Novelist sara gruen sweeps her readers off their feet in the opening pages of water for elephantsand doesnt let go until she deposits them at the end of her fantastic tale of passion, madness and fancy. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. May 19, 20 licensed to youtube by ingrooves, the orchard music on behalf of mwg music world entertainment corporation. 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. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression.
Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. Water for elephants is the story of jacobs life with this circus. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Cmrra, bmg rights management, aresa, and 1 music rights societies show more show less. 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 under the big top, but into the protagonists heart. 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. Based on the book by sara gruen, water for elephants is the story of jacob jankowski who as an old man is recounting the tale of when he first.
For interested readers rooting for a satisfying ending, water for elephants succeeds. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Water for elephants, published in 2006, is sara gruens third book and her most successful to date. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. 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. His stay here is cut short by the death of his parents.
A circus elephant, a love story, and a prohibitionera thriller. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. Im also hosting a banned books giveaway, so i hope youll check it out and enter to win a banned book of your choice. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. 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. I didnt want to leave the pages that exposed the truth of jacob and marlenas affection or the cruelties of uncle al and august. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. But the book locked me in and all i could do was turn the pages until i reached page 331 and the story was complete. It follows the story of a young man whose circumstances are suddenly altered and who finds himself homeless and jobless. Dec 22, 2010 test how much you know about the book water for elephants.
When jacob jankowski arrived for the first time at the circus where he worked, he was in awe. While i enjoyed the movie with robert pattinson and reese witherspoon, the novel is far better. 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. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. First, young jacob is found on the campus of cornell university in ithaca, new york. 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. Newport news waterworks is a regional water provider, owned and operated by the city of newport news, that serves over 400,000 people in hampton, newport news, poquoson, york county and part of james city county. Water for elephants by sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Novelist sara gruen sweeps her readers off their feet in the opening pages of water for elephants and doesnt let go until she deposits them at the end of her fantastic tale of passion, madness and fancy. 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. The theme of age the theme of age if the fifth theme in the novel. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. Mar 01, 2011 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.
I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. 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. The setting of the story changes throughout the book.
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. Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. Trough water lemonade is a must at a water for elephants book club party. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on moving trains and fighting for the women he loves. Mar 11, 2011 sara gruens book, water for elephants, was a runaway best seller an internationally acclaimed novel told as the reminiscences of an old man, jacob, about his experiences with a depressionera circus where he witnessed the brutalities inflicted on people and animals alike. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Dec 11, 2011 water for elephants book discussion questions water for elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. I read water for elephants a few years ago and from time to time, i reread my favorite novels. The author, sara gruen allows readers to read the book from two perspectives, one from young jacob and the other from older presentday jacob. This is where almost all of the action of the story took place. Aug 05, 2008 a meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. On our first date, my husband took me to see tod brownings freaks, a 1932 horror film with a distinctly diane arbus feel.
Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. I jotted down into a rickety train, 2009 ive been on our first date, wetting the elephants child. Water for elephants by sara gruen ebook epubpdfprcmobi. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. The circus was the main setting of the book, water for elephants. Sep 07, 2016 author, sara gruen is an excellent novelist.
Sep 26, 2011 my posts will include the banned book, wherewhy its been banned or challenged, my opinion, and a students opinion. Water for elephants a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. The following quote from jacob, taken from the book, describes, in detail, the marvelous scene. Sara gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader. Water for elephants lexile find a book metametrics inc. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. The lexile power v word selector identifies up to 10 challenging words in each book that are important for students to know. 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. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus.
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