"Water for Elephants" by: Sara Gruen (4/100)

I LOVED this book. Thanks a bunch to my friend and co-worker Cheryl for bringing it into my radar. I didn't know how to go about summarizing this book or analyzing or whatever it is that I do whenever I respond to a book I've read. So, I was lucky enough to have some book-group discussion questions in the back of the book :)

-Who did you, upon reading the prologue, think murdered August? What effect did that opening scene of chaos and murder have on your reception of the story that follows?
Basically, I thought it was Merlena. Then again, who would have thought an elephant is responsible for murdering a person? In all honesty I had forgot the intro by the time I was engulfed in the book. It wasn't until that scene came into play that I realized that this sounds familiar.... I probably did an audiable gasp when it happened.
I don't think I read to far into the prologue to see it as a foreshadow to the rest of the book. Looking back it should have warned me about the chaos that was into ensue.

-In the words of one reviewer, Water for Elephanys "explores...the pathetic grandeur of the Depression-era circus." In what ways and to what extent do the words "pathetic grnadeur" describe the world that Gruen creates in her novel?
The pathetic nature of this traveling circus is that these people are not getting paid for the services they provide - however, it is a place to live and not worry as much about the outside world. In a time when people were loosing everything, these preformers have 'something'. In a day and age like today people wouldn't go a week without getting paid, but these people don't seem to mind for months on end. These people have developed a reliance on each other -- sort of family like that has carried them as long as it does. But all good things must come to and end.

-How did you react to the redlighting of Walter and Camel, and eight others, off the trestle? How might we see Uncle Al's cutthroat behavior as "an indictment of a lifetime spent feigning emotions to make a buck" (in the words of one reviewer)?
I didn't see it coming (seems to be a theme for me in this book!). As far as Uncle Al's behavior I can't say I blame him for any undercutting he does. He has not remorse for not paying his employees for months but purchasing an elephant for an enormous amount of money. That doesn't sit well with me and eliminates any trust I would have had in him. And from what I can tell it didn't matter who he "redlighted" it just had to be some one in order to lessen his responsibility.

-Looking at himeself in the mirror, the old Jacob tries "to see beyond the sagging flesh." But he claims, "It's no good...I can't find myself anymore. When did stop being me?" (page 111). How would you answer that question for Jacob or any individual, or for yourself?
What a good question! I ask myself that sometime but I get stumped on "who is 'me'" When was I actually 'me'? I always decide that I'm still trying to formulate that based on times when I was most comfortable and happy. This is actually a good topic to wright more on lately.,.

There were most questions, I'm tired of typing them out now though.

Basically, know it was a good read.
You should read it.
I'm going to look for more books by her.