Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
367 Rating(s)
List: $24.47 | Sale: $17.13
Club: $12.23

Water for Elephants

Author: Sara Gruen

Narrator: John Randolph Jones, David Ledoux

Unabridged: 12 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/22/2006


Synopsis

Jacob Janowski's luck had run out—orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was the Great Depression and for Jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. There he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but brutal animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this group of misfits was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

About Sara Gruen

Sara Gruen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of At the Water's Edge, Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes. Her works have been translated into forty-three languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Water for Elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Rob Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz in 2011. She lives in western North Carolina with her husband and three sons, along with their dogs, cats, horses, birds, and the world's fussiest goat.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by James on 2007-05-16 21:58:24

Great book, enjoyed the story line. A sweet ending

AudiobooksNow review by Kimberly on 2007-05-25 00:09:02

I loved this book. The author really draws you into the story with wonderful characters and a rich back drop. You get to know Jacob and cheer for him throughout the novel. I had trouble putting it down...

AudiobooksNow review by Patty on 2007-07-13 16:24:31

I found it a wonderful read. It was full of insight, made me laugh & made me sad, with a great ending.

AudiobooksNow review by RoseAnne on 2007-12-08 19:58:01

I thought this was a great story - touched on issues of old age as well as the life in the 30s. The actors who read the story were great too. I really enjoyed it.

AudiobooksNow review by Helen on 2007-12-17 16:42:30

A superb book - a page turner. Could not put it down, yet did not want it to end!

Goodreads review by Will on August 10, 2022

Ladies and gentlemen. Direct your attention to the performer in print. You will be amazed, dazzled and mystified by the daring feats you are about to witness. Well, that might be overstating a bit. The story does open with drama, though. A circus menagerie has gotten loose and there is mayhem. The n......more

Goodreads review by Sammy on November 15, 2007

SPOILERS IN MY REVIEW! I'M SORRY ABOUT SPOILING IT FOR PEOPLE, REALLY I AM, IT WAS NEVER INTENTIONAL. BUT AS WITH ALL REVIEWS (ESPECIALLY MINE) THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS. I DELETED ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE HARASSING ME ABOUT ACCIDENTLY SPOILING THE BOOK. SERIOUSLY, I'M SORRY, BUT PEOPLE DON'T......more

Goodreads review by RJ on August 23, 2015

Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants is one of those rare novels, that will be read and re-read, discussed and enjoyed for many years, by old and young alike. Destined to be passed between family and friends and back again, until the tattered, time worn pages resemble the books beloved central character......more

Goodreads review by Michele on February 09, 2008

Now THIS is a Good Book! When I finished reading Water for Elephants, goose bumps covered my skin. Now this is a good book! 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 E......more

Goodreads review by Taufiq on October 08, 2024

Water for Elephants. At first glance, I thought this novel is about elephant conservation. However, the Polish-speaking elephant doesn't make its grand entrance until a third of the book has passed. The plot is relatively straightforward. Set during the Great Depression in the United States, a young c......more