This was a great summer read. Found it in a recommended book list in a magazine, and checked it out of my local library. Wasn't too sure about it since I was never a big fan of the circus, but thought I'd give it a try.
I didn't want to put it down. I really enjoyed it, the main characters were great, and I loved the ending it made me want to laugh and cry at the same time, very moving.
Can't wait for the movie!

It has been a while since I read a book I could not put down. Water for Elephants is a story of remembrance - glory days, secrets, lies, love, and a bygone era, by bestselling Canadian author Sara Gruen.

Jacob is on the verge of graduating as a vet from the prestigious Cornell University, when personal tragedy intervenes and sets him accidentally in the path of a traveling train circus in the early years of the Great Depression. He relates his story partly in the present day as an old man stashed away forgotten in a nursing home, and partly in the past as he lived it.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I saw little humour in this story. There were funny moments, but for me they were decidedly bittersweet. Jacob wrestles with his past and present (both in the past and the present!), and I realized anew that beneath the wrinkles and white hair, our grandparents and great-grandparents were just like us... and in every way that matters, still are.

This story touched me in a similar way as Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl (though for different reasons). For me it was a "thinker", but many of you will simply enjoy it as a vacation read. Either way, I definitely recommend it!

I was immediately engrossed in Sara Gruen's novel about circus life in the 1930s. Her portrayal of the protagonist's (Jacob's) adventures after having run away to the circus, created a story that I could not stop reading. I found her description of the circus characters both engaging and funny. The combination of humor, intrigue and a little bit of romance made for an enjoyable reading experience.

One of the best books I've read this year. It's gripping, touching and romantic. Once you start it, you won't be able to put it down until the end. And then, you'll wish it wasn't over!