Enjoying fiction which includes a lot of indepth research
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382412)
Rockingham, Australia
June 9, 2023 11:00pm CST
I’ve been doing more reading recently and the latest was Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time. The other author I’ve enjoyed lately has been Jojo Moyes. Both authors do an incredible amount of research which they weave into their storylines.
One of Leaving Time’s characters is a woman who is researching elephants and how they deal with grief and loss. There is a lot of detail woven into the story so I thought I’d share an interesting piece of trivia. For instance: the height of an elephant can be estimated by multiplying the circumference of its footprint by three. (I think the passage in the book says 2.5 but I can’t find the reference. Google says ‘multiply by 3’.
The other thing about both these authors is that, towards the end of the book, they seem to be writing themselves into a corner and you wonder how they’ll manage to extricate themselves but they always do.
The photo was taken during a trip to Thailand quite some years ago. The baby elephant was pushing tourists around.
24 people like this
21 responses
@Treborika (18197)
• Mombasa, Kenya
11 Jun 23
@JudyEv I am very glad to hear that
1 person likes this
@Treborika (18197)
• Mombasa, Kenya
10 Jun 23
I have never read any book by JoJo Moyes before
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Jun 23
Research makes or breaks a book. A good author will always do the research and weave a wonderful story. A bad author won't bother with research.
I'm glad you're enjoying both authors and they did the research for their books. Very interesting about elephants. I love the picture.
2 people like this
@Treborika (18197)
• Mombasa, Kenya
10 Jun 23
The photo is just amazing my friend. The baby elephant is is very happy pushing the tourists in deed.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
10 Jun 23
Interesting ! Just as the length of human ' foot is about one seventh the height of them.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
11 Jun 23
@JudyEv You are welcome ! Thanks for the 1/8 information too !
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
11 Jun 23
That baby is so cute haha
Sound very very good and interesting books Judy.
Is this your photo?
Sound very very good and interesting books Judy.
Is this your photo?1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jun 23
Yes, it's my photo but not very good quality. The guy was actually a nurse but our go-between/guide when we, another couple and 12 schoolboys did a community service project installing clean water in a Karen village in northern Thailand.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91150)
• United States
14 Jun 23
I've read many JoJo Moyes books 
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91150)
• United States
14 Jun 23
@JudyEv me too!! that was one of my favorite books. I also read a similar book called the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson which was also about the mobile library. It was very informative about how those women ride through the hills to deliver books.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Jun 23
@Marilynda1225 I like those that are mainly fiction I guess but based on fact.
@moffittjc (128840)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Jun 23
I love the photo of the baby elephant. I hope it was treated very well by its owner.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128840)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Jun 23
@JudyEv For the sake of the elephants, let’s hope they were treated well. It would be nice to know if it turned into a sanctuary or not.
Surprisingly, we have an elephant sanctuary not too far from where I live, even though elephants are not native (or even abundant) in the US. It’s a place where retired circus elephants go to live out the remainder of their lives.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jun 23
@moffittjc Although the book is fiction, in the acknowledgments, the author mentions a sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. There could be a few around I guess.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
11 Jun 23
That baby elephant was having a great time! lol I enjoy reading also, mysteries are my favorites!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jun 23
@kobesbuddy The animal doesn't have to be big if it catches you off-guard.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
11 Jun 23
@JudyEv My grandma got pushed in her behind, by a lamb. She almost fell headfirst into the ground!
1 person likes this
@Laurakemunto (13787)
• Kenya
10 Jun 23
Oh wow I never knew that thanks for sharing the picture is also very cute
1 person likes this
@Laurakemunto (13787)
• Kenya
10 Jun 23
@JudyEv I remember watching a documentary on elephants its so exciting
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209114)
• United States
10 Jun 23
That is so cute. When my son was little we went on an elephant ride. There was an outdoor zoo now closed of course that had exotic animals. It was very high and rolling as I recall. I am going to have to ask him if he remembers that. He has a good memory, so he might...I am sure he has seen the pic I had as well.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jun 23
I remember riding on a elephant at the zoo too when I was little. I also had a ride in Thailand. I thought I had a photo of me on it but I'll put up this one instead.
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jun 23
Some fiction doesn't need much research but these were very detailed about their subject.
@wolfgirl569 (135944)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Jun 23
Many writers do a lot of research for fiction books. That baby is cute
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Jun 23
Exactly. A myLotter suggested another one of hers which deals with a specific disease that I've never heard of. The only slight consternation with Leaving Time is that she says Edison electrocuted a supposedly rogue elephant and it seems there is some uncertainty about Edison's part in the electrocution.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222726)
• United States
10 Jun 23
I would have been in heaven to see a baby elephant; and I would have liked it even more if it would have pushed me!!! I like authors that do a lot of research and make the book real. That's why I like Robin Cook. He is/was a doctor; and since I like things medical, I like it when they are as close to real life as possible. Have a good weekend.
1 person likes this
