(2004), and its sequel, its sequel, and (2004),

(2006), which which (2006),

Riding Lessons Riding , after becoming fascinated with language language with fascinated becoming , after For Water bestseller and the novel has been translated translated been has the novel and bestseller

Ape House Ape Gruen Sara animal relationships. animal - related charities, including Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary, the sanctuary, Bonobo Lola Ya including charities, related Author Background -

New York Times Times York New old Jacob Jankowski's summer working on a travelling as circus travelling on a working summer Jankowski's old Jacob - Water for Elephants for Water year -

B.A. English literature, , Ottawa University, Carleton literature, English B.A. lives in North Carolina with her family with her Carolina lives North in

Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Fiction, the Cosmo Fun Fearless Fearless Cosmo Fun the Fiction, for Award the Year of Book Book Sense —

— teaches readers not only about the Bonobo apes, but about themselves themselves about apes, but Bonobo the only about not readers teaches , Canada Canada Vancouver,

1969 —

—

known work is her third novel, novel, third her is work known - — (2005), tell the story of Annemarie, a former equestrienne and Olympic Olympic and equestrienne former a Annemarie, of the story tell (2005),

Birth Where Education Awards Currently

• • • • for Book Award Lakes Great Award, the Diamond Bookbrowse the Award, Fiction Award, ALA/Alex the fiction, for Award Choice Booksellers’ Midwest the Fiction, American of Friends the and Fiction, 21st Century Award, the Carl Sandburg Award. Fiction Adult Literature • Ape House Ape

only sanctuary in the world for the endangered Bonobo ape, and the Proud Spirit Horse Spirit Proud the and ape, Bonobo the endangered for world in the only sanctuary Sanctuary. Encyclopedia) Canadian The (from invite to visit the Great Ape Trust, a scientific research facility in Des Moines, Iowa dedicated dedicated Iowa Des Moines, in facility research scientific Trust, a Ape Great the visit to invite story tells the The novel apes. of great intelligence and language the culture, to understanding to only laboratory, language a from kidnapped who are apes Bonobo of of a group just suggesting afterward, shortly show television reality of a stars the as appear mysteriously and rights animal surrounding on issues be. Focusing can apes and humans how alike evolution, well. as as humans horses, including animals, many and 3 sons husband, with her Carolina in North lives Gruen and help that organizations charitable of numerous a supporter is She goats. and cats dogs, from revenue the of aportion donates she and wildlife, and animals domestic both protect animal various to her books each of Sara Gruen's best Gruen's Sara 23 of story the chronicles nineties, his now in of Jacob, perspective the from memories of a series as Told a veterinarian. an particularly animals, many circus' the on deal a great focuses romance the historical exploring while depression great the during life circus It presents Rosie. named elephant The triangles. of love dynamics the interpersonal and reality, and health, illusion mental was a edition paperback book's 2011. in was released adaptation A film 44 languages. into fourth novel, her released Gruen 2010 In a rare received novel Gruen onthe working apes.While in great cognition and acquisition she attended Carleton University and received a BA in English literature. After 10 years in years 10 After literature. English a BA in received and University Carleton she attended she When writer. a technical as work to 1999 in States the United to moved Ottawa Gruen lover, animal dedicated a fiction. As writing to try decided she later years off 2 was laid as a herself she established has and animals, with greatly deal novels bestselling Gruen's human and human of both chronicler and humans fellow with relationships fulfilling yet complicated on humans' focus Gruen's novel, first Her works. her throughout runs alike animals Changes Flying later, years 20 Now, 18. of age at the accident a tragic by ended was career whose contender she where daughter, teenaged her with home father's her dying to has returned Annemarie unresolved her and relationships human with her faltering terms to come to struggles with horses. experiences Sara Gruen was raised in London, , and then moved to Ottawa as a young adult, where where adult, young a as Ottawa to moved then and Ontario, London, in raised was Gruen Sara

