algonquin books of chapel hill 350 pp. I cling to my anger with every ounce of humanity left in my ruined body, but its no use. How do the names of many of the characters reflect names of characters in the biblical account. The characters in water for elephants are members of a circus. May 26, 2006 water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Stories similar to water for elephants books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen.
Israels solution for a water starved world our world of water. 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. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader. Walter completely loves his dog, queenie, as much as any other character loves anything in the book. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. Weve probably all seen a movie and wished it were 40 minutes shorter or read a book and thought, damn, this really could have been condensed and lost nothing. A national bestseller in canada and a new york times bestseller in the united states, this is a book destined to become a beloved fiction classic. Jacket has light to normal shelf wear scuffing and a small. So much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only under the big top, but into the protagonists heart. It has 335 pages, and is classified as historical romance and fiction. The two readers, david ledoux and john randolph jones, did a wonderful job of bringing both jacobs young and old to life. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows.
Pdf water for elephants download full pdf book download. When two people are meant to be together, they will be together. Jul 23, 2018 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. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. 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. Surprising, poignant, and funny, water for elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down. Sara gruens arresting new novel, water for elephants, explores similar subject matter the pathetic grandeur of the depressionera. Water for elephants the novel water for elephants is written by the bestselling author sarah gruen.
Books that perform well based on their reader engagement are published by inkitt in different formats and channels. Originally published by algonquin books on may 26, 2006, water for elephants is available in 44 languages and has over 3 million copies in print worldwide. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world. A book about the water cycle water for elephants let there be water.