Water for Elephants

By: Sara Gruen

Narrated by: David LeDoux, John Randolph Jones

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)

Loved It Again

I read Water for Elephants years ago when it came out as a paperback novel. I really liked it then but I loved the audible version. Using two different narrators for young and old Jacob makes the story even more poignant. Even if you’ve previously read Sara Gruen’s novel I highly recommend listening to Water for Elephants.

Recommend to everyone

I loved this read. Listened to it several times and enjoyed it more each time. I want to see the movie, but I know it will not do the book justice.

Good read

I really enjoy this book
This is my second time reading it.
After had read the book a while back and watching the movie
I saw it was here and well being a while since I last read this book it was nice to listen to it while I got school work done

Magical

This is a story that you need to listen to. The narrators take you from wherever you are into their lives. Simply fantastic story and story telling

Changed my life!

This has got the be the best audiobook I've ever heard! Please listen! you won't regret it for one second. I have learned a new respect for my elders (not that I had a problem before). This was beautifully written and beautifully performed. I did not want it to end!