Still Life with Elephant: A Novel [Paperback]

Judy Reene Singer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2009

The way to a cheating man's heart is through . . . an elephant?

Professional horse trainer Neelie Sterling somehow missed the fact that her veterinarian husband, Matt, was having an affair with his blonde, pretty business partner. Neelie often misses things. (When Matt originally told her he was getting a colleague to help with the practice, she thought he said collie—and Neelie likes dogs.) Now the blonde is saying she's pregnant, and Neelie's life is in a tailspin. But she sees an opportunity to patch up the holes in her disintegrating marriage when she learns that Matt is leaving for Zimbabwe to rescue a badly injured elephant. Foolishly optimistic, she joins the expedition.

On a dangerous, revealing, exhilarating trip through Africa, Neelie comes to learn a lot about herself as a woman and a wife. But it isn't until they return home with their pachyderm patient that her eyes are truly opened to what is going on around her. And with the help of a very large and very special animal, she may even discover how to love again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Divorce is the elephant in the room for Singer's second novel, following Horseplay. When social worker turned horse trainer Cornelia "Neelie" Sterling finds out her vet husband, Matt, is cheating on her, she throws him out, but can't bear to make it legal. Even after major alarm bells (Matt's partner's pregnancy, Matt's zeroing of the marital joint account), the hearing-impaired Neelie finds "I had not only been deaf, I had also been blind." Faced with losing her house and barn, Neelie jumps aboard Matt's mission to Zimbabwe to rescue two wounded elephants, thinking the transatlantic journey will convince him to recommit to the marriage. There, she finds behemoths in need of care—and the philanthropist who's funding the trip. The secondaries lack texture, but Neelie's misguided struggle rings true. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Praise for Horseplay
“A joyful frolic, full of . . . wry truths about grown-up romance.” —Tampa Tribune

“A rollicking fun read.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“A laugh a minute.” —Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Hank & Chloe and Bad Girl Creek

“I have not laughed so much at a book since Bridget Jones’s Diary.” —Jane Green, author of The Other Woman

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (July 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061713759
• ISBN-13: 978-0061713750
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #795,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Montgomery, Alabama at Maxwell Field Airforce Base at the very same moment there was a major blackout. I think it was a perfect opportunity for aliens to make a swap, and I have been looking for my home planet ever since.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful second course, August 3, 2007

By 

Lil Gluckstern "Just a music lover" (Half Moon Bay, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Still Life with Elephant: A Novel (Hardcover)

Judy Singer has done it again. This book is very different from Horse Play, but a great treat, and a very poignant book. I ached with the heroine and loved her sense of humor. The other adults are charming, but the stars are the elephants. They are wonderfully etched with their own distinct personalities, and connect almost eerily with Neelie as she struggles with training them and finding her own life. Ms. Singer's descriptions of Africa just add to the mix. I really enjoyed and was moved by this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars still life with elephant comes through....., July 29, 2007

By 

Pamela Day (hadley, Ma.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Still Life with Elephant: A Novel (Hardcover)

having read her 1st book HORSEPLAY and loved it ,I was thrilled by STILL LIFE with Elephant. Ms Singer did not disappoint. her characters have depth and compassion, you can relate to them, the story line is wonderful. I could not put it down. and as always you will laugh out loud. While reading in bed on night, I was laughing so hard my husband woke up and the dogs ran in the room to see if I was allright. Her love of horses and all animals shine through. Still Life is a beautifully written story that will grab hold of you and keep your interest till the very end..thank you Judy I look forward to your next book

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars sweet well-written book, October 28, 2007

By 

Philly Lawyer "Philly Lawyer" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Still Life with Elephant: A Novel (Hardcover)

I enjoyed Horseplay for its quirky humor. This book is less funny and more poignant in a "cutesy" way. The humor gets tiresome in places, and the characters and plot are a bit too predictable. Singer is a good writer. I just wish she would be a little more daring with her plot and character development. She's at her best (most nuanced) when writing about the horses.