Cover of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
If you are reading my article, and found that its title sounded a little weird and out of the ordinary, well keep on reading, because you'll soon find that it gets weirder, but for the better! Water for Elephants is a strange title for a historical fiction novel with an even stranger premise, but one that leads us into a stunning, exotic world that most have never even thought about; life with a traveling circus during the Great Depression.
Author Sara Gruen, also known for her work on the beautiful and widely acclaimed books Riding Lessons and Flying Changes, succeeds in bringing this unique and forgotten portion of the 1930's to life through a story of an elderly man reminiscing on life while stowed away in a nursing home. You are introduced to Jacob Jankowski, a Cornell educated veterinarian who spent years with the 'Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth' circus during the Great Depression.
He begins his tale at the age of twenty three, while a student at Cornell University. After suffering a number of personal tragedies, Jankowski makes a decision that changes his life forever: he hops a circus train. From there, Gruen begins the 335 page journey, through the eyes of this old man, into the bizarre world of circus life. Her writing flows, guiding us, as the main character becomes entwined in life within the Benzini circus, his new position of circus vet, and the unique (to say the least) characters that he meets along the way.
If you are looking for a read that is interesting, emotional, and exciting, pick up a copy of Gruen's Water for Elephants. I think you'll find this story, and the strange world it is set in, a most interesting story. And make sure you read it soon, because rumor has it, a Water for Elephants movie is in production! To purchase a copy, please click here. Have a question or comment? Want to recommend a book or topic for this column? Please feel free to e-mail me at hopediary1@gmail.com!
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