Hannah's Dream

Hannah's Dream (Max L. Biedelman Zoo #1)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04  ·  rating details  ·  1,552 ratings  ·  426 reviews
An elephant never forgets . . . but can she dream?

For forty-one years, Samson Brown has been caring for Hannah, the lone elephant at the down-at-the-heels Max L. Biedelman Zoo. Having vowed not to retire until an equally loving and devoted caretaker is found to replace him, Sam rejoices when smart, compassionate Neva Wilson is hired as the new elephant keeper. But Neva qui...more
Paperback, 319 pages
Published September 2nd 2008 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published 2008)
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Joey
this book has to be one of the best books I've ever read, honestly, I didn't want it to end. You fall in love with the main characters & can so picture everything actually happening, I want a sequel!!!! Thanks Diane for such a wonderful read!!!
Dottie
Nov 12, 2008 Dottie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE
Recommended to Dottie by: Joey
I absolutely loved Hannh's Dream. At the top of my favorites list along with Water for Elephants. You will fall in love withSam, Hannahs' caretaker, Hannah the elephant and his wife Corinna. Every character will live onin myheart. I imagine what they're doing now. Such a feel-good story. The author, Diane Hammond, has truly written one of the best stories I've ever read.
Marie
Very enjoyable novel about an aging elephant and her aging handler. I love it when a story unfolds effortlessly and doesn't make you think the author is trying hard to make it so. This book does that. It is beautifully written.
Chelsea
I'd heard about this book on NPR and put it on my To-Read List, so when I saw it on sale I snatched it up and started it even though I have a generally strict rule about reading only one book at a time...

I've heard it called a love story, and it is- but the thing I like most is the development of each of the characters right up until the end. I love Miles the pig and he and Truman's budding relationship. I laughed out loud so many times because I felt as though I had known a miniature pot bellie...more
Greg
What a beautiful story!! I loved it. The character development is good. There are a lot of eccentric people in this story which kept me captivated. It was hard for me to put this book down. Elephant's are amazing creatures. To me, Love was a central theme in this book. Good Healthy Relationships are important.
Michelle BF
I am going to enjoy recommending this book to lots of people. Hannah's zookeeper needs to retire due to his health but after 41 years together, the elephant will die without him. A new zookeeper comes on the picture and convinces him to help get Hannah to a new home with a new herd. A gentle read--easy to recommend to anyone. This story was inspired by Keiko the killer whale and its journey from captivity to the Antarctic. This is a good Water for Elephants readalike.

Hannah's Dream
Kirby
I was leery of reading anything ever again after finishing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but this book and its endearing and earnest characters was the perfect selection.
Tia
This book was really sweet and reminded me of E.L.Konigsburg style of writing. The plot's pretty predictable but was still precious and entertaining.
Katrina
Dec 22, 2008 Katrina rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: animal lovers
This book was amazing. There isn't a lot more to say about it. She captured what all of us who work with animals already know about how brilliant they are, and how very like us... Beautiful. Every animal lover should read this.
Linda
Another wonderful book about an elephant...
The characters are beautifully realized. I loved the subtle ironies, like how one character's ex-wife keeps accusing him of being deadly boring while he's in the middle of secreting an elephant out of a zoo. There is much to learn from this book on the art of crafting a distinctive voice for each character.
The book is remarkable for a literary adult novel--the characters are likable, and the ending is uplifting.
Plus I could believe in the people Hammond...more
Susan Hartmann
Great read. Heartwarming tale for animal lovers and elephant enthusiasts. It would make a great film.
Carrie
Great character development, makes you keep reading to find out what happens
Audrey
Nov 18, 2008 Audrey rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone
Recommended to Audrey by: I found it by chance in the library
I loved this book. It was the elephant's version of the book The secret life of Bees. Great characters, interesting story and I love elephants. Definitely fiction but it feels like it could have been true
Tara Affolter
I hugged this book when i was finished.
Heather Jensen
This was a sweet, tender story that even made me shed a few tears at the end and wish for a pet elephant! :) Not exactly an action-packed story or anything, but still compelling, I would definitely recommend it.
Bill Hall
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 wa...more
Gail
This is truly a wonderful book to start the new year. Hannah is an Asian Elephant living in the Max L. Biedelman Zoo, a third rate zoo in Washington state. She's been alone for 41 years, after the other elephant died. She's been faithfully tended by her keeper, Samson Brown, a black Korean veteran. She's old, arthritic, loving, and needs another home with other elephants. That's the dream she and Sam share. He is ailing and wants to retire but doesn't want to leave her alone. A new keeper comes,...more
Laura
In Hannah's Dream, author Diane Hammond takes a snippet of news footage about an aging elephant and her keeper and expands it into a marvelous novel. Hammond creates a vibrant and believable cast of characters to fill her fictional world not the least of which is the amazing elephant Hannah whose uncertain future is pivotal to the story. I was quickly and completley absorbed by the story and so will any reader who has ever looked into the eyes of an animal and seen a familiar soul looking back.
Karen Hansen
Diane Hammond's novel, Hannah's Dream, can best be described as sweet. Not Saccharine or cloyingly sweet, but more like honey in a hot cup of tea. It very much makes me think of a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It's a little cliche, with the good guys and bad guys clearly delineated, has problems that are neatly resolved and characters that learn their lessons in a gentle manner.

