Water for Elephants

Hey everyone!
I've been a slacker for a while (and I still can't update what I'm reading in the sidebar. Any ideas?) I haven't read much lately, probably because when I have a good book in the house, things like dusting, cleaning, and bathing take a backseat. (Ok, if I must confess, dusting always takes a back seat. You're not allowed to look under the beds.)

But lately, I inhaled "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. Despite it arriving through Paperback Swap with mold damage (ew!) I had heard so many good things about it that I was excited to read it. And, thankfully, it was much more refreshing than popular books often are. I love Gruen's simple style. Each adjective seems chosen specifically, and her images are striking. It's been several weeks since I read the book, and the picture I have in my head is a fuzzy black-and-white photo with bright spots of red in the circus bigtop.

The story is told as a series of flashbacks from the protagonist, who is now a lonely old man in a nursing home. He remembers the circus from his youth, of running away after tragedy strikes and joining with the motley bunch of performers, workers, and animals. The characters are based in truth, and the author discusses her extensive research into the Depression-era circus. Fascinating--a world I never knew existed!