“Water for Elephants”, by Sara Gruen, appeared in 2006 and hit the best seller lists for over a year, ranking #1 on the NY Times paperback list in summer, ’07.
So, if you HAVEN’T read it yet, what are you waiting for? No question, this book is engrossing, intriguing, and entertaining. The main story unfolds in a magical mid-depression era America, narrated by 90+ year old nursing home resident Jacob Jankowski. Jacob studied veterinary medicine at Cornell, but spent 7 years traveling with the circus before finally getting his degree. “Water” lovingly details Jacob’s first several months with the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show on Earth, from his accidental entry to his deepening imbroglio with a bipolar boss and ruthless rignmaster/impressario.
This book is a guaranteed page-turner, with three different magnets pulling you forward to a fast finish. First, there is the surface story, involving a Polish speaking, 53 y/o elephant named Rosie, a 23 y/o horse queen named Marlena, and their attempts to break free (with Jacob’s help), from that bipolar cad, named Adolph (who, wouldn’t you know, is Jewish). Second, Ms. Gruen. either though impeccable research or a starkly vivid imagination, meticulously recreates the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of a traveling circus, riding the rails with hundreds of roustabouts, clowns, freaks, and performers of all stripes. Finally, as Jacob narrates, we experience just how lonely and infantilizing life as a nonagenarian can be in the USA.
Weaving these three elements together with a straightforward style, Ms. Gruen never lets her writing get in the way of the story, its backdrop, or emotions. 330 pages; you can easily finish it in a day or a week at most. Great End of Summer Read.