Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water For Elephants follows Jacob Jankowski who is either 90 or 93, he can't remember, as he reminisces about his days during the most trying time in his life. He was about to graduate from Cornell with his degree in veterinary medicine when he gets word that both of his parents have died. Not only that, but he finds out that because of the economy (during the great depression) his father's veterinary business was so far under that their house is taken and the business is gone. He has nothing left but to take his final exam and somehow start a new life completely on his own. In the middle of his exam he breaks down, runs away and hops a train out of town... but it's not just any train, it ends up being a circus train for the Benzini Bros circus and they don't like stowaways. This begins a roller coaster ride that will last 3 1/2 months with a crash course in taking care of large animals, understanding business, befriending a grouchy midget and learning what love truly is.

Passion, hatred, murder and even a wild animal stampede add to the delight I found in this book. We see glimpses of the 93 yr old Jacob living in a nursing home feeling helpless followed by wonderful tales of his life on the circus train with Rosie, Walter and the lovely Marlena. I found it to be extremely well written and it flowed nicely always making you want to read on and see what will happen. Sara Gruen did a great job of switching back and forth between young and old Jacob and keeping the story just as interesting while in either time. I was just as attached to and invested in 93 yr old Jacob as I was in the young handsome veterinarian with morals and principles from Benzini Bros Circus of 1931.

I definitely recommend this book and will probably read it again once I make it through my summer TBR list.

Footnotes for my Christian friends...
The language is fairly minimal and usually confined to very heated moments of anger and such. There is one sexual encounter that is expressed in detail while the others are just stated as having happened and one other one that's left to speculation not only to the reader but to the character involved as he was quite drunk and grieving when it happened. There are fights and animal beatings and lots of alcohol, things you'd typically think of with a depression era train circus.