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library or to to or

-

rate circus -

warmth, humour, poignancy and humour, poignancy warmth, 9781741149814

352 pp. -

13: - Sara Gruen, 2010Sara Sara Gruen Gruen Sara Book Summary Water for Elephants for Water ISBN Allen & Unwin (Australian release) (Australian Allen & Unwin hearted novel set in a travelling circus the touring a inheartedset novel travelling circus - Water for Elephants for Water

animal trainer. Jacob also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems unmanageable until unmanageable seems elephantan who animalmeets Rosie, trainer. Jacob also to way her. hediscovers reach unusual an all storyit has a that Waterfor Elephants is the show a under top is the big when feeling and like passion. energy an spirit has It win heart. your novel that a abouttobegin. It will is the (frompublisher) love and hate, trains and , dwarves and fat ladies, horses and elephants horses elephants and and fat hate,love circuses, ladies, dwarves and trains and on Show Spectacular of Benzini Most Bros star oneRosie, be elephant, specific, more Earth… passing a jumps onto adrift,suddenly orphaned and recently When Jacob Jankowski, misfits aoffreaks, and in swindlers second a train, enters world he Depression. the during Great struggling to survive of caring put charge in is Jacob degree, his earned almost A who veterinary student the Marlena,beautiful that thereIt meets Jacob forthe is circus menagerie. unpredictable charismatic but violently toAugust, a married equestrienne who is Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Diamond Award for Most Popular Book. Award for Most Diamond 2007 WinnerBookBrowse the of big This great, glorious, is a a of story 1930s. It's the early Depression of the duringGreat of backblocks America

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. the pathetic

— is a bookis that can

drawn characters who dance - Water for Elephants tuned radar for the magic and -

fire eager pace,to see what lies headed ringmaster August and his - - Water Elephants for

era settingera of Jacob's tale, survival the

-

Reviews

Sara Gruen Gruen Sara era circuses,era and the breadth of revealed her is knowledge in -

purpose female star of the show. - Water for Elephants for Water era circus. circus. era And Browning, like Gruen infuses her audacious material with a - the all

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an astute and friendly nurse named Rosemary and his vibrant As Jacobmemories. in lies his

Jacob Jankowski pushing is 90 and wallowing in a nursing home, abandoned by his family and surrounded by aged octogenarians who irk him with their senility. hasHe few pleasures in life -- bed, drifting in and sleep, of out lucidness and the dreams, compellingstory experiencesof his as a young man unfolds in Sara Gruen's mesmerizing new novel, year The is 1932. 23 Jacoband is just shy of gettingdegree his inveterinary medicine from Cornell when he that learns his parents have been killed in a horrific accident. Emotionally and

"Water for Elephants" begins violently and then into veers weirder terrain. Jacob Jankowski, a veterinary grandeur theof Depression surprisingly upliftingstrain sentimentality.of of his younger his of butself, in her subtle exploration ofJacob as an old man, Gruen finds an equally compelling story. Readers may find themselves churning through a this rapidbookat ahead, then down slowing as they the realize pages are dwindling. be read and reread, recommended and handed off itbetween friends; begs to be discussed and mulled Withover. lines of startling beauty, haunting andscenes evocative and finely off the page, readers can dip in and of the out immersingnovel, themselves in Jacob'smemories. The sto- ry and haunt characters its will long readers after they have resurfaced. Reading Group Guides On our first date, my husband took me toTod see Browning's "Freaks," a 1932 horror film with a distinctly Diane Arbus feel that takes a voyeuristic delight in dwarfs, fat ladies and sideshowother improbabilities. Sara Gruen's arresting new "Water novel, for Elephants," explores similarsubject matter threatening. Gruen's pacing is excellent and the tension among Marlena, Jacob and August andsimmers crackles before coming to a brutal and climax. electrifying transitionsThe back and forth in time, and mundanethe events that unfoldas Jacob moans and gripes through his days at the home, could nursing have been, in the hands of a skilled less writer, jarring and distracting, breaking the flow and drawingreader the outof story.the But crazed,while the dramatic and often spectacularly bizarre world of the Benzini Brothers is fascinating, as the novel progressesreader the becomes equally drawn into Jacob's present world. His disdain for agedhis body and the con-over regret arrayfusing of relativeswho intermittently visit him and whose names arepermanently muddied in his deeplymind is poignant. Gruen spent years researching Depression all the tiny thatdetails Jacob'spepper memories, butshe also has a finely mysteries of the human heart. The meat and of madness this novel may appear to in lie Jacob's memories He also findsHe himself among the company cantankerousof midgets, gloriously endowed "men'sentertain- anders" a menagerie of exotic and soulful creatures. In her novels,previous Gruen has proven herself a master at depicting the uncanny and astoundingoften bondbetween humans and animals, and the scenes with Jacob and the creatures under care are his nuanced and lovely. Gruen paints each creature's persona with as much care and detail she does as for the humans, subtly illuminating thesimilarities and undermining the concept humanof superiority. In the Depression theof humans inextricably is intertwined with that of the animals; they all live in a kind of chaotically sym- statebiotic where a star horse'ssickness could spell bankruptcy and the chance for redemption lies in the acquisition of an elephant Rosie.named Exceptionally drawn as iswell the development of a tentative bond Jacobbetween and Marlena. Jacob immediately attracted is to the lovely Marlena. She takes longerto reciprocate his affection, through-and out their cautious and hesitant budding romance the presence Marlena'sof husband large looms and monetarily stranded, unmoored and with nothing to Jacob lose, jumps a train and traveling findshimself with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Starting at the bottom rungof strict the caste withinsystem the ranks the of Circus employees, Jacob's veterinary knowledge quickly garners him a place near the top of the hierarchy, among the company of the hot beautiful wife Marlena

