• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

Hannah’s Dream

September 24, 2008 by Jennifer

I was an English major in college, but not one of those high-falutin’ intellectuals looking for symbolism and political subcontexts on every page. I liked to read. I liked to write, so I majored in English and did a good bit of each in college.

I like books about people. No, not biographies, but books that invite his into the lives and hearts of people — ordinary or extraordinary. I’m drawn to stories — to characters — to themes of friendship, personal growth, internal or external struggles. I know that’s why memoir has quickly become my favorite genre. I enjoy a great character-driven novel in the same way (if not more).

Hannah’s Dream by Diane Hammond is this sort of novel. Hammond delicately deals with the human experiences of love, lack of love, loss, hope, duty, growing up and growing old.

And when I this is a character-driven novel, let me go one step further and say that this book is full of characters — Max Biedelman, a sort of androgynous woman who lived in the early twentieth century; Harriet, the director of the zoo which Max founded, who taps into the confidence and spirit of Max as she tries to find acceptance for herself and financial success for the zoo; Sam Brown, a man who has given his life and his heart to two women, his wife Corinna and the elephant Hannah.

Sam has spent the last forty-one years of life caring for Hannah, at the dying wish of Max Biedelman, but he is old and sick and needs to retire. He just can’t do it until he finds someone who will properly care for Hannah as he has done. Will that person be Neva, the new elephant keeper that Harriet has hired? None of the others have worked out, but Sam sees signs in the beginning that she just may be different.

This book reminded me a bit of another book dealing with an elephant (Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, which I enjoyed), and also Life of Pi, which delved a bit into the debates about zookeeping. However, this novel is not the result of an author trying to jump on the bandwagon of the popularity of books about animals (Marley and Me also comes to mind, though I haven’t read that one).

No, no, Diane Hammond has her own reasons for telling this story. Tomorrow in our Books on Screen column, the author will be writing about her work with the real whale upon whom the movie Free Willy was based and how it helped birth this novel (updated: here is a link to that column).

I loved this story, and if you enjoy stories such as I’ve described, I think you’ll enjoy it too.

We have three signed copies of Hannah’s Dream to give away. Please leave a comment if you’d like to win (U.S. addresses only), and we’ll announce the winners next Wednesday.


This giveaway is closed.

Managing Editor Jennifer Donovan is a contributing editor at 5 Minutes for Mom. She has been blogging at Snapshot for over two years. You’ll almost always find her holding either a book, a fork, a child’s hand, her laptop, or some combination therein.

Filed Under: 5 Star Reads, Fiction, Jennifer

« Unique Children’s Books
The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment »

Comments

  1. Bev Iyoha says

    September 27, 2008 at 3:20 am

    This seems like a very touching story. Thanks for the contest.

  2. Belinda says

    September 27, 2008 at 3:29 am

    This sounds like a really good book. Thanks!

  3. kari f says

    September 27, 2008 at 6:16 am

    Thanks for the chance, looks like a great read!

  4. kari f says

    September 27, 2008 at 6:16 am

    Im also a subscriber!

  5. Renee Jobe says

    September 27, 2008 at 6:17 am

    Please add me, I love to read!

  6. ouachitagurrl says

    September 27, 2008 at 8:39 am

    Hannah’s Dream sounds like a wonderful book. I’ve read Water for Elephants twice, I enjoyed it so much. I’m like you…I love a novel that pulls you into a character’s life. Those are the novels I remember for years.

  7. Christina Almond says

    September 27, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Sounds like a wonderful book! I’ve really picked up on reading recently and would love to read this one!

  8. tim brown says

    September 27, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    THANK YOU GOD BLESS

  9. Linda Moeller says

    September 27, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    Pick me please

  10. Peggy Doty says

    September 27, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    Enter me please.

  11. Gaye McGill says

    September 27, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    This sounds like a special kind of love story. I’d love to read it and pass it along to others who would appreciate it too.

  12. Michele says

    September 27, 2008 at 7:43 pm

    Sounds wonderful, count me in!
    Thanks!

