Books : Water for Elephants: A Novel

Rating: - Enchanting
This is a gentle book that I found myself thinking about when I couldn't be reading it. Just as James Harriot could write about some pretty unseemly characters, there is compassion and understanding there so that you know the motivation and realize that the characters made the choices they did because they were the best choices available to them.(Excluding the method of Redlighting or throwing unwanted employees off of moving trains in the middle of the night!) I read it in three sittings. It struck me how well the author captured what it must be like to be old. She has the main character alternate between his present life in a nursing home and then flashes back to his circus days. A review above talked about how the main character was the only one with compassion; this isn't true; there is a dwarf and his dog that are amazing characters; Rosemary, one of the nurses at the home and numerous others who are exquisitely crafted. Rosie the elephant who smiles just made me smile throughout. This book will be with me for a very long time; I never reread books, but this one might just warrant another read. It is the kind of book that while reading, every once in a while you just have to pause and absorb the beauty of the writing and the way an idea has been conveyed. I've been recommending it to everyone I see, because again, it keeps creeping in to my thoughts. Someone recommended it to me because something in our conversation reminded her of it. It's that kind of book.

---

Rating: - Loved this book
When I read the synopsis of this book I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. What a wonderful peek inside depression era circus life. I very much enjoyed this author's style of writing.

---

Rating: - Delightful!
This was a delightful summer read. Everything about this book was good. You could really identify and feel passionate (good or bad) about the characters, including the animals. All the loose ends are wrapped up. It makes me feel nostalgic and she has a way of transporting you back in time without being too wordy. The book is well written and entertaining. This was pretty much the best book I read all summer. I even cried a little at the end. :) I really hope they make this book into a movie. It would be such a great movie if it was done correctley. Everyone should read this book.

---

Rating: - You'll want to run away and join the circus, too!
90-ish Jacob Jankowski narrates his story in flashbacks from a nursing home. His days with the circus feel more real and alive to him than his current reality.

After his parents are killed in a car accident, Jacob runs out on his vet school exams and joins the circus. Circus life is not always easy, but Jacob has experiences with humans and animals that change his life forever.

Gruen brings the Depression-era circus vividly to life, along with its many colorful characters. If Rosie the elephant and Bobo the orangutan don't touch your heart, it's made of stone!

Highly recommended!

---

Rating: - Book Club Read
Excellent read. It has been a long time since I picked up a book that I could not put down. The author is a wonderful story teller. He was able to include many thought provoking social issues into what might be considered a light read.