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era era -

pound lady, fat dies - lies at thelies heart theof

—

(continued) an indictment aof lifetimespent feigning emo-

— thereby saving the circus

— even the dogs howling."are Sara Gruen Gruen Sara

— Reviews Reviews Water for Elephants for Water

pleasing romanticism.pleasing ButGruen's prose ismerely serviceable, and she hurtles through - student at Cornell, discovers that his parents have been killed in a car accident. Aimless and distraught, aboard he climbs a train that happens to be carrying the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, and a inveigles job as an animal doctor. responsibilities His draw intohim the unpredictable orbit Augustof Rosenbluth, mercurialcircus's the menagerie director, and his beautiful wife, Marlena, whose equestrian act attracts enthusiastic crowds. Jacob immerses himself in the bizarre subculture of acrobats, aerialists, sword swallowers and lion mastering tamers, a vernacular that a rigid reflects castesystem. Ringling Brothers white photographs of real American circus scenes from the first half of the century inter-are - rate and Benzini seedy, Brothers suffers a collective inferiority complex (no one ispermitted to -

and - under theWith spell. a showman's expert timing,she saves a terrificrevelation forthe final pages, transforming a glimpse of Americana into an enchantingescapist fairy tale. YorkNew Times cataclysmic events, overstuffing her whiplash narrative with drama (there's an animal stampede, two andmurders countless fights). She also asserts a grand passion Jacobbetween and Marlena that's nev- convincinglyer demonstrated. Black spersed throughout the novel, andbrilliantly they the dignified evoke containedpower in the quieter moments of this unusual brotherhood. grainy The photos capture the unexpected daintiness of an ele- phant disembarking from a train, the of a symmetry marching band, a of plumed gaggle showgirls step- ping gingerly across a patchy lawn and the haunting solitude of an impeccably cook.dressed Circuses showcase human beings at theirand silliest most sublime, and many unlikely literary figures beenhave drawn to their glitzy pageantry, soaring pretensions and metaphorical potential (Marianne Moore leaps to mind). Unsurprisingly, writers liberatedseem by imagining a spectacle nowhere com- parison ever seems inflated, no development impossible. For better and for worse, Gruen fallen has utter the word "Ringling" in Al'sUncle presence). When Lovely Lucinda, the 400 suddenly, Al Uncle orchestrates a funeral procession led by 24 black Percherons and an of mourn- army competingers for the three dollars and bottleof Canadian whiskey promised to whoever puts on the show.best "You've never seen such grief Gruen's circus, with frankly its mercantile morality, symbolizes the warpedvigor capitalism.of No matter how miserable or oppressed, the performers love the manufacturing illusion,of sewing a new sequined headdress for Rosie or the llamasfeeding as men ofdie starvation in a devastated America. August's paranoid schizophrenia emblematic feels tions to make a buck. At finest, its "Water for Elephants" resembles stealth hits like "TheGiant's House," by Elizabeth McCracken, or "The Lovely Bones," by Alice Sebold, books that combine outrageously whimsical prem- with crowdises economy. AfterUncle Al, the autocratic ringmaster, purchases Rosie, an elephant with an unquencha- thirstble for lemonade and the inability to the follow simplest command, Benzini Brothers looks doomed. How Jacob coaxes Rosie to perform novel. Gruen, whose first novel was"Riding Lessons," turns horses and intoother creatures sympathetic char- Accordingacters. to an note, author's she studied elephant body language andbehavior with a former handler at the Kansas City Zoo. research The pays off. August'smistreatment Marlenaof beside pales the visceral wallop of his nonchalant cruelty toward "I Rosie: look up just as he flicks the cigarette. It througharcs the air and in open lands Rosie's mouth, sizzling it as hits her tongue. roars,She panicked, throwing her head and fishing inside mouth her with trunk.her Augustmarches off. I turn back to Ro- Shesie. stares at me, a look unspeakableof sadness on her Her amberface. eyes are filledwith tears." Second is nicknamedis "Big Bertha," performers are "kinkers" and members of the audience are always "rubes." Whenan aged Jacob observes a contemporary circus, he sees children carrying blinking toys: "Bet their parents paid an arm and a for leg them, too. things Some never change. Rubes are still rubes, and you can tell still the performers from workers."the troupeThe crisscrosses the country cannibalizing acts that gone bankrupt have in the Depression