  13. Jana (sidetrack'd) says

    September 27, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    This sounds like a great read. I would love to win a copy, but will definitely look for it at the library if I don’t. Thanks for the review and a chance to win!

  14. John Mizell says

    September 28, 2008 at 12:41 am

    I would like to read this book

  15. Michele says

    September 28, 2008 at 3:54 am

    Thank you for the great review!! This sounds like a wonderful book!!! Would love to read it!!

    Thanks so much!
    Michele R.(CA)
    [email protected]

  16. Sharon Trimble says

    September 28, 2008 at 10:46 am

    This book sounds interesting. Would love to read it.

  17. Paula S says

    September 28, 2008 at 11:11 am

    Sounds like a wonderful book!

  18. Patricia Wagner says

    September 28, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    Sounds like a book I would enjoy.

  19. Jaime C. says

    September 28, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    Please count me in! Thank you!!

  20. Chrissy says

    September 28, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Please enter me.

  21. L Knott says

    September 28, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    Love to read-had not heard of this book. Thanks for the chance to WIN!!

  22. Renee G says

    September 28, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    I’d love to read a copy of this. It sounds interesting.

  23. Karrie says

    September 28, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    sounds great 🙂

  24. william causey says

    September 28, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    please count me in

  25. R Hicks says

    September 28, 2008 at 11:55 pm

    CANT WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON IT

  26. Deanna says

    September 29, 2008 at 2:41 am

    I’d like to win! Thanks!

  27. Jacqueline O. says

    September 29, 2008 at 3:54 am

    Pick me, I wanna win

  28. Elizabeth M. says

    September 29, 2008 at 4:48 am

    What an incredibly interesting character mix. Sounds fabulous!

  29. Pat Connors says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:08 am

    I would love to win this. Thanks for the chance.

  30. Amy W says

    September 29, 2008 at 8:58 am

    I too like books that take me into the life of a person. This sounds great!

  31. Becky says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:26 am

    I would love to read this book

  32. Marion B says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:37 am

    Looks like a good book to read!!

  33. Erma Hurtt says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:55 am

    Sounds like a good book.

  34. Elizabeth Baer says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:03 am

    I love reading. Please enter me!

  35. Karen P says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:04 am

    Thanks for the contest ~ have a great Monday.

  36. sarah says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:08 am

    enter me!

  37. g. l. penrod says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:52 am

    sweet

  38. Mariann Hudson says

    September 29, 2008 at 11:19 am

    I would love to win this – sounds like just the sort of book I need to get myself back in the reading habit!

    Thank you for the opportunity!

  39. Annie G says

    September 29, 2008 at 11:45 am

    Please and thank you!

  40. shawna says

    September 29, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    Would love to win!

  41. nancy says

    September 29, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    Thanks so much for chance to win!

  42. Heather B says

    September 29, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Sounds like a great read thank you for the opportunity!

  43. Linda Pinto says

    September 29, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    This sounds like a book I want to read as soon as it comes into my hands. I like a book with well drawn characters and I love stories with animals at their core. Now I really want to know what happens to Hannah.

  44. Christine says

    September 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    I would love to read this…thanks for the chance!

  45. Vicki Wurgler says

    September 29, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    thanks-sounds like a wonderful book

  46. Mary B. says

    September 29, 2008 at 3:52 pm

    Sounds good

  47. Ruthann Rhodes says

    September 29, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    sounds like an author and book I’d enjoy. Thanks for sharing!

  48. Lauren Woodward says

    September 29, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    I would like to read this book. I need a new book to read and this sounds really nice.
    I hope to win!

  49. Valerie Mitchell says

    September 29, 2008 at 4:59 pm

    I would love to win 🙂

  50. Kathryn Kahumoku says

    September 29, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    This sounds like a great read!

« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • The Color Line
  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
  • The Greenleaf Murders
  • Chaos at Carnegie Hall
  • The Confessions of Matthew Strong

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316