Here’s a great article from Umbrella’d that argues why you should read the book version of Water for Elephants before you watch the upcoming movie that stars Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz.

If you have not read Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants we suggest you go get your hands on a copy immediately. This enthralling tale tells the story of a young man as he loses everything he has ever known during the Great Depression of the 1930′s in America.The protagonist of the book, Jacob Jankowski, leaves all that he has and through a bizarre series of events finds himself working for the Benzini Brothers traveling circus. The book tells Jacob’s story as he remembers it at the age of 93. A story of adventure, friendship, betrayal, loss and love, this book will truly capture your heart.

Gruen’s writing is eloquent and precise and she does an incredible job of creating vivid mental images of what a 1930′s circus was like. This is truly one of those novels that you will not want to put down. The book received so much critical acclaim that it was recently made into a film adaptation which is currently in post production and set to be released on April 15, 2011.

Read more here.

Have you guys read the book? I read it long before Rob was cast in it and loved it! Of course, Rob as Jacob is just icing on my cake.

Via TBF