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?

era circuses era circuses -

the ‘rubes’ and the and the ‘rubes’

– Water for Elephants for Water

by Dr. Seuss at the start of the start at Dr. Seuss by even a measure of contempt. Why contempt. of a measure even

–

do you think this is reflected in her story? Would Would story? her in is reflected this think do you

– Sara Gruen Gruen Sara

as a love story, an adventure story, or simply a circus circus a simply or story, adventure an story, as a love Horton Hatches the Egg Egg the Hatches Horton Discussion Questions Discussion Questions

: ‘I meant what I said, and I said what I meant…An elephant’s elephant’s I meant…An what I said and said, I what meant ‘I : Water for Elephants for Water comprises two separate but connected stories: that of the old old the of that stories: connected but separate two comprises

Water for Elephants Elephants for Water

one hundred percent!’ Rosie certainly is one of the more faithful and loyal loyal and more faithful of the one is certainly Rosie percent!’ one hundred Water for Elephants Elephants for Water — There is a quote from from a quote There is

1. Elephants for Water faithful in qualities these are important How book. in the characters how Al) and Uncle Walter, (Jacob, the book in characters other the of Discuss some qualities). of these the lack (or fidelity and loyalty they display her stake and stole lemonade. Gruen did extensive research on Depression research extensive did Gruen lemonade. stole and stake her writing before know? didn’t you if the truth on based was the story much of that believed you have believable? her story find you Did Can you see the qualities of the younger Jacob in the old man in the nursing home? nursing in the man old the in Jacob younger of the qualities the see you Can think you What did home. nursing in the himself Jacob asks me?’ being I stop did ‘When moving? it find you Did accurate? it think you Did old age? of portrayal about Gruen’s world circus in the mentality them’ and ‘us a such strong There is the performers and townsfolk the ‘roustabouts’, this? was like it think do you or factual are story in the details of the many that writes Gruen Note, the Author’s In the formaldehyde, in pickled hippo the including anecdotes, workers’ circus come from out pulled who repeatedly elephant an and town through paraded being fat lady dead Did the ending of the novel take you by surprise? Particularly after the way in which the which way in the after Particularly surprise? by you take the novel of ending the Did book? the begin to way a clever this was you think Do written? was Prologue Elephants for Water think you do way what In circus. in the Jacob the young and home, nursing in the Jacob the novel? works in Jacob older the of the story it that find you Or did meaning? it greater gives and story the enriches it think you Do had Gruen if Sara be the same the novel Would story? main the from you distracted story the finishing way, chronological traditional, more a in novel the written simply stampede? the after Do you read read you Do it? not read has who someone it to describe you would story? How

(from the publisher) the (from 6. 7. 8. 9. 3. 4. 5. 2.

