After an open call for nominations, public defence of four short-listed books and a week-long online voting period, Trent students, faculty and staff have selected Sara Gruen’s highly praised novel, Water for Elephants, to be read by all new Trent students, as well as the University community, as part of Trent Reads 2012.

“I encourage everyone at Trent to read Water for Elephants," said Jocelyn Aubrey, associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and chair of the Trent Reads committee. “This is a book that you won't want to put down as the story pulls you through a range of emotions - from anger and sadness to compassion and joy. There is much to talk about in this book and I look forward to discussions about it with others at Trent, especially our new students arriving in the fall.”

The other three short-listed books voted on by members of the Trent community were: The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative by Thomas King, The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews, and The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe.

Student Hannah Cox, nominator of Water for Elephants, describes the book as being about “issues of class hierarchy, sexism, and homophobia, as well as animal and domestic violence. These issues are all beautifully tied together in a love story that even the boys will enjoy.”

To help members of the Trent community choose their favourite book, a Battle of the Books was held at Trent in February 2012, during which audience members listened to four champions defend their book of choice. 

TCSA president Sheldon Willerton defended Water for Elephants at the Battle of the Books. “This work is an easy read and should be enjoyable for both those in the arts and the sciences. The story reminds us that we all make difficult choices in our life each and every day. The difference between happiness and sorrow is how one manages those choices.”

All new students registered at Trent for the 2012-13 academic year will read Water for Elephants prior to arriving in September. During Introductory Seminar Week (ISW) in Peterborough, seminars consisting of small groups of 20 or fewer students, and led by Trent faculty in a variety of departments and programs, will provide a forum for new students to discuss the book. In Oshawa, discussion seminars will take place during the first few weeks of the fall term.

Trent Reads, an initiative launched in 2008, is designed to bring the Trent community together by creating a common ground for discussion. It also aims to give new students an academic experience that they can all be a part of before they actually begin classes. Joseph Boyden’s award-winning novel Three Day Road was chosen for the inaugural Trent Reads in 2008, followed by Lawrence Hill’s acclaimed The Book of Negroes in 2009, Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers in 2010, and Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach in 2011.

trentu.ca/trentreads