Whistling for the Elephants

by Sandi Toksvig | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 075153286x Global Overview for this book
Registered by celticseahorse of Newquay, Cornwall United Kingdom on 5/31/2008
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by celticseahorse from Newquay, Cornwall United Kingdom on Saturday, May 31, 2008
Begginning of book
"There are 2 basic types of creature in Nature's kingdom. The first like frogs and turtles, produce many offspring and simply hope that some will survive. The second, like elephants and people, produce one, or two at long intervals, and make great efforts to rear them. My mother belonged in a class of her own. she produced two at short intervals and made no effort to rear them whatsoever."


This book is great fun and written through the eyes of a 10 year old girl who gets involved with a faded zoo on the outskirts of her town and the eccentric people that live there. It is deftly written with good characters , some great comedy and heart provoking as well...

It has also been lent out to a Red Cross volunteer who took me for recent hospital treatments..she liked it very much and has now joined bookcrossing. I was offline at the time so this wasn't registered then.

It is a book I would happily recommend to anyone.

Putting it in reserve now for Katrinat Virtual Book Box

Journal Entry 2 by celticseahorse from Newquay, Cornwall United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 10, 2008
This lucky book is off to Greece :-) via Katrinats Around the World VBB. Hope you have fun little book ...not too many ouzo's she says wagging her fingers ..

Hope you enjoy it okyrhoe
Best wishes Jane


Journal Entry 3 by okyrhoe from Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Friday, June 13, 2008
***Thanks*** so much for this fresh & brightly colored book! Thanks also for the card, it's always nice to see where other BCers live.

The results of ouzo, raki, rakomelo, and other spirits on the Greek Bookcrossing Community --->
Blood Comes First
(un)Fortunately, I'm not a participant in the film...

Journal Entry 4 by okyrhoe at Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I can't believe I've held onto this book for so long. I had read it when it first arrived, and I remember enjoying it. I don't often choose to read books with young protagonists, and am surprised when I get caught up in the story.
Recently when I was looking for something to read that would get my mind off a difficult situation at home, I found this and read it one more time.

Thanks again celticseahorse for sharing!

I will be sending it off to another BCer this week, and so the book will be traveling again :-))

Journal Entry 5 by okyrhoe at a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Released 13 yrs ago (3/9/2011 UTC) at a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way by post to anemos & StrangeEmily. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 6 by StrangeEmily at Kallithea - Καλλιθέα, Attica Greece on Monday, April 4, 2011
A beautiful, colourful book came to meet me this morning at the post office in a box, among two more books and some delicious bites from Okyrhoe. I was on my way to the Athens French archaeological School library with my laptop (I'm on a study leave) and I had to walk uphill Lycabettus with this package and then travel to the dentist in Maroussi with my load and back to Kallithea but it was worthwhile!

(of course I did not resist opening the package at the library garden)

This book looks like anemos' favourite so one of us two will definitely read it and then release it for someone new to read!

Thank you Okyrhoe and all the rest in the bookcrossing chain!

edit 27.9.2011: I forgot to review the book!
I have to say I was dissapointed. The relations between mother and daughter and generally almost family relations in the novel are problematic and completely unnatural. And about humour, after the first few pages I didn't find anything remotely humourus or funny. And about the animals and the idea of zoo-keeping, there is nothing about their side, actually. Having read the Life of Pi after this I couldn't help comparing. I liked the description of the house and of the 20's part of the book, though.
In the end, there is too much feminism and too much good vs. bad that reaches the grotesque, which actually bored me. Well, after I finished the book I rad the C.V. of the author and I think that her personal life influenced her characters and story-telling. I finished the book just to see if there's something else about it that I missed but unfortunately I was not satisfied. Given that this was her first novel I keep some reservations, though I am not going to read anything else by the same author.

Journal Entry 7 by wingRoosters-OBCZwing at Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Wednesday, August 3, 2011
This book is in the bookshelf of the OBCZ, waiting for new readers!

Journal Entry 8 by feltre at Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Sunday, August 21, 2011
The book is here!

Journal Entry 9 by feltre at Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Monday, September 26, 2011
Turns from hilarius to sad. A touching novel.

Released 12 yrs ago (10/23/2011 UTC) at - irgendwo in Berlin / somewhere in Berlin in Berlin (irgendwo/somewhere), Berlin Germany

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

somewhere in town

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