The denver post so compelling, so detailed and vivid, that i couldnt bear to be torn away from it for a single minute. To ask other readers questions about water for elephants, please sign up. The movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. The truth is, it is summer and i am desperate for a distraction away from my recent obsession with greys anatomy reruns fueled by netflixs instant queue. Water for elephants is set in the 1920s during the great depression when times and spirits were equally low. Jacob, the book s narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus.
Elephants need to drink approximately 40 gallons of water each day. Sara gruens first novel, riding lessons, was published in 2004. I read water for elephants a few years ago and from time to time, i reread my favorite novels. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. Its probably no coincidence that the names rosie and rosemary are connected with the idea of remembering. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse diamond award for most popular book. In the book, jacobs narration takes place in his own mind. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. Jacob mocks another resident of the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for the elephants. 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. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. Water for elephants is the touching story of jacob jankowski, a ninetythreeyearold man, who is reminded of his colorful past when a circus sets up next door to his assistedliving center.
It was the great depression and for jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. 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. The film, however, has left me wanting to read it, so it must have got something right. Water for elephants francis lawrence 024543943570 hpb.
At one point in the book, jacob even calls rosemary rosie as hes recalling a moment from his past. She has been in a variety of circuses and considers the kelly miller circus a world class show. Auto suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters. The enchanting miss rebecca or becky as she is known to her friends and family performed her single trapeze act for 31 years. Richard lagravenese wrote the screenplay, which was based on sara gruens 2006 novel of the same name. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star performer in a circus of a bygone era. As a consequence, it is not surprising that the annual cycle of monsoon rains in the weather pattern of asia plays a major role in determining where elephants live and why they move from place to place throughout the. While i enjoyed the movie with robert pattinson and reese witherspoon, the novel is far better. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.
She is an animal lover who lives with her husband, three children, five cats, two goats, a dog, and a horse in an environmental community north of chicago. Background information when reading water for elephants. Ana is the daughter of matthias, head scribe to herod antipas, tetrarch of galilee. Water for elephants cast and crew cast photos and info. Sep 07, 2016 author, sara gruen is an excellent novelist. Rebecca ostroff circus performer bianca sapetto circus performer katia sereno circus performer vladimir sizov circus performer russell stark circus performer sebastien stella circus performer, choreography leeanne telford circus performer dreya weber circus performer tara ferguson showgirl shannon freyer showgirl kelsey mcnamee showgirl molly. When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train. George landkascoronas, kerren mckeeman, rebecca ostroff, bianca sapetto, katia sereno.
Jacob is the main conflict in the book, water for elephants. Beautifully written, water for elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Is it primarily written for a female audience or will i like it. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked. The only place the movie veers from the original is in its details of the older, current jacob. In the beginning of the novel, jacob mocks another resident of the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for the elephants. Water for elephants is fun, sweet and thrilling and will pull you into the mysterious life of the circus so far that you wont want to leave. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. Water for elephants 2011 frequently asked questions imdb. Rebecca ostroff celebrity profile check out the latest rebecca ostroff photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. As the sadistic august, waltz simmers with alternating charm and viciousness two qualities he perfected in his oscarwinning turn in inglourious basterds.
The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. Told within the frame of an elderly man in a nursing home recounting memories of his youth, water for elephants centers on jacob, a 23year old student at cornell university pursuing a career as a veterinarian. Water for elephants 2011 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Neutral after reading the book, i was happy to know that there was a movie coming out that was based on it. August can be very friendly and sweet on the surface, but deep down he is a cruel and cold man.
Apr 22, 2011 weve probably all seen a movie and wished it were 40 minutes shorter or read a book and thought, damn, this really could have been condensed and lost nothing. In the book, it is stated that august is a paranoid schizophrenic. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons. 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. 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.
Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years. Water for elephants sara gruen books the new york times. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world.
Water for elephants lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Water for elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Water for elephants questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on water for elephants. When jacob jankowski is tossed by fate onto a rickety depressionera circus train, he enters a world that is both his salvation and a living hell. The iron jaw got her the job as iron jawaerialist in the movie water for elephants and a chance to. If youre looking for a rationale for water for elephants, its listed as a scholastic reading counts book side note. 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. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz.
It is there that he falls in love with marlena, the equestrian star married to the maniacal. Jul 04, 2011 water for elephants is fun, sweet and thrilling and will pull you into the mysterious life of the circus so far that you wont want to leave. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star. Water for elephants is a 2006 novel by canadianamerican author sara gruen. View rebecca ostroff s profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community.
I fell in love with the picture you chose for your book the first time i saw it. You can even see the elephants eyelashes from where you sit. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Rebecca ostroff is an actress, known for water for elephants 2011. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. When jacob is informed on the day of his last final exam that his parents died in a car crash and left behind massive debts, he jumps. The iron jaw got her the job as iron jawaerialist in the movie water for elephants and a chance to perform on steve harveys little big shots forever young. Official page for sara gruen and her books, including the international bestseller water for elephants 2006.
Water for elephants is a 2011 american romantic drama film directed by francis lawrence. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. The novel was adapted for the movie by american screenwriter richard lagravenese. Water for elephants is a rich surprise, a delightful gem springing from a fascinating footnote to history that absolutely deserved to be mined. Their two, completely separate personalities clash and collide. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. She demonstrates an exceptional aptitude for writing, and matthias, for a time, indulges her with reed pens, papyri, and other 16 c. When jacob overhears a man at the assistedliving center claim to have been a water boy for the elephants on a circus, jacob knows the man is lying because. With gruens bestselling book as his source material here, lawrence concentrates on more domestic horrors missing in his other films. Im not an advocate of boxed reading programs like this, but i know many schools use them. Francis lawrence writing credits richard lagravenese.
Oct 21, 2009 robert olen butler 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 richard lagravenese wrote the screenplay, which was based on sara gruens 2006 novel of the same name. The alex award is given to books that are written for adults but appeal to teen readers. Inside youll find 30 daily lessons, 20 fun activities, 180 multiple choice questions, 60 short essay questions, 20 essay questions, quizzeshomework assignments, tests. Water for elephants by francis lawrence francis lawrence. Books, stories, and novels like water for elephants 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. August is an antagonist and jacob is a protagonist.
Answered questions 22 seen this book around at sales a lotfinally picked it up. Jacob janowskis luck had run outorphaned 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. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader. The book the novel may have been initially kicked out in about a month, but sara gruens water for elephants bears all the hallmarks of a wellresearched work of historical fiction. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. Last year in milwaukee county, three nursing homes received citations in that category. It is there that he falls in love with marlena, the equestrian star married to the maniacal ringmaster, and where he meets rosie, the untrainable elephant, who becomes the most surprising character of all. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover rebecca s. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen. Your story took me to place i could only dream of going. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. It does stick to the book most of the time with some details left out.
Though water for elephants made it to the new york times bestseller list, it appears to have by virtue of creative storyline since there are weaknesses in gruens authorial style techniques. Is it primarily written for a female audience or will i. 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. Rebecca ostroff aerialist rebecca ostroff linkedin. Iron manimal, underground, scars, the escapists daughter. Rebecca ostroff has been performing as an aerialist since 1987. Weve probably all seen a movie and wished it were 40 minutes shorter or read a book and thought, damn, this really could have been condensed and lost. 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 is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding. 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.
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