On my bike rides to work, I recently listened to Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This is a circus story of sorts set in the depression. Jacob Jankowski is 92, he thinks, and is in an assisted living home remembering the years he worked in a circus. In his early 20's he was getting ready to take his finals at Cornell to be a veterinarian and work beside his father, his life took a cruel turn. His parents were in a fatal car wreck and Jacob found out that his parent had gone into debt to put him through college. He was suddenly orphaned and had no place to live.
Depressed and suffering a breakdown, he walks out of his finals and jumps a train. This train happens to be the traveling circus of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Since the owner, Uncle Al wants to be like the Ringling Brothers so he keeps Jacob on as the vet. Jacob falls for Melina, the animal performer, but she is already married to August, the animal trainer who seems to have a dual personality.
This books alternates between Jacob’s current life in assisted living and his life on the train and in the circus. This book is not my usual reading fare, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I listened to it. The actors they had read it were great and I loved hearing them act. I doubt I would have finished it if I had tried to read it.
I would give this a 3 out of 5.
