It was never a particular fantasy of mine, but I still found Water for Elephants a fascinating read. I love it when I can learn something new and get engrossed in a good story at the same time. I went to an authors' tea at the library conference in January and, although Sara Gruen didn't make it, I did get a copy of her new book. Set predominantly in the depression years, and told as memories of now 93-year-old Jacob Jankowski, it is a well-researched and not flattering story of a train circus that travels all over the country. The owner wants nothing more than to be better than Ringling and so buys an elephant, Rosie, from another circus that has gone belly up in those hard times. Jacob is the new de facto veterinarian who feels he's lost his whole life and purpose, until he fall in love with Marlene. The beautiful young equestrienne, however, is married--most unfortunately--to the alternately charming and cruel ringmaster. Various characters are occasionally kind, sometimes unbelievably cruel, and even commit murder, sometimes without repercussion, and sometimes not. After I finished the book, I suddenly remembered a woman friend of mine from years ago who told me she had once traveled with a circus. She was a tiny woman and I was surprised to learn that she worked as a roustabout. Of course, if Sara Gruen's portrayals are still true today, there are only two classes of people in circuses--performers and workers--and they don't mix. Anyway, she lived in the cab of a semi which helped move the circus from place to place and she also apparently helped setting up the tents, shoveling animal poop and anything else that needed done. She said it was a hard existence, but she loved being around the animals. That's what keep Jacob going, too, and he gets to run away with circus, not once but twice.
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