Water for Elephants

Unabridged
Author: Sara Gruen
Narrator: John Randolph Jones , David LeDoux
Genres: Fiction
Publisher: HighBridge Company
Date: June 2006
Length: 11 hours, 30 minutes
Ratings:
Formats:
  • CD

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Overview

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.

Selected Reviews

Nice Story

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Good listen

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 44

Reviews (44)

Nice Story

Written by Anonymous on February 11th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I liked the book more than I thought I would. I especially enjoyed the two voices of the main character. And I have only been to a circus once in my life so I liked the setting of the story and the carnie life. I highly recommend it.

Good listen

Written by Anonymous on January 20th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 4/5

An interesting listen, engaging story. Occasionally I had trouble understanding the older gentleman's reading voice, probably due to car noise.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Written by JUDY, S. CA from Costa Mesa, CA on January 19th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

...LOVED THIS FROM BEGINNING TO END!!! THE ENDING WAS WONDERFUL---CAN'T SAY TOO MUCH, IT WOULD RUIN IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. IT'S TOO BAD SARA GRUEN'S OTHER BOOK YOU OFFER HAS SUCH BAD REVIEWS BECAUSE OF THE READER, NOT THE BOOK. THAT IS MAKING ME HESITATE, AND, OTHERWISE, I'D READ (LISTEN) TO ANYTHING SHE WROTE!

Totally enjoyable!

Written by Anonymous on January 15th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

If you have a parent or loved one with Alzheimer's, this is a must for you. It's read by experts who are very entertaining, as crazy as the story gets, its totally believable, and the story really touches the heart. I couldn't wait to get back in the car to listen to more!

Water for Elephants

Written by Anonymous on December 3rd, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I LOVED this book!!!!!!!!! It was exciting and interesting and well written. Just great!

Water for Elephants

Written by Anonymous on November 18th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

David Ledoux read this book and was so good I tracked down the other books he read. This book is worth the listen just for him alone. Now add to the mix a phenomenal story. It takes you to a time when people COULD run away with the circus.

Water For Elephants

Written by Anonymous from Kansas City, MO on October 6th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

One of the best books I have ever heard or read. This story does not remind me of any other book I have ever read. I simply love the contrast in the sounds of the voices between the young man and the same man as a 90 (or 93) year old. Please, please do not miss this story.

Engaging Read

Written by Lorna on September 29th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Book was well read. Story was engaging. Characters were endearing. Enjoyed the ending.

Very good

Written by Anonymous on July 22nd, 2009

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This was a very different book, but that was a good thing. I found it a bit distracting as the story jumped back and forth between the young reader and the old... but that is a matter of taste. The story is very entertaining and I would definitely recommend this audiobook as a change of pace.

Caution!

Written by Anonymous on January 6th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 1/5

This book may have a good story. I don't know. I didn't get that far. It is riddled with offensive language and dialogue. I gave up on it after less than 1/4 of the book, since the offensive material just kept coming and went from bad to worse.

Selected Reviews

Nice Story

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Good listen

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 44

Author Details

Author Details

Gruen, Sara

Sara Gruen's first novel, Riding Lessons, was published in 2004. She is an animal lover who lives with her husband, three children, five cats, two goats, a dog, and a horse in an environmental community north of Chicago. Many of the characters and incidents in the novel are based on real people and true stories gleaned from her extensive research into the world of traveling circuses of the 1930s.

Sara is a Canadian-born dual citizen (Canadian and American) who moved to the States in 1999 for a technical writing job. When she was laid off two years later, instead of looking for another job, she decided to take a gamble on writing fiction full-time. Fortunately, the gamble paid off.

Until 2007 she, her husband, three children, two dogs, two cats, three goats, and horse in an environmentalist community in northern Illinois.They now live in Asheville, North Carolina.

Her novels to date are Riding Lessons (2004) and Flying Changes (2005), featuring Annemarie Zimmer; and Water for Elephants (2006). The Ape House is due to be published in 2009.