Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. A novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible. When jacob jankowski arrived for the first time at the circus where he worked, he was in awe. First, young jacob is found on the campus of cornell university in ithaca, new york. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she cant resist. The benzini brothers circus a nursing home circus life. I would not reccomend this books for the youngest of readers. Reading guide for water for elephants by sara gruen.
When i finished reading water for elephants, goose bumps covered my skin. Listen to water for elephants and water for elephants chapter summary new releases on your iphone ipad or android. Water for elephants by gruen, sara and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times. Immediately engrossed, i had a hard time putting it down as i read the story of jacob jankowski and his reminiscence of days with the benzini brothers most spectacular show on earthotherwise known as a train circus in. This is where almost all of the action of the story took place. On the outside the circus looks like a fun, exciting, and beautiful life, but behind it is suffering and pain. 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.
Water for elephants book claresholm public library. With a showmans expert timing, gruen saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of americana. The novel hit the new york times bestseller list and reached number one on july 8, 2007. See more ideas about water for elephants, robert pattinson, robert.
The following quote from jacob, taken from the book, describes, in detail, the marvelous scene. The setting of the story changes throughout the book. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons. Lets start with the circus, because thats just way more fun. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Circus train, and here jacob meets those nasty characters, the love of his life, and rosie the elephant. There are three main settings in water for elephants. Water for elephants authors life threatened due to. Author behind water for elephants left broke and near. Water for elephants summary water for elephants is the new york times best selling debut novel by sara gruen. How water for elephants author sara gruen lost her life. Download water for elephants study guide subscribe now the nurses help the residents to the dinner table, and jacob sarcastically asks what is on the menu for the evening. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends.
This is one of the most unique books i have ever read. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse diamond award for most popular book. His stay here is cut short by the death of his parents. When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a secondrate circus struggling to survive during the great depression, making onenight stands in town after endless town. Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa. I felt like a toddler whose tantrum was being allowed to run its course. August feels the need to beat rosie to get her to walk on cue and august beats marlena so she does what he wants her to do. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. Jacob jankowski, august, rosie, camel, uncle al, kinko walter, marlena larche. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz the film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. Book club discussion on water for elephants sara gruen. Jul 10, 2018 robert pattinson stars as jacob jankowski.
In the beginning of the novel, jacob mocks another nursing home resident who claims to have worked in the circ us and carried the water for the elephants. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, jacob is put. The circus was the main setting of the book, water for elephants. Set during world war ii in germany, markus zusaks groundbreaking new novel is the story of liesel meminger, a foster girl living outside of munich. Beautifully written, water for elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. The majority of the story, however, takes place in the traveling circus, where the setting is either on a moving train or under the big circus tents. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends.
Gritty, sensual and charged with dark secrets involving love, murder and a majestic, mute heroine rosie the elephant. The story in this novel is told as a series of memories by a ninetythree year old man called jacob jankowski. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows. Surprising, poignant, and funny, water for elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down. Official page for sara gruen and her books, including the international bestseller water for elephants 2006. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink between 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. I watched the filmmovie titled water for elephants before reading the book. Yes, there were a few tough sections to read mainly the animal abuse, but, how can a book about a 1930s travelling circus not show the reader what it was like for animals. Water for elephants downloadable audiobook strathcona. I feel this way about, sara gruens, water for elephants. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading water for elephants. See more ideas about water for elephants, reese witherspoon, elephant costumes. Sara gruen, highbridge, a division of recorded books.
Water for elephants has a few parts that i would not want my younger siblings reading, but overall a worthwhile read. 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. Every so often, a book comes along you enjoy it from start to finish. Its full of the fun and terror of the circus in americas depression era. Water for elephants an unabridged production10cd set. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. 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. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a secondrate circus struggling to. Characters edit jacob jankowski the protagonist, a 93yearold nursing home resident reminiscing on the time he spent as a circus. In the part of the story set in the 1930s, the setting is vivid and colorful.
The fourth theme shown in the book, water for elephants is suffering. Book summary an atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932 illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. When jacob jankowski, parents dead and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a secondrate circus. Some say dont judge a book by its cover and others say dont judge a film by the book.
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