Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. And he met rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great hope for this thirdrate traveling show. In what ways are the doctors and nurses condescending. A 335 page novel soon to be a major motion picture. I watched the filmmovie titled water for elephants before reading the book. 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 premises with crowdpleasing romanticism. Author behind water for elephants left broke and near. Some say dont judge a book by its cover and others say dont judge a film by the book. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows. Mount prospect public library book discussion questions. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. In what ways does gruen contrast the antagonisms and cruelties of circus life with the equally impressive loyalties and instances of caring. In the interview with author and the book club questions there is reference to the biblical story of jacob. I just finished the book last night and had to talk about it with someone.
The 23 best water for elephants quotes kids book club. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet and ios and android devices. Books that make excellent choices for discussion groups have a good plot, welldrawn characters, and a polished style. To what extent do the chapters concerning the elderly jacob enhance the. I felt like a toddler whose tantrum was being allowed to run its course. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. This is a love story with an interesting and well researched insight into the train circus in the 1930s. Water for elephants authors life threatened due to. May 09, 2011 a 42yearold asian elephant named tai most recently known for the role of rosie in foxs water for elephants was abused by its trainers in 2005, according to animal defenders international. Jacob is in awe of the entire process, but is soon thrust into shoveling manure. The fact that i eventually read it is thanks to daily deal on audible and the i was drawn to the voice of the narrators. In fact it was because of watching the movie that i was induced to read the book.
Water for elephants has a few parts that i would not want my younger siblings reading, but overall a worthwhile read. Water for elephants is a best book club book for discussion, about the bond of love, trust, hope, and survival that grows between a circus trio during the depression. Water for elephants by sara gruen, first edition abebooks. The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. Water for elephants elephant was abused in 2005, says. 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 nowhere else to go, he hops on a passing train and finds it belongs to a traveling circus. Author behind water for elephants left broke and near death. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading water for elephants. Read free book excerpt from water for elephants by sara gruen, page 1 of 7. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. 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. The bond that grew among this group of misfits was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. Disney interactive media group is responsible for this page. Heres to topsy and old mom water for elephants a conversation with the author 339 book group discussion questions 347 a conversation with the author. Blackandwhite photographs of real american circus scenes from the first half of the century are. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Listen free to water for elephants by sara gruen with a free. Water for elephants is a moving tale about circus life during the depression era with quirky characters and complex emotions underlying the characters actions.
Books that defined a generation water for elephants. I decided to take a chance on sara gruens novel water for elephants, after reading. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. Download water for elephants study guide subscribe now 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.
Since i missed the water for elephants discussion, i had my husband read it with me. Water for elephants was one of those books that i had put off reading for no particular reason. May 01, 2007 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 premises with crowdpleasing romanticism. Water for elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. My husband was not you all he just kept saying its just a book which made me more upset about the book. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. I would not reccomend this books for the youngest of readers. There he met marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to august, the charismatic but brutal animal trainer. The novel is advertised as a bestseller, has won several awards, and has been made into a movie with robert pattinson and reese witherspoon, and yet, somehow, none of us in the group had ever heard of water for elephants, nor of sara gruen. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. Apr 08, 2021 water for elephants is set during the great depression and follows the life of a veterinary student who joins a secondrate circus and falls in love with the star performer of the show. As jacob lies in his bed, drifting in and out of sleep, lucidness and dreams, the compelling story of his experiences as a young man unfolds in sara gruens mesmerizing new novel, water for elephants.
Water for elephants authors life threatened due to attempts. Sara gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. I give up on rage, which at this point has become a formality, and make a mental note to get angry again in the morning. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Sara gruen is a awardwinning technical writer and a transplanted canadian who moved to the. 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. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. He has few pleasures in life an astute and friendly nurse named rosemary and his vibrant memories. 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. Mar 20, 2012 reading for your book club and socializing with your group members is a lot of fun, but sometimes it can be tricky to find a book that no one has read yet and everyone will enjoy. Discussion questions for water for elephants are listed. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. Should the murderer in water for elephants be punished. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times.
Water for elephants is the story of jacobs life with this circus. It starts from the perspective of jacob as an elderly man in a nursing home clinging on to memories of his young life in the circus after hearing another older man lie about carrying water for elephants. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz the film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. Maybe youve already read the lovely bones, water for elephants, cutting for stone, the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society.
With its spotlight on elephants, gruens romantic pageturner hinges on the humananimal bonds that drove her debut and its sequel riding lessons and. This page turner is about a youthful understudy names jacob jankowski, whose parents passing makes him leave veterinary school and join the carnival. It may be slightly over hyped, but it certainly deserves of most of the praise its receiving. And he met rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great hope for this third rate traveling show.
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. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. Book club discussion on water for elephants sara gruen. How water for elephants author sara gruen lost her life. 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. Water for elephants is a fascinating read, filled with danger, acts of evil, overwhelming kindness, and enduring love. With a showmans expert timing, gruen saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of americana into an. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen.
Jul 12, 2007 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. Water for elephants resembles stealth hits like the giants house, by elizabeth. How would the novel be different if gruen had only written about the younger jacob, keeping the story linear and never describing jacobs life as an old man. Gruen wrote the book as part of the national novel writing month. Mar 30, 2021 he just wanted to talk about her book water for elephants, which was adapted into a movie of the same name starring reese witherspoon and robert pattinson four years prior. 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. I am pondering this sad fact when i realize the blackness of. Did the chapters about the nursing home change how you think about older people. At what point in his life did he seem to be the happiest. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student, is close to graduating when a terrible tragedy forces him to leave school. Mar 24, 2021 the water for elephants authors sixyear fight to free an incarcerated man left her absolutely broke and critically ill.
The historical fiction novel is a 20th century circus drama. Water for elephants is it too adult for an 11 year old. A new and unread trade paperback in color pictorial wrapper. Water for elephants by gruen, sara and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Since her novel water for elephants sold 10 million copies worldwide and inspired a movie starring reese witherspoon, sara gruen has received 60 or so letters from people behind bars, but this one. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz. After his parents death, jacob jankowski is left penniless and homeless. Then i let myself drift, because theres really no fighting 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. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. When i finished reading water for elephants, goose bumps covered my skin.
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. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss august whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be cautious around him, including his beautiful and quiet wife marlena, whom august is very possessive of and who jacob finds himself soon falling in love with. In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Jacob jankowski is pushing 90 and wallowing in a nursing home, abandoned by his family and surrounded by aged octogenarians who irk him with their senility. The book was published in 2006 by algonquin books of chapel hill.
Water for elephants by sara gruen is an astonishing book that displays 2 narratives of jacobs past and present life. Jan 04, 2008 book club discussion on kite runner khaled hosseini, books, 143 replies please recommend a classic that would be good for a book club. Apr 20, 2012 hi, this morning when i was on my way to work, my daughter, who is in 6th grade and will be 12 in july, asked me if she could read like water for elephants. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. May 22, 2006 listen free to water for elephants audiobook by sara gruen with a 30 day free trial. This is one of the most unique books i have ever read. Contains a conversation with the author and book group discussion questions.
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