MLotVL Recommends: Water For Elephants (Book + Movie)

Trailer 3

So, in between chasing my 13-month-old and running VimLab Promotions, I read a lot of books. If I am choosing them, they are normally memoirs by famous people I like who are also good/funny storytellers (recent favorites include books by Tina Fey, Kathy Griffin, Chelsea Handler, Sarah Silverman and Rob Lowe) or good old fashioned who-dunnit mysteries you can buy at the airport, which Jeff teases me about mercilessly. Lately, I've been reading all my books on my iPhone with the iBook app that comes free with the iPhone 4 and is awesome. Especially when traveling, so I don't have to lug books with me and can get some reading done along with a glass of vino whilst out and about and Gus is napping, on the ferry, wherever. I am also in a book club with about 10 fabulous ladies who also enjoy reading, then discussing the books over good food and wine, and they broaden my horizons monthly by choosing books that are not always memoirs or who-dunnits.

So, I'm really happy someone in my book club chose "Water For Elephants," because it is probably my favorite book ever. I really loved it, didn't want it to end, and when it did, started researching depression era circuses online..something I've never done before and most likely won't ever do again.

The movie came out in mid-April, and despite wanting desperately to see it since the release date, I did not have a chance until last Thursday, when I arrived in The OC and my parents volunteered to watch Gus for a couple of hours. I didn't really have anyone to go see it with since my sister had already seen it, Jeff was not arriving in OC til Friday morning and my friends have jobs and can't join me for movie dates at 10 pm on a Thursday night, so I decided to brave it and go alone. Turns out it didn't really matter because I was the only one in the entire theater, so I was free to laugh, cry and fully enjoy my 2 hours with the gorgeous and talented RPatz and ReeseW who were perfectly cast at Jacob and Marlena. The movie stayed really true to the book and it was as if everything I had imagined while reading it came to life on the screen. They did an amazing job with the sets, costumes and overall feel of the movie..I really can't say enough good things. Just go see it. But first, read the book. And prepare for a slight obsession with depression era circuses..and RPatz. Hubba Hubba.