Customer Reviews

Hannah's Dream: A Novel

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I finished Diane Hammond's novel, "Hannah's Dream," with a lump in my throat and joy in my heart.

"Hannah's Dream" is a well-crafted, heartfelt story of a 41-year love affair--between an elephant named Hannah and her long-time keeper, Samson "Sam" Brown. The tale is set at the fictional Max L. Biedelman Zoo in Washington State. The zoo was the proud creation of Maxine (Max was a woman, the daughter of a lumber magnate) Biedelman, who found her greatest joy in the green hills of Africa. The zoo was bequeathed to the local city after her death, and its glory days are clearly behind it. Hannah isn't faring much better, despite Sam's loving attention, which includes regular treats from Dunkin' Donuts. She's got bad feet from spending most of her days (and nights) standing on concrete and seems to long for the company of other elephants--something she hasn't enjoyed in decades. Sam's health is poor and he clearly needs to retire, but won't give up his "sugar" until he knows she's going to be well-cared for.

A couple of pivotal characters in the story are a new keeper who seems to be the answer to Sam's prayers--and a zoo director who sees Hannah as the key element in her plans to resurrect the fading institution. We get to know the lead characters, their families, other zoo staff, an ambitious reporter and others in Hammond's richly-drawn portraits that make these characters truly three-dimensional. One of the author's gifts is an ability to see even the less sympathetic players in this drama in a light that shows their humanity.

Hammond used to be the public relations officer for the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Free Willy Keiko Foundation, and was intimately acquainted with the world's most famous killer whale. As she explains in her introductory acknowledgements, she drew on that experience to help shape this wonderful, heartfelt story. As I said earlier, this is a love story--a story that shows the power of hope, the power of dreams, and one that illuminates one of life's bittersweet lessons--that sometimes true love involves letting go of the object of your love.--William C. Hall

Should I buy or just locate it at the library? Well, I bought it, read it, loved it, and now have the book to share with friends who enjoy losing themselves in a really good story. Hannah is brought vividly to life by author Hammond. I found myself caught up in her history, her needs, her fears, her care, her future. Part of a small Washington-state zoo for forty years, Hannah's caretaker, Sam, will not allow himself a much-needed retirement until he knows that Hannah is left in the best and most loving of hands. As this tale unfolds, we're introduced to any number of characters, endearing and otherwise, none better fleshed-out than Sam, Hannah's friend and, it turns out, trustee for so many years and Max(ine) Biedelman, zoo owner, the one responsible for rescuing Hannah from her fate in Burma; as the years have gone by though and the zoo, in the hands of others, has become run-down, a very real fear develops for what fate awaits Hannah as she lives out the final third of her life. You won't be disappointed, allowing yourself to become part of this story's unfolding. And you're sure to take on a different attitude toward our predilection for bringing wild animals into captivity. Max may have felt she was doing Hannah a favor forty years earlier, but what happens to these creatures as they age, as monies for their care diminish, as their day-to-day existence falls to the perhaps less-caring? These are sure to be questions you'll be asking as you come to love Hannah and Sam and the beautiful relationship that has developed between them over time.

In Hannah's Dream, Diane Hammond delicately deals with the human experiences of love, lack of love, loss, hope, duty, growing up and growing old.

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.

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; and Sam Brown, a man who has given his life and his heart to two women, his wife Corinna and the elephant Hannah. These are only a few of the believably quirky characters that reside here with Hannah the elephant.

This was a really lovely story, and I highly recommend it.

I just finished this sweet little book. I had read and liked this author's other two novels and did not even know she had written a third until I saw it on the shelf at the library. She is a good writer.

The book was about an elephant and a private zoo ---- and I have no interest in either topic. It was predictable and sappy....but I loved it! Go figure!

I did learn a lot about elephants, so that was a good thing....and I also think Hammond is good at character development. I really felt that I knew these people.

I have no idea why this would be compared to "Water for Elephants". The only thing they have in common is an elephant. It is like comparing apples and oranges.

I enjoyed this book so, so much. As others have said, it's a sweet and sweeping story, but I particularly appreciated what another reviewer criticized - that certain aspects of characters (race, sexual orientation, marital status) are left to be realized as the story progresses, while other, more important facets are there in every sentence...Sam's heart, Corinna's steadfastness, Harriet's fear, Neva's generosity. Thanks so much to the author.

This is a heart-warming story that brought tears to my eyes! Hammond did a fantastic job bringing the characters and setting to life and I absolutely fell in love with Hannah.

Hannah's Dream by Diane Hammond has Disney movie written all over it. Lovable characters, a heart tugging animal (in this case a television watching elephant, and a goofy antagonist who is more dumb than evil. I picked this book up on a lark and was pleasantly surprised.

Sam Brown has been caring for Hannah the elephant for over 40 years. While low on academic pachyderm knowledge, Same is chalk full of practical elephant knowledge. As he is nearing his retirement his one true dream is to get Hannah involved in a sanctuary he his been seeing in his minds eye for years. Enter Neva. The brash and wily new elephant keeper who helps Sam realize hid dream for Hannah.

The book will alternately keep you laughing and crying over the course of reading it. Having recently read about the plight of Billy the elephant in the LA Zoo, it is also a very timely piece. Diane Hammond has done a wonderful job of reaching out to her readers with a touching and heartfelt story. Kudos to her.

I just finished reading Hannah's Dream and had to let you know how much I loved the book. A truly beautiful story of relationships (especially between Hannah and her keeper) with a perfect ending. I like to imagine what they are doing now.

I work at bookstore and when I saw this book arrive, it caught my eye immediately. I have a special place in my heart for elephants as my late mother loved the animal and was an avid elephant (knick knack) collector.

I didn't get to read the book right away but my co-worker did and she couldn't stop talking about it so I put down the other book I was reading and started Hannah's Dream. Needless to say, I could not put it down!! It is so beautiful I cried happy tears. The characters will remain in my heart forever, especially Hannah the elephant and her keeper Sam.

I will recommend this to all my customers and everyone I know! This has become the number one book on my TOP TEN list! This is a definite MUST READ! You won't be disappointed.

If you loved Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen you will enjoy this one just as much!

This is a love story on many levels that is simply not to be missed. There is the love an elephant-keeper, Sam, has for his charge - the loving care that he provides, day after day, although he is not a young man and is very ill himself -- and is dangerously aggravating his condition by working so hard. But he can't retire until his "Sugar" is in equally good hands. Then there's the relationship that develops between Neva, the new zookeeper, and Truman, another zoo employee.

I'm not going to summarize the whole story as others have done so beautifully. It's been a while since I read "Hannah's Dream," but it's definitely a keeper. It's about trust, devotion, and making dreams come true by thinking outside the box, thinking big - and then doing the right thing. And you'll fall in love with Sugar, one of the sweetest "critters" in the world of books.

Next time I read the book again, I'll come back in and polish my review. Just wanted to get my two cents in - this is a book in a million. A real joy.

This novel had the most exquisite character development I have ever read. The lives of each were separate and woven together for a most realistic tapestry. Marvelous. True honor was bestowed upon elephants and their plight in life in the modern world.