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old Asian old Asian -

year -

time circus photographs. By photographs. circus time - in closet, covered the window, window, the covered closet, in - a detailed panoramic that so that panoramic a detailed — foot high shoulder, literally trembling as I trembling literally shoulder, foot high - Sara Gruen Gruen Sara

Water for Elephants for Water Sara Gruen on writing Gruen on Sara

Water for Elephants for Water

pound “strong lady” who was paraded around town in an elephant elephant an in town around paraded was who lady” “strong pound - reduction headphones. I spent much of the winter in that closet, weaving weaving closet, that in winter of the much I spent headphones. reduction - hundred - The idea for this book came unexpectedly. I was a day away from starting a starting from away a day I was unexpectedly. came book this The for idea who photographer a on an article ran Tribune when the novel different photograph The ‘30s. and 1920s the during circuses train documented and followed stunning was article the that accompanied oldof books two bought I immediately me fascinated

very real tragedy of Jamaica ginger paralysis, a neurological disease caused by the the by caused disease a neurological paralysis, ginger Jamaica of tragedy real very approximately of lives the devastated that extract Ginger Jamaica of adulterated consumption most of because forgotten is virtually which and 1931, and 1930 between Americans 100,000 stimulus. I asked my husband to move my desk into our walk our desk into my move to husband my I asked stimulus. wore noise and learned. I had things the together most the novel’s of many plucked that I rich is so circus the American of The history is two the between line the history, circus (in anecdote or fact from details outrageous a formaldehyde, in pickled hippo a about are stories them Among blurred). famously four deceased for intended the lemonade drank and her stake up pulled who repeatedly elephant cage, an abackyard from retrieved was and off ran who elephant another midway, on the sale restaurant with a along a sink beneath wedged got who lion an ancient and patch, vegetable and horrific the incorporated I also move. to terrified too of them both rendering employee, had to learn. Train circuses operated in a distinct culture that had its own language, its own its own language, its that had culture a distinct in operated circuses Train tohad learn. who fans of circus subculture a huge is there that realized I also laws. own its traditions, wrong. something if I got know would driving within circus every to my family hauling including research, doing year a almost I spent where World, Circus to went I more books. home brought and Sarasota to I returned distance. 53 beautiful to a introduced and enclosure elephant the into I was taken ten by stood her I Barbara. named elephant body elephant about to learn wanted I finally, because And touch her. out to reached handlers. elephant former their ofone with Zoo City Kansas the to I went language, external stand I couldn’t details so full of was my head writing, to start was time it When rare book sellers. Within weeks I was off to Sarasota, Florida, to visit the Ringling Circus Circus the Ringling to visit Florida, to Sarasota, off I was weeks Within sellers. rare book stored trunks the inside wagons, peering circus under crawling days three I spent Museum. corners. unlit in stashed mysteries the to reveal pictures flash taking and them, beneath employee an third, of the the end By shadowed. I wasbeing day, first of the end By the desire my of her I told When doing. I was I thought on earth what asked and me approached entire the through me she walked and up lit eyes her train, a circus on set a novel write to on information the than vivid far more was that history oral a rich me with regaling museum, my in scribbled I had the questions of many answered that and placards, the posted notebook. by poorer home came so I collection, its in of books duplicates selling was museum The much I still just how of I became aware more the read, more I the Yet dollars. hundred several the time I thumbed through them, I was hooked. I abandoned my other novel and dove into into dove and novel other my I abandoned was hooked. I them, through thumbed I the time circus. train of the the world Wisconsin. in Baraboo, World Circus at the archivist from bibliography a by getting I began through and online down them track to managed I but print, of out were books of the Most

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calling a man who owns a owns man who a calling -

Sara Gruen Gruen Sara

Water for Elephants for Water None of the characters in the novel is based on any one real person; rather, they they rather, real person; one on any based is novel the in characters of the None I workers circus and performers memorable many ofthe are a distillation the is Rosie, there then And my research. of course the during encountered living any me as to real as she became novel: the of centre the at elephant be. ever could pachyderm but book, this with adventure on an embarked that I had beginning the I knew from cold myself found I day the until extent the know I didn’t its victims lived on the fringes of society. of fringes the on lived its victims

I miss her. sideshow and keeps human heads in his house. And really, how often can you greet your you greet can often how really, And his house. heads in human keeps and sideshow a through went I today…”? clown a retired with talking I was “So words, with the spouse why. out to figure a while me took it and finished, was book the when mourning of period life. my in elephant an had longer I no because was it I realized Eventually

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