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)

Yes!

Beautifully written and read...a story that captivates, warms your heart and brings tears to your eyes.

What an ending

Started slow in my opinion but mid-end was amazing. What an amazing story. Loved hearing all about Rosie!

Entertaining Story

This was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially Jacob (young & old). I rooted for the good guys, cursed the bad guys, & enjoyed all the supporting characters in between.

I really liked how the timeline jumped back & forth between Jacob as a young man & Jacob as an old man. I would love to spend a day with cranky old man Jacob!

The setting of an old-timey traveling circus was a lot of fun & definitely one I’ve never explored before. All in all, it was a fun read & one I would recommend. I only gave it 4 stars because I reserve 5 stars for my most favorite books.

FANTASTIC!

This book was absolutely fantastic, and the two readers were phenomenal. This was worth every penny, I couldn't stop listening!

A Great Story!!

Finally a great book to read!! Highly recommend.

top of my list for good reads

i tend to pick books from best sellers lists and reviews and this did not disappoint. i was unsure of the circus theme...but the story line was so much more. this ranks right up there with 'secret life of bees' - which is my all time favorite book! a must read!

Engaging story expertly weaving present and past

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would, and have, recommended this audiobook. It was an engaging story narrated by two superb readers David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones. This story should appeal to both men & women. It was crisp, not flowery, yet painted a vivid and detailed picture in my mind's eye.

What other book might you compare Water for Elephants to and why?

The way the story was narrated (not the narrators) reminded me of the construction of The Notebook and the Curious Tale of Benjamin Button.

What about David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones ’s performance did you like?

I found both both readers equally enjoyable, particularly how each character had a distinctive voice. This was a case of the master storyteller(s) being matched up with a masterfully crafted story, it was a successful formula. Well Done!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. It was engrossing. When it was over I was saddened to have this storytelling expedience come to an end.

Man! What a good read!

Masterful storytelling - I could actually visualize life in the circus during the Depression. Having 2 readers (old Jacob and young Jacob) really added to the authenticity of the characters. I never saw the movie & don't know if I will - I might be disappointed after this thoroughly satisfying rendition. I highly recommend this novel!

Incredible

Of all of my audible purchases (close to 100) this is the one book that completely captured me, although a bit explicit at times, it is a love story and coming of age story that truely captures your heart. Skillfully written and read, this book is terrific and more than worth the credit!

Captivating

Oh I love this story! This is the second time I have listened through this book. It's amazing how you pick up new things when you approach a book with a new frame of life reference!
This is a gritty story. It's dirty, it's descriptive of dark, hard, and sad things. But it's full of evidence that there is goodness in regular people. It ends on a feel good, triumphant, defiant note.
This is the perfect book for a long car ride because it's hard to turn off once you get going.