Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

Very entertaining! Easy and quick read. Jacob, a veterinary student, loses his parents to an auto accident right before his final exams and ends up penniless and bereft on a circus train during the depression. He becomes the circus veterinarian and cares for an assortment of exotic animals including Rosie the elephant. As much as the details of circus life is interesting and appalling, the story is really about an old man in a home looking back at a wild period in his life during which he meet his wife Marlena, an equestrian circus star. My only complaints are that Jacob seems to be too good and noble, defending and caring for everyone. He would be more interesting were he more flawed i.e. more human. Also, this is a love story where they live happily ever after which is very Hollywood--a movie will most certainly follow. Gotta love the ending though. The guy runs away and joins the circus for the second time in his life! It's a 7.

The Alchemist - Paul Coelho

I had high expectations and was looking forward to reading this book about an Andalusian boy, Santiago, pursuing his dream of finding a treasure in Egypt. Sounds exotic enough. The hype around how inspirational it is supposed to be turned out to be just that, hype. Omens, elixirs, and legends just don’t do it for me especially packaged in a simple tale without much dimension to characters or settings. The language of the book is unadorned and it actually reads more like a fable. The Christian messages are too strong; god will tell you what to do if you only just listen to your heart. OK. Maybe I am crass, but enlisting god in pursuing a dream of finding a treasure seems selfish and materialistic. I wish his dream had been greater and nobler. Maybe I just don’t understand the symbolism… Right. The complexity of the book is not exactly daunting. Trite and preachy. 4.

The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls

Great read. Talk about dysfunctional familiy! The hardship of poverty and the lunacy of the author's parents get worse by the page making it difficult to put down. It is hard to believe that kids can emerge seemingly unscathed out of a childhood such as Jeannette Walls'. Actually, it would be really interesting to know how much therapy she and her siblings have been in as adults, especially Maureen. This memoir depicts a family where the children's unconditional love for their crazy (mother) alcoholic (father) parents survives poverty and immense adversity. Despite the drunken rages and irresponsible and deceptive ways, the father also is bright and loving and teaches his kids to appreciate learning. I wanted to dislike the parents--more the mother than the father--but Walls' love for her parents is unyielding and they remain likeable characters despite their appalling behavior and hideous shortcomings. I did wonder about the richness of details in the book; does she actually remember her childhood accurately or is it ficionalized? I have no memories of being three years old! However, it almost doesn't matter. The book is still enjoyable. It's a 9.

My Life in Orange - Tim Guest

Tim Guest writes about growing up in a commune. When he was 6, his mom joined a cult centered around the teachings of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. He spent his childhood wearing orange clothes and missing his mother, who was busy leading therapy groups and spreading the word of Bhagwan. Tim, or Yogesh, was raised by various adults around the commune. His story is painful as he describes being sent around the world according to the whims of his mother or wishes of the commune leaders. He spent time in England, India, Germany and Oregon and felt rootless and lost most of the time. His schooling was spotty as was his diet and care. The kids of the communes seemed to mostly take care of themselves as Baghwan taught their parents not to set limits on their children's unspoiled minds. The information about the life and rumors of Baghwan and the orange-clad "sannyasins" (disciples) in leadership positions in the organization was fascinating. Such corruption! When Baghwan was jailed, on tax evasion and entering the U.S. under false pretenses, he owned 93 (yes...93!) Rollsroyces, a couple of planes, land, gold, and jewelry. All paid for by his followers who slaved away in communes around the world hanging on this man's every word and following his every whim and notion... Yikes. It's a 6.