Books - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen #1: "... for this old man, this is home."

**keep the starlight** · 05-22-2010, 03:43 AM

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus
struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree,
Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is
married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes
incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

Memorable Book Quotes:

"Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back.
It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse."

"She speaks without need or even room for response, so I simply hold her and stroke her hair. She talks of the pain, grief and horror of the past four years;
of learning to cope with being the wife of a man so violent and unpredictable his touch made her skin crawl and of thinking, until quite recently,
that she'd finally managed to do that. And then, finally, of how my appearance had forced her to realize she hadn't learned to cope at all."

"With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept it does not."

"The whole thing's illusion, Jacob, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's what people want from us. It's what they expect."

"And then I laugh, because it's so ridiculous and so gorgeous and it's all I an do to not melt into a fit of giggles.
So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and
my guilty conscience, why the hell shouldn't I run away with the circus? It's like Charlie told the cop. For this old man, this is home."

courtneybangelcakes · 07-02-2010, 12:39 PM

This is an amazing book, I recommend it for sure for anyone.

Gabriela · 07-02-2010, 01:18 PM

I just saw a picture on people.com of Reese Witherspoon on the set of the movie...makes me wnat to read the book

**keep the starlight** · 12-20-2010, 11:59 PM

You definitely should! It's pretty amazing.

Credit: Rob Pattinson Life

I have high hopes that the film is going to capture the real essence of the novel. <3

**Queen of Babble** · 12-21-2010, 02:32 AM

I watched the trailer yesterday.. And thought of reading the book..

**keep the starlight** · 12-21-2010, 02:52 PM

Do it, do it!

**AtomicEmpress** · 12-21-2010, 04:59 PM

I'm so close to getting this in kindle form.

**Queen of Babble** · 12-23-2010, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keep the starlight (View Post)

Do it, do it!

It's THAT good??

froggiepopple · 12-23-2010, 10:49 AM

I loved this book. It is really good.

**AtomicEmpress** · 12-23-2010, 03:38 PM

I bought it today it was less than 7 bucks in kindle form.

**keep the starlight** · 12-28-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen of Babble (View Post)

It's THAT good??

It's one of my favorites, yeah. You really should read it.

For fans of the book who are interested in the film adaptation, from the January 10th issue of People mag:

Full scan here; credit.

smoothaise · 03-30-2011, 04:34 PM

Just started the book today. Didn't get much done but I'll stake out some time in the next few days to get in longer reading sessions. Loving it, so far.

**keep the starlight** · 04-18-2011, 12:16 AM

So glad to hear that, Ken!

Anyone reading the book right now? Or recently finished reading it?

crazy4pacey_99 · 04-19-2011, 01:53 AM

I loved the book - the story was just so beautifully heartbreaking I can't wait to see it played out on the big screen. Reese and Rob look fantastic in the trailer

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