Water for Elephants

By: Sara Gruen

Narrated by: David LeDoux, John Randolph Jones

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

An atmospheric tale of life and love in a Depression-era traveling circus.

Nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski reflects back on his wild and wondrous days with a circus. It's the Depression Era and Jacob, finding himself parentless and penniless, joins the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. There he meets the freaks, grifters, and misfits that populate this world. Jacob introduces us to Marlena, beautiful star of the equestrian act; to August, her charismatic but twisted husband (and the circus' animal trainer); and to Rosie, a seemingly untrainable elephant.

Beautifully written, with a luminous sense of time and place, Water for Elephants tells of love in a world in which love's a luxury few can afford.

©2006 Sara Gruen (P)2006 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award, Adult Fiction, 2007
• Audie Award Finalist, Fiction, Unabridged, 2007

" Water for Elephants resembles stealth hits like The Giant's House, by Elizabeth McCracken, or The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold, books that combine outrageously whimsical premises with crowd-pleasing romanticism. . . . With a showman's expert timing, [Gruen] saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of Americana into an enchanting escapist fairy tale.” ( New York Times Book Review)

"Just like a circus, the magic of the story and the writing convince you to suspend your disbelief." ( Booklist)

"Gruen skillfully humanizes the midgets, drunks, rubes, and freaks who populate her book." ( Publishers Weekly)

A better "listen" than read, I suspect.

The two narrators help in distinguishing between the character at a young age, and 91...or 93.

Absolutely Unforgettable.

characters were wonderfully developed. I loved the story , the tension , I was worried it would be too sad, but it was great.

Fabulous!

This book was wonderful! The narrators were two of the best! The story was one that I didn't want to be over!

A beautiful story

A lovely plot - wonderful character development, a masterful weaving of history and present seen through the main character's eyes at the start of his life and his later life. I wanted more!

Outstanding Narration Makes the Story

The story, presented from the perspectives of the 93-year old and 23-year-old hero, is lively, charming, interesting, and sensitive. The narration in the two voices is the best I have heard in dozens, and dozens of books this summer. The voice of the 93-year-old Jacob pulls you into the world of the circus, past and present, and into his life in the nursing home with deep feeling and pathos.

Best

Cannot stop listening. One of the best.

An adventure

I was not excited when I heard that I would be reading this book for my book club,but to my surprise it turned out to be a really great adventure.

Enthralling performance!

The characters in this book come alive. They couldn't have picked a better narrator for the "90-something" gentleman. Absolutely superb!

John Randolph Jones is a terrific narrator

Mr. Jones' reading of the older Jacob is very well done. I wish he might have read the entire book.

The reading of this Novel was perfect

I fell in love with John Randolph Jones' voice. My father is 90 and I really felt as if I was in the nursing home with my Dad when John was speaking. The story was wonderfully read by both David and John. I laughed, I cried and I reflected on how I had perceived small circus employees prior to listening to this book. That perception changed completely just a few short chapters in. I didn't want the book to end.