Staff Picks Blog

Rudy Harrington makes a new life in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It’s a long way from Chicago and his life as an avocado buyer.  Norma Jean, an elephant who paints, is left in Rudy’s care and she opens his heart and spirit to new possibilities in life.

This book had a great sense of place. I was born in the Rio Grande Valley and visited there often while I was growing up. The description of the place reminded me of the Santa Ana Bird Refuge and other places in the Upper Valley.

I also enjoyed the characters and how the story developed. This was an enjoyable read and interesting that an elephant was a part of two of my recent favorite stories ~ the other being Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  Philosophy Made Simple is also available in ICPL’s Large Print collection.