The book isn't particularly well written, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. I don't think that writing com...more
Bev
How could I possibly enjoy this book so much? There is no murder, no mayhem, no mystery. Just a terrific book with a great plot about an elephant (Hannah) in a little zoo who needs to be moved to an elephant sanctuary. and what the people who love her go through getting her there.

You'll fall in love with Sam, her caretaker for 42 years, and his wife Corrine, who loves Hannah almost as much as she loves Sam. You'll love Max Biedelman of whom the word "lesbian" is never spoken, though her love fo...more
Diejai
„Hannahs Traum“ erzählt die Geschichte der Elefantendame Hannah und ihres Pflegers Sam. Sam betreut Hannah nun schon seit über 40 Jahren. Eigentlich wäre es an der Zeit für ihn, in den Ruhestand zu gehen. Doch das kann er nicht, da er nicht weiß, was dann aus Hannah werden würde. Als eine neue Pflegerin, Neva, anfängt im Zoo zu arbeiten, beginnt sich das Blatt zu wenden. Durch den Umzug in ein Reservat für Elefanten könnten sich Hannahs Lebensumstände verbessern und auch Sam könnte nun endlich i...more
April
Hanna's Dream is a very simple book - there's no fancy language or hard to get to metaphors. The beauty of this book is in the simplicity of the story. The writer presents everything to the reader on a dinner plate with fork and everything. I usually call these "lazy read" books, but that doesn't mean that they are bad books. I enjoyed reading Hanna's Dream because like the writer, I, too, love animals. The story wasn't heart wrenching or gut stabbing, but there were parts/dialogues (especially...more
Sara Childers
The story of a lone elephant and her best friend that will do anything for her, Hannah's Dream really stole my heart. I have had the fortune of working with an Asian elephant and I found this little gem about six months after my encounter. Having some experience with elephants, I showed some interest in this book.. but never expected it to be so gosh darn good! It was a very warm and touching book; one that was very easy to read (honestly, I had a hard time putting it down). Diane Hammond's wond...more
Laura
What a great idea for a book. Wonderful characters and wonderful dialog – especially between the adults and the two children (Winslow and Reginald) – like on p76. I liked all of the characters. Even though Hammond’s style is relatively straightforward (not as subtle as it could be), the people were very real to me (not Harriet as much, but all the others. Each little family had it’s own way of being a family – and most of them were happy families in spite of the fact that they had all gone throu...more
Tamara
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Tuppermalone
Apr 05, 2012 Tuppermalone rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Tuppermalone by: Lorna
Shelves: book-club-reads
This was a very fast read. I enjoyed it and the character development of Sam Brown and posthumously of Max Biedelman and Miss Effie. One thing that confused me was the photo on the front of the paperback of a small girl with the elephant. It is not a photograph at all like those described in the book of Max (pg.65).
Another pleasant surprise is that Diane Hammond is an Oregon author--always a good thing. I plan to read other Diane Hammond books to see if they are as well done as Hannah's Dream.
An...more
Kristin
As usual another perfect recommendation, Joey!! Thank you!
Kay
Predictable (but satisfying) end and memorable characters. This one stayed with me longer than Water for Elephants. Maria (age 2) told me she touched an elephant at the zoo in Florida and "it was soft."
Sydney
This book is soooooo good. The characters are rich and the plot is absorbing and touching. Highly recommended!
Patti
Oct 06, 2008 Patti rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone
I love, love, love, love, love this book! I could not put it down. I highly recommend this to anyone from Tacoma who remembers Cindy the elephant at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The voice the author uses is soothing and brings you in to this story and brings you to love or hate the characters. What a wonderful "tail" or "trunk" if you will...You will enjoy this book if you like stories about animals and the people who love them.
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I'm 53, and it's hard to believe that anyone could possibly care about where I was born, but for the sake of due diligence, it was in Queens, NY. I grew up in Upper Nyack, a suburb of New York City, without a lot of drama, and the most important thing I learned in my four years at Middlebury College in Vermont was that I could write in James Joyce's stream-of-consciousness style fluently and for l...more
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