Water for Elephants / Sara Gruen

Following the untimely death of his parents, Jacob Jankowski walks away from vet school and finds himself despondently hopping a train in the night.  Morning finds him in a stock car of the Benzini Brothers circus.  An only child, he finds a family of sorts among the circus staff as he is drafted as the circus vet. Over the ensuing summer he learns much about the nature of man and beast.  A compelling read, good book club fodder.  350 p.