Water for Elephants

I had debated reading this book for some time. I kept picking it up during my hours spent at the bookstore...reading a few pages, the back, the commentary....and though intrigued, kept putting it back on the shelf. Until I went to the half price book store, which steals my soul...i found it for only 6 dollars and had to buy it. I fell in love with it. Its so well-written, with such an appealing story of a old man in a nursing home. A circus comes to town a block or 2 over and gets all the residents talking. One man, trying to impress the older ladies states that he was once in the circus as a water carrier for the elephants. Our delightful, yet grumpy, narrator calls him out stating that he did not carry water, for an elephant drinks so much it is impossible to haul that amount...and thus the story begins taking us back to this man's younger years when he joins the circus as a vet. As my father would say "it has a little romantic in it"....This is book for someone with an imagination....I loved it and spent many nights up way past the hour I intended on closing my eyes, and many days regretting staying up, reading this book. I am so sad to have finished it, wanting more. and for those that hate the predictable story, this has a surprise ending, well at least one that i hadnt expected.
maybe i just loved it because of my sincere appreciation (and slight obsession) with the older generations. But I have full faith and confidence that anyone who picks it up will fall in love with it as I have.....maybe if you're lucky, and ask really nicely...ill even let you borrow my copy ;)