| Product Summary | | Format: Hardcover | | ISBN: 9781565124998 | | Publisher: Workman Pub Co | | Publish Date: 5/26/2006 | | Buy.com Sku: 31303681 | | Item#: R4SGP4 | | Buy.com Sales Rank: 65681 | | Dimensions (in Inches) 9.5H x 6.75L x 1.25T | | Pages: 352 |
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| | | From the Publisher:
An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.
When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.
Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. 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.
Annotation:
Jacob Jankowski, 90 years old and living in a nursing home, tells how, orphaned and penniless during the Great Depression, he became an animal trainer in a circus. In his days with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, he falls in love with the beautiful performer Marlena--and also with the delightful Rosie the elephant.
| Praise| "Gruen skillfully humanizes the midgets, drunks, rubes and freaks who populate her book." 5/26/2006 "For pure story, this colorful, headlong tale of Depression-era circus simply can't be beat. Heroes, villains, romance, a wild-animal stampede! Big fun from page 1." - Stephen King 12/28/2007 |
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