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Sunday, April 5, 2009

Water for Elephants





Pictures from my baby class

If any of you are in need of a page turner.. this is your book. I was so excited to have a book that I was anxious to read as soon as the kids went to bed. The book is about an old man living in a nursing home who flashes back to when he was a young man who joined the circus after tragedy strikes. Sound random? It kind of is, but the book seriously is great. It has an amazing love story as well. I love love the parts of the book that describe Jacob's life in a nursing home... how lonely and desolate, and how Jacob is coherent to the fact that he is treated like a little kid...except for by one nurse who he adores.
For the last 3 terms, I have started a tradition in my Live and Learn with Your Baby classes to go and visit an Alzheimer's care center. The residents adore the babies as many of them have not been around babies in years. The activity coordinator has said that it is very therapeutic for them. It seriously almost brings me to tears to see the residents adore the babies. One lady rocked a baby for 20 minutes feeding her her bottle.... it was so precious. Humans need to be touched and loved by other humans.
The other thing that this book compelled me to do.. was to call my own grandparents to tell them that I love and appreciate them. I had a great chat with my Grandma, and she still raved about how appreciative she is for Chris fixing a broken drawer in her kitchen (7 years ago). I couldn't believe she still remembered and cared about that. It goes to show how important simple acts of kindness are.
So... I don't want to ruin anything, but this is a great book. Oh.. and for modest folk out there like me.. there are probably 5 pages in the book that are way too graphic and explicit for my liking.... so if you want, I will seriously find the specific pages so you can just skip them!

8 comments:

Carrie said...

Hi Kara! I, too, loved this book! I was completely captivated by it and loved the story line - very different and interesting. The writer is a technical writer (just like me) and so I thought it was very cool that she was able to turn off her technical side and turn on her creative side. Anyway, I'm glad you read and enjoyed it!

Margaret said...

I'm always looking for a good book. I'll put it on hold at the library. I wish I lived by you so I could take your class...when are we meeting up? We are hopefully coming down to Salem sometime this summer, that puts me much closer to you so we can get together. Ya?

Anonymous said...

So cute you take the class there! Denny's grandma lives there. The lady in the first picture feeding the baby the bottle always loves when we bring Betsy and Bella. Great idea, Kara!

erin said...

hi! i read this book and thought it was pretty good, but definitely skipped over those five pages or whatever. waaaaaay to graphic, but a great book nonetheless!

Kara said...

Margaret,
You will want to skip a few pages. I will find them for you so you know!!
Ooh, Carrie, so you are a technical writer for your profession? Where do you work?
Abby,
What is Denny's Grandma's name? I will make sure that we give her some extra love and attention the next time we go :).
Erin,
Hi!

Margaret said...

kara, graphic as in what? sexual? violence? disturbing images? Just curious so I know what to expect.

Kara said...

Sexual. One scene describes his first time seeing a topless woman (she is in the circus)... a little too graphically, and the other gross scene I remember is that same circus lady trying to be nasty with the main character :) in a way only a nasty circus hoochie mama can do I suppose. Do you want me to find the pages for you? The rest of the book is great!

Margaret said...

Nah, I can edit it myself.
Nasty circus sex is not my thing.