Customer Reviews

The Black Stallion

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a horse lover from a very young age, this is one of those books that was read to me when I was little, which I later read on my own more than once, and of which I still have fond memories today. The first of Walter Farley's twenty-one books, written while the author was in high school and published in 1941, before he graduated from college, "The Black Stallion" has become a staple in children's literature. It tells the story of Alec Ramsay and his partnership with a remarkable horse, referred to only as the Black. While returning from a trip to India, Alec's ship is wrecked in a storm, leaving he and the Black as the only survivors, washed up on a small, deserted island. For nineteen days they must survive in that desolate place, and in this time a strong bond is formed between the boy and the wild Arab horse.

Once Alec and the Black are rescued by a passing ship, the story takes a different turn. Back in New York, Alec asks a neighbor if he might stable the Black in the old barn on his property. As it turns out, Henry Dailey is a former racehorse trainer, and he immediately recognizes the Black's potential for speed. Thus, man and boy pair up in order to train the spirited horse, hoping to harness his energy and turn him into a competitive runner. At this time the racing world is all abuzz about an upcoming match race between two champion horses, each touted as the best racer in the country, but who have never run against each other. But when the Black shows more talent than Dailey would ever have thought possible, he begins to think that this wild, unpedigreed stallion just might have what it takes to beat them both...

The story is a bit far-fetched and idealistic, but it nevertheless makes for one whopping adventure. Farley was an avid horseman and he puts his knowledge to good use here. His descriptions of the proud, fiery Black bring the wild horse magnificently to life before our eyes. The prose is simple and fast-paced, with one event leading rapidly into another, but it still maintains a richness and depth that allows the reader to develop a strong attachment to the main characters. You can really feel the bond between boy and horse, and you can't help but care about them. "The Black Stallion" is an absolute must-read for any young horse lover. The book has a timeless quality to it, and retains every bit of its magic even for modern readers.

After penning "The Black Stallion," Farley went on to write twenty more horse stories, most centered around further adventures of Alec, the Black, and the characters that surround them (the exception being "Man O'War," which is an account of that famous racehorse's life). I have read every one of these additional books, some more than once, and would recommend them to anyone that has read and enjoyed this first book. I don't know of a single die-hard horse lover that hasn't read at least the first few books in the series, and many adult equestrians cite Farley's books as being what got them interested in horses to begin with.

"The Black Stallion" was also turned into a decent movie starring child actor Kelly Reno in 1979. Fans of the book are advised to check it out, but I strongly recommend against skipping the book in favor of the movie. The movie is good, but it is not entirely true to the original story, and doesn't quite capture the full texture of Farley's creation. The book, as always, is the place to start. It is simply written, and so should be easy for elementary-aged readers to handle. For younger children, the book makes an excellent read-aloud story. It is reasonably short. As an adult reader, I am able to get through it in a couple of hours. One final word of advice: As another reviewer mentioned, if at all possible, try to look for an older copy, with cover art by Pamela Patrick. The art of John Rowe on this new edition's cover just doesn't quite capture the spirit of the original.

Walter Farley started writing the story which became "The Black Stallion" while he was still in high school. I think I was eight or nine years old when I first read it. I still read the series from time to time, and time has only made me appreciate Farley's fine writing skills all the more. Especially the final chapter about the match race between Sun Raider, Cyclone, and the Black - I can actually HEAR the track announcer's "It's the mystery horse!" in my mind. Mr. Farley had the unique ability to express emotions through the written word - it still gives me tingles.

Only one beef I have - why, oh why, did they decide to re-do the illustrations? I still have my dogeared Scholastic Books paperback with the original illustrations. The original illustrator made the Black truly look like "the wildest of all wild creatures".

This book should be in every child's library!

Others have expressed these thoughts but I must chime in and support them. This is a great book for children. I first read it when I was nine and my sister and I re-read the entire series many times. There are women working the backstretch on race tracks who say that it all started with Walter Farley.

The movie, though gorgeous to look at, is an insipid version of the story--minus the sexiness, danger, and complexity of relationships. (In the movie the director neatly kills off the father and makes the hero much younger to remove all that troubling complexity!) Many years ago in Seattle I attended a screening of this film and had an opportunity to politely explain my feelings to the director, Francis Ford Coppola. Basically he said something like getting rid of all the talking made the film more mythic. Oh well: to some extent I can see his point. Films are difficult to make and have their own requirements--but why don't they make up their own stories instead of taking so much license with good books?

As at least one reader's review has commented, the decision to redo the illustrations for the early Black Stallion books was misguided. The originals have a wildness and excitement to them that later editions lost. If your child really likes these books, finding an old edition with those drawings would be a wonderful gift.

Like all good books for children, The Black Stallion contains undercurrents of troubling feeling and presents strategies for working those out, or at least living with them. Don't we all have something wild living in our back yard that occasionally jumps the fence? This notion was exciting to me as an adventurous little girl --and as a nearly 50-year-old who is still crazy for horses, it still works for me.

--A reader and parent from Olympia, Washington

The Black Stallion is my favorite book! It's a story about a boy named Alec who is on a ship with a Wild Stallion. Their ship sinks and most everybody dies. Alec lats the Black free from it's cage on the ship so it can fight for life. Alec gets knocked overbourd when the ship is sinking. When he see's something gliding through the water next to him. Blindly he grabbes at it. It's the Black's halter!

The Black Stallion is a thrilling and exciting book. One of the great Walter Farley books worth buying!

Katy Ann.

The Black Stallion is a wonderful story about a teenage boy's relationship with a wild Arabian stallion who rescues him from drowning after a shipwreck. The two are isolated on an island for many weeks and learn to respect and care for each other. Alec tames the Black with love, and rides him all over the island. The book progresses through their rescue and trip home, where Alec boards the Black with his neighbor Henry, a retired race horse trainer. Alec soon discovers that racing the Black professionally is not as easy a galloping wildly across the island, but he's determined to try, and with Henry's help, brings the Black to a stunning victory against the fastest horses in the country!

It's a shame that Random House has let all but 4 books in this series go out of print. Also, a succession of cover illustration changes was not a good idea either. The original paperback illustrations by artist Ruth Sanderson were INCREDIBLE! I can remember reading the books when I was about 8, and drinking in the lavish, dangerous looking images of the Black and the other horses. The re-done illustrations are clumsy, and do not portray Walter Farley's legendary horses as he intended them, i.e. wild and dangerous! Perhaps someone at Random House will get a clue, and re-issue the entire series with the original covers! Please!

I have just re-read this book to my two children and found it to be just as wonderful as when I read it as a child. Children can relate to the bond between Alec and the Black. There is also adventure, suspense and, of course, a happy ending. What more could you want? This book is a classic.

I have seen that most of the reviews for this title are positive, but not all of them are so. To address some negative concerns, I say it is well to remember that the book was written a long time ago for an intended audience that consisted of children of yesteryear. It was always clearly a work of fiction. In such a world, authors often take creative liberties, and Farley was no exception.

I found Farley's books in general, and this title in particular, to be quite entertaining when I was a