Summary

Running away with the circus is one of the world's most enduring and romantic ideas. However, the reality of circus life during the Depression era was that it was hard and painful. Jacob Jankowski, now over ninety years old, looks back on that time of desperation, cruelty and prejudice, but at the same time, he recalls a magical atmosphere with the animals, the larger-than-life circus population, love, and, of course, a special elephant named Rosie. Sara Gruen depicts the juxtaposed truths of the circus and the nursing home. Gruen's masterful story-telling techniques show how the worlds of aging and circus adventure intersect. Among other things, the Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide for this marvelous novel will discuss surprising facts about circus life and elephants, and will certainly uncover the mystery of how to carry water for elephants. Every Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style and interesting background information on the novel and the author.