This read was chosen for my book club and what a fun book to plan a party around, would definitely recommend this book to friends, family and fellow book clubbers out there. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. 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. He ended up working in a circus, as the shows vet, and fell in love with the equine masters wife.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 335 pages and is available in paperback format. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star. A meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. Sara gruens very readable novel is a story of impossible love set in the circus world during the 1930s and is set to be made into a blockbuster film starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon. Water for elephants by sara gruen free kindle books.
Sunday express you are so immersed in circus life that you are completely blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust. Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. The movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus.
A great title but i dont feel that the book reflected the significance needed for that name. 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. Overall, water for elephants was a book that grabbed me from the. He jumps aboard a passing train and discovers he has landed on the train of a travelling circus. Sep 07, 2016 i bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends.
Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. The first edition of the novel was published in may 26th 2006, and was written by sara gruen. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read.
The story is told by its main character, jacob who is now confined to. The circus, the great depression, a complex elephant, equally complex love, the mists and twists of memory articulated in the utterly winning voice of a very old man whos seen it all. This starts out as a light read, but then before you know it you. Water for elephants download direct water for elephants 2011 sponsored link publichd.
It follows the story of a young man whose circumstances are suddenly altered and who finds himself homeless and jobless. The band starts playing very fast and the redlighters set all the circus animals loose. Originally published by algonquin books on may 26, 2006, water for elephants is available in 44 languages and has over 3 million copies in print worldwide. In the book, jacobs narration takes place in his own mind. My posts will include the banned book, wherewhy its been banned or challenged, my opinion, and a students opinion. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Enhancements were made to more precisely measure materials read in k2. Pdf water for elephants download full pdf book download. Water for elephants is a fictional novel by sara gruen that is set in the depression. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends.
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. With lines of startling beauty, haunting and evocative scenes and finelydrawn characters who dance off the page, readers can dip in and out of the novel, immersing themselves in jacobs memories. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. It only strengthened my resolve to protect wildlife. Daily telegraph trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise. What makes water for elephants more intriguing is a third character, reminding us why christoph waltz deserved his supporting actor oscar for inglourious basterds 2009. Joshilyn jackson, author of gods in alabama so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only under the big top, but into the protagonists heart. Water for elephants, 2011 the new york times best sellers fiction winner, sara gruen water for elephants sara gruen i didnt like it. As i was reading, i kept expecting something to exhibit water for elephants besides mcguinty.
Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. The only place the movie veers from the original is in its details of the older, current jacob. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. Water for elephants by sara gruen ebook epubpdfprcmobiazw3 free download water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. The characters were very shallow and the climax of the book was literally given away in the first teaser chapter.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. Her works have been translated into fortythree languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Stories similar to water for elephants books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen. Many years before, jacob is a student at cornell university, studying veterinarian medicine in order to join.
This book is every bit the fabulous escapist entertainment that the big top once was. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. 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. Differences between water for elephants book vs movie page 1.
Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese witherspoon, rob pattinson, and christoph waltz in 2011. 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. While reading water for elephants i found the plot hyperbolic and excessively melodramatic and the characters little developed beyond their names. Water for elephants absolutely enjoyable from beginning to end. Sep 26, 2011 my posts will include the banned book, wherewhy its been banned or challenged, my opinion, and a students opinion. Joshilyn jackson, author of gods in alabama so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only. On our first date, my husband took me to see tod brownings freaks, a 1932 horror film with a distinctly diane arbus feel. Water for elephants was on the new york times best seller list for 12 weeks in 2006 and the paperback hit number one on the same list on july 8, 2007. Water for elephants by sara gruen ebook epubpdfprcmobi.
The denver post so compelling, so detailed and vivid, that i couldnt bear to be torn away from it for a single minute. The climax of the the book, water for elephants, is when several survivors who were redlighted return to the circus during one of the shows. 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. Water for elephants a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. He is portrayed as a bit of a rebel, arguing with other residents, complaining about the food. He starts narrating the story, but suddenly you realize you are reading young jacob while being at the circus. Jul 23, 2018 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. Although i wanted more emotion between marlena and jacob, its a romantic story, full of action, love for animals and a magnificent circus. 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. A brilliantly crafted and deeply moving novel, water for elephants is the tale of jacob jankowski, now in his nineties, who spends his remaining days fondly drifting through the memories of his early depressionera youth which was spent in the company of circus freaks, clowns and misfits. Water for elephants is an enchanting pageturner, the kind of book that creates a world that engulfs you from the first page to the last.
A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. Oct 21, 2009 but what i liked more was the writing. I deeply admire this book its concept, characters, and message. Pdf water for elephants book by sara gruen free download. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. 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.
Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. He plays the circus owner, who is married to the bareback rider and keeps her and everyone else in his iron grip. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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. A novel by gruen, sara from amazons fiction books store. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. I bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it.
May 26, 2006 water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month jacob janowskis luck had run out. Im also hosting a banned books giveaway, so i hope youll check it out and enter to win a banned book of your choice. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book.
They create a plan to completely ruin the circus for good. Listen to water for elephants audiobook by sara gruen. A national bestseller in canada and a new york times bestseller in the united states, this is a book destined to become a beloved fiction classic. In the book, we see jacob as an old man in the nursing home throughout. Mar 01, 2011 water for elephants is an enchanting pageturner, the kind of book that creates a world that engulfs you from the first page to the last. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. She lives in western north carolina with her husband and three sons, along with their dogs, cats, horses, birds, and the worlds fussiest goat. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Dec 11, 2011 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. Sara gruens arresting new novel, water for elephants, explores similar subject matter the pathetic grandeur of the depressionera circus. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are jacob jankowski, rosemary. Aug 05, 2008 a meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus.
In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. Download water for elephants by sara gruen, narrated by david ledoux, john randolph jones digital audio book get the audible audio edition of water for elephants from the online. I was astounded at the lack of research which became clear when i. Sep 09, 2010 water for elephants book trailer, student work htk. Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked. Readers may find themselves churning through this book at a rapidfire pace, eager to see what lies ahead, then slowing down as they realize the pages are dwindling.
May 22, 2006 listen to water for elephants audiobook by sara gruen. Water for elephants is a rich surprise, a delightful gem springing from a fascinating footnote to history that absolutely deserved to be mined. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books.
Water for elephants book trailer, student work htk. Free download or read online water for elephants pdf epub book. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. My main issue with the book water for elephants not the title i would have chosen. Overall, water for elephants was a book that grabbed me from the beginning. He is particularly angry with one old man who says he once got the water for elephants in the circus. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese witherspoon, rob pattinson, and christoph waltz.
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