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. Stories similar to water for elephants books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen. Sunday express you are so immersed in circus life that you are completely blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust. 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. Water for elephants was a completely different read for me. However, in her 2006 novel water for elephants, sara gruen showed that the circus life might not have been as glamorous as it appeared from. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Water for elephants questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on water for elephants.
Enhancements were made to more precisely measure materials read in k. The only place the movie veers from the original is in its details of the older, current jacob. The setting of the story changes throughout the book. Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. One of the main problems is a lack of character development, especially for the supporting players. Later in the book, it is suggested that he is a paranoid schizophrenic, to explain his violence. Daily telegraph trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. Because who doesnt love a pachyderm and a happy ending. Tessa fontaines astonishing memoir of pushing past fear, the electric woman, follows the author on a lifeaffirming journey of loss and selfdiscovery through her time on the road with the last traveling american sideshow and her relationship with an adventurous, spirited mother. How does water for elephants connect with real life. I didnt read the book, but i hope its better developed than the movie. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks.
It was adult, and it was realistic, and i loved it. 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. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home.
If you like water for elephants you might like similar movies my sisters keeper, charlie st. 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. Also, if you want a special treat, listen to it on audiobook. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. This summary of water for elephants includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. 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. Books that perform well based on their reader engagement are published by inkitt in different formats and channels. 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 book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. I swear my tastes have adapted since i was a teenager. 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 fell in love with the picture you chose for your book the first time i saw it.
The movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section. In this movie water for elephants, robert pattinson plays a character named jacob, while in the twilight saga movies, for which he became famous, his nemesis name played by taylor lautner is jacob. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times. This book is every bit the fabulous escapist entertainment that the big top once was. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. In the sections of the book set in the present, when jacob is in his 90s, he makes a big deal about his age and seems really upset by it.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. Subscribe to the oprahs book club newsletter sign up for the oprahs book club newsletter get more stories like this delivered to your inbox get updates on your favorite shows. Is it primarily written for a female audience or will i like it 3 likes. 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. Water for elephants is mostly fantasy, punctuated with reality for the purpose of contrast. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. In the book, jacobs narration takes place in his own mind.
Camel jim norton is an old roustabout with a drinking problem. Water for elephants july 5, 2006 a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. Without being trite and redundant, it explores timeless and universal themes such as finding ones destiny and freedom, life choices, love, and jealousy, put in an interesting setting, that is the circus world the early 1900s when the us prohibition and depression were taking place which is nicely recreated on screen by production designer jack. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. 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. At its finest, water for elephants resembles stealth hits like the giants house, by. There is a tender story of first love, of murder, mayhem and animal and human. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it.
Water for elephants is based on a bestselling novel of the same name by sara gruen. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen. 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. Read free book excerpt from water for elephants by sara gruen, page 1 of 7. Books that defined a generation water for elephants. At its finest, 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. 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. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on moving trains and fighting for the women he loves. The truth is, it is summer and i am desperate for a distraction away from my recent obsession with greys anatomy reruns fueled by netflixs instant queue. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. Fans of the story looking for more gritty, circus related tales should check out the following books like water for elephants. Like it find this book add to reading list categories.
Water for elephants is a delightful, moving book, and the ending was a very pleasant surprise. Cant say ive ever been curious enough about its workings to read a book revolving around one, but i am so glad i. So i purchased the book and slowly began retreating. I never read the book, but i was interested in the film as a girl who read twilight with an interest in robert pattinson. Get an answer for how does water for elephants connect with real life. Star of both the book and the movie is rosie the elephant who is more. Water for elephants original motion picture soundtrack licensed to youtube by. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. I watched the film water for elephants when it first came out in 2011. 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. This depression era tale of life with a thirdrate traveling circus centers on. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing.
The author, sara gruen allows readers to read the book from two perspectives, one from young jacob and the other from older presentday jacob. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. At what point in his life did he seem to be the happiest. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. The book went on to receive numerous awards and nominations as well as a film adaptation in 2011 starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon.
Unlike other paperback blockbusters, like the memory keepers daughter by kim edwards, which sold modestly in hardcover, water for elephants spent 12 weeks on the new york times. The two readers, david ledoux and john randolph jones, did a wonderful job of bringing both jacobs young and old to life. In the beginning of the novel, jacob mocks another resident of the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for the elephants. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. In the end, fantasy wins, and the reader, like the rube visiting a circus, gets what he wants. Should the murderer in water for elephants be punished. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. With a showmans expert timing, gruen saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of americana. Ann guidry, critical essay on water for elephants, in literary news makers for students, gale, cengage learning, 2009. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen.
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