Both my dad and I have read this book and we absolutely loved it! If you haven't seen the previews already, it is going to be made into a movie which looks great but the book is amazing. It is about a journey of a man who join the circus business and basically tries to keep up let alone survive. It makes a for thrilling tale but be warned it is graphic. There is a stripper character Barbara (skip these parts completely they have no effect on the plot of the story), August the head animal trainer and a very abusive husband, and there is an epic turn of events which are also graphic.
Sara Gruen makes a point through out the book that a lot of times we settle for what we really want. Almost every character makes poor substitutions for fulfillment and finds themselves in the same pile of misery every time. Jacob the main character is faced with decisions that could kill him or keep him alive longer. But in the fast pace business of the circus, Jacob decides to change everything to go after what he ultimately wants.
As I have said before my dad and I both got to read this book so I wanted to include his opinion not only because he was in a circus himself! But, he is my dad and he loves a good book just as much as I do. Here are his thoughts:
I really enjoyed the book Water for Elephants. It is a wonderful story that transports the reader from the aching soul of an elderly man to a young man's journey to find himself in the world of the circus. Whereas my circus didn't revolve around animal acts or the "carnival" aspects of circus, the fast pace of touring everyday was very real. You get into a routine of set up, perform, tear down day in and day out. The book also brings out the aspect of spending a considerable amount of time daily with the same people - your learn their idiosyncrasies, habits and personalities. (And they learn yours) You are a family that must co-exist to achieve the performance of excellence. It is similar in that it still requires people to keep the circus spirit alive. It is different for me in that it was always a secondary hobby. It was such a special time in my life because I went to college and did circus almost like some would participate in a sport. Reading this book takes the reader to the place of a total lifestyle where the circus show was the most important thing. Although it never took the number one spot in my life, it truly was a time of growth and unabashed fun. Also, our circus wasn't just about entertaining. We used the circus as a vehicle to share the gospel with folks. We were not in it for our own passion, but for the passion of telling others about Christ.
In the end, I wouldn't exchange it for anything else at the time...I learned so much, had a blast with some amazing folks and in the end, married the girl who travelled with us on my last tour.
I highly recommend this book but due to the graphic-ness of it all be careful. I hope you enjoy!
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