Water For Elephants
by Sara Gruen /
2011 / English / EPUB
3.4 MB Download
Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside
Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of
himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that
was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and
pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational
rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of
the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell. Jacob
was there because his luck had run out--orphaned and penniless, he
had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of
fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone
in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all.
Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell
in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean
streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great
gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the
circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act--in fact,
she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among
this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it
was their only hope for survival. Surprising, poignant, and funny,
Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing,
one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they
continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a
world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its
air.
Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside
Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of
himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that
was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and
pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational
rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of
the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell. Jacob
was there because his luck had run out--orphaned and penniless, he
had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of
fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone
in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all.
Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell
in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean
streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great
gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the
circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act--in fact,
she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among
this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it
was their only hope for survival. Surprising, poignant, and funny,
Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing,
one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they
continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a
world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its
air.