Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

What a fabulous book. I checked this book out of the library a year ago, but never got around to reading it. C and I want to see the movie, but we make a habit of reading the book before we see a movie because it usually adds so much more to the film. This was such a good book. Beautifully written story that relives the life of a vet who lost his parents tragically then joined a circus instead of taking his final exam. It is a colorful story that drew me into the time period and enveloped my senses. I swear I could smell popcorn and elephant poo! I know I'll read this story again someday.

1.Water for Elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. How do the chapters about the older Jacob enrich the story about Jacob’s adventure with the circus? How would the novel be different if Gruen had only written about the younger Jacob, keeping the story linear and never describing Jacob’s life as an old man?


2.Did the chapters about the nursing home change how you think about older people? In what ways are the doctors and nurses condescending? How is Rosemary different? How do you treat older people?


3.In chapter two, the twenty-three year old Jacob starts his story by telling us he is a virgin. From the cooch tent to the erections the older Jacob gets when being bathed, sexuality is woven into the whole story. Why do you think Gruen added these details? What role does sexuality play in Water for Elephants?


4.When you first read the Prologue, who did you think murdered the man? Were you surprised by who the actual murderer was?


5.The book begins with a quote from Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss: “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant…An elephant’s faithful—one hundred percent!” What is the role of faithfulness and loyalty in Water for Elephants? How do different characters define loyalty? (Jacob, Walter, Uncle Al).


6.Why does Jacob get so mad about Mr. McGuinity lying about carrying water for elephants? Do you see and similarities of temperament between the young Jacob and the old Jacob?


7.In what ways is Water for Elephants a survival story? A love story? An adventure?


8.Water for Elephants has a happy ending for Jacob, but not for many other characters. Discuss Walter and Camel’s fates. How does tragedy fit into the story?


9.There is an “us and them” mentality in the circus between performers and workers. How does Jacob bridge these two classes of people? Why does each group hate another group? Does the circus merely mirror society in an exaggerated way?


10.Are you satisfied with the end?


11.In the Author’s Note, Gruen writes that many of the details in the story are factual or come from circus workers’ anecdotes. These true stories include the hippo pickled in formaldehyde, the deceased fat lady being paraded through town and an elephant who repeatedly pulled out her stake and stole lemonade. Gruen did extensive research before writing Water for Elephants. Was her story believable?

Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent

Cotton Whispers, the sequel to Fireflies in December, continues the friendship between Jessilyn Lassiter and Gemma Teague. The summer of 1936 brings with it tragedy and heartache that threatens to tear their friendship apart. Gemma works for a local wealthy family where she falls in love with their youngest son. Jessilyn tries to come between the two, telling Gemma he is no good. When Jessilyn’s young neighbor girl is hit by a car and killed, it threatens to dissolve Jessilyn and Gemma’s friendship.

Jessilyn’s world comes crashing in when a sweet elderly friend is accused of the crime. After discovering who was actually responsible for the child’s death, Jessilyn discovers that coming forward could lead to her father losing everything. Jessilyn is in the midst of discovering what it means to become a woman and questioning what kind of God allows these tragedies to happen to good people.


Discussion Questions:
1. Jessilyn and Gemma are sometimes at odds throughout the book. What factors do you think contribute to this? Have you experienced a similar situation in your own life? Age, temperament, life circumstances, differences in faith. Gemma and Jessie are so different as far as their temperament. Gemma is logical and is patient enough to let things unfold as they should, but Jessie is aggressive/assertive and does not wait for anything to unfold. I think Jessie's outward personality - larger than life and full of drama - gets under Gemma's skin. I also think Jessie's lack of faith in God challenges the relationship with Gemma. I think Gemma can be at peace because she surrenders her troubles to God.

2. What brings about Luke's change in attitude toward Jessilyn at the beginning of the story? Can you relate to Harley's reaction to Luke's birthday gift for her?

3. In Jessilyn's past she has faced violence, but finding Callie battered by the roadside impacts her very strongly. What fears do you think Jessie was forced to confront as she waited alone with her?

4. Gemma withdraws when she finds out about Callie. How does her reaction vary from Jessilyn's? How do the differing reactions exemplify their personalities and situations?

5. Gemma's normally logical outlook is challenged by Joel Hadley's flattery. Have you ever experienced a time when emotions blinded you to sensibility?

6. Gemma and Jessie can't clear Mr. Poe's name because Joel has threatened to foreclose on the family's farm and also because they are afraid they won't be believed. Would you have handled the situation any differently? How?

7. Mr. Poe's arrest leads the people of Calloway to condemn him without trial. Have you seen similar examples in our world today? In historic events?

8. Even though Jessilyn nearly died four years earlier, Mae's death seems to be her first true realization of her mortality. How can age and maturity color our experiences?

9. Mr. Poe's sacrifice has widespread impact. Who is affected and how? Do you agree with Jessilyn that some of the townspeople were hypocrites?

10. Ms Cleta encourages Jessilyn to hear the "whispers" of memories she has of Mr. Poe. Have you ever been touched by your own "whispers"?

11. Jessilyn's anger at God eases with time, but she still hasn't been able to find solid faith in Him. What do you think is holding her back?

Don't Die Dragonfly by Linda Joy Singleton

Don’t Die, Dragonfly is the first book in the Seer series by Linda Joy Singleton. Sabine Rose is a teenage psychic. When she predicts a schoolmate’s death in a car crash, her town and family turn against her, believing she caused the accident. She is sent to live with her grandmother, also a psychic, and she begins a new life at a new school. She vows to keep her gift a secret, but with another life on the line, she’s not sure she can.

Singleton establishes a rich, believable cast in Dragonfly. Though sometimes the characters fit into cliché moulds, I still love them. Penny-Love, Sabine’s popular cheerleading best friend, is relatable and funny. She adds normalcy to Sabine’s otherwise abnormal life and, in doing so, grounds Sabine. Sabine also makes friends with her school newspaper editor, Mannie, and the resident Goth-girl, Thorn. These quirky characters bring out different sides of Sabine, allowing her to become a more well-rounded character.

One of the major appeals to Singleton’s story is the love triangle. Josh is popular, kind, and sweet – everything Sabine is looking for. The only thing is, she can’t tell him her secret and his best friend, Evan, will do anything to see the two ripped apart. Then there’s Dominic, the quiet, sexy, and frustrating farmhand Sabine’s grandmother has hired. He has a way of getting underneath Sabine’s skin, yet he’s one of the only people she can truly be herself around. These relationships only grow more interesting as the series progresses.

Sisters by Kathleen Thompson Norris

Sisters was a good read, not one of my ultimate favorites, but the story kept me clicking to the next page. The writing style of the author was a little odd, but as I said, the story kept my attention. Most books will identify the character speaking, but this author/editor team allows the reader to keep up with who is speaking by knowing the story and 'supposing' who is speaking. Several times I wound up reading back over a paragraph or two and putting a bit of thought into determining who is saying what. It's not that big of a deal, but something that kept me from reading uninterupted.

This is another period piece and takes place in the late 1800s. Two sisters raised in the same home as their elder cousin (raised as sisters.) The youngest is married first, eldest marries second leaving the middle daughter to the neighbor man/friend of her father's. Trouble is the neighbor friend is in love with the youngest of the sisters.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I have tried and tried to get into this book, but can't make it beyond the first couple chapters. I'll give it another try after the book I'm reading now.

The Kindle

The last book I read, Letters of a Woman Homesteader, was read via my birthday present - the Kindle eReader. I love it! I have always adored the smell and feel of a good book and my home is filled with them, but the Kindle allows me much easier reading and is especially nice now that I'm growing older and sometimes have troubles like comfort and vision. The Kindle is easy to position while in sitting position or lying down. I read five books since the week before Thanksgiving. I'm won over!

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt

After deciding that city life as a laundress wasn't for her, Elinore Pruitt, a young widowed mother, accepted an offer to assist with a ranch in Wyoming, work that she found exceedingly more rewarding. In this delightful collection of letters, she describes these experiences to her former employer, Mrs. Coney. Pruitt's charming descriptions of work, travels, neighbors, animals, land and sky have an authentic feel. The West comes alive, and everyday life becomes captivating. Her writing is clear, witty, and entertaining. The 26 letters are brief and tell about her life on the ranch in the early 1900s. On occasion, language reflects the racial prejudice of the time. Many times, Pruitt attempts to portray the culturally diverse characters she meets by writing their various dialects as they sound.