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Water For Elephants
By Sara Gruen
This is a wonderful tale told with such verve and charm you want it to go on forever!
Jacob Jankowski’s tragedy sets the stage; he has only one final exam to take before he graduates from veterinary school in the Ivy League when his parents are killed in a car accident. Its 1931 and the Depression has taken its toll - Jacob is left penniless and in a state of shock he hops on a freight train and nothing is ever the same again!
Its a circus train, and even in the Depression they are in need of a vet, and Jacob needs a job - any job. His adventures are funny, catastrophic and real. Marlena, the trapeze artist, Rosie the elephant, and the whole unbelievable crew of circus folk, who are happy to have a job even if the pay isn’t always on time!
Jacob is now 93, and living in a nursing home. We are treated to his life’s story as his memories surface, and what a mesmerizing story it is.
This is a story of survival and love,a miraculous blend of reality and luck, of the joy animals can give under the worst of circumstances, and of bosses that can make life miserable for those who work for them in the race for survival.
Sara Gruen combined many elements to write an engrossing novel that transports the reader to a magical world that is filled with the stuff of real life.
This is a “ can’t put down book “ that you will remember long after the last page is turned. For those old enough to remember, it also revives memories of the circus coming to town and setting up the Big Top, along with the excitement and energy that was generated for young and old alike. The parade, the side shows and finally, if you were lucky, a ticket to the big show itself! Don’t miss this one.
Published by: ALGONQUIN BOOKS OF CHAPEL HILL
P.O. BOX 2225
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2225
Copyright : © 2006 by Sara Gruen
Reviewed by: Joan G. Smith, 11/15/06
Copyright : © 2006 by Joan G. Smith
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