Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. Within this genre, there are times when serendipitous, magical things happen in normal settings. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years.
While i enjoyed the movie with robert pattinson and reese witherspoon, the novel is far better. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. Theres more than these five points, but i think these. 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. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Book clubs book fairs scholastic education classroom magazines about us. 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. Just to put it out there, ill admit straight off the bat that im one of the people who enjoyed this book. Apr 22, 2011 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. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. It has an energy and spirit like the feeling under a big top when the show is about to begin. It is there that he falls in love with marlena, the equestrian star married to the maniacal ringmaster, and where he meets rosie, the untrainable elephant, who becomes the most surprising character of all.
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. She demonstrates an exceptional aptitude for writing, and matthias, for a time, indulges her with reed pens, papyri, and other 16 c. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. 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. Oct 21, 2009 robert olen butler 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. This study guide consists of approximately 58 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of water for elephants. Nonfiction, fiction, historicalfiction, biography, autobiography, mystery. More love triangle, more drama, no hal holbrook this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. If you worked at barnes and noble and had to choose the genre under which to shelve water for elephants, what would it be.
Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Jan 02, 2009 what is the genre of water for elephants by sara gruen. After his parents death, jacob jankowski is left penniless and homeless. Water for elephants makes use of a framing device similar to one the screenwriter used for the bridges of madison county. Books mentioned in this topic water for elephants other topics company. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. An old jacob, played by hal holbrook, tells his story in flashback to a. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. It is there that he falls in love with marlena, the equestrian star married to the. Ana is the daughter of matthias, head scribe to herod antipas, tetrarch of galilee. May 26, 2006 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. 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. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen.
Water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. Historical fiction, in my view, pertains to a particular true event not. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that his parents have been killed in a car accident. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader. Sara gruen a novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. A novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932. 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.
If you like water for elephants you might like similar books the secret life of bees, the time travelers wife, the help, my sisters keeper, the lovely bones. I read water for elephants a few years ago and from time to time, i reread my favorite novels. Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. It was written by sara gruen and published in 2006.
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. Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint. 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 is a story that has it all warmth, humour, poignancy and passion. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. With robert pattinson, reese witherspoon, christoph waltz, paul schneider. Water for elephants, published in 2010, is a contemporary novel by sara gruen.
Surprising, poignant, and funny, water for elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. 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. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz the film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. Water for elephants by sara gruen free download epub. It was a fast read which i always appreciate, because im perpetually drowning in a list of books tbr and it was fairly easy to get through. Jul 12, 2007 water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. Water for elephants symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver.
When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. Water for elephants by sara gruen free download epub ebook site. What is the genre of water for elephants by sara gruen. Sep 07, 2016 author, sara gruen is an excellent novelist. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Review of water for elephants good books for catholic kids. I havent read this book yet but i want to know what the genre is. May 04, 2011 water for elephants makes use of a framing device similar to one the screenwriter used for the bridges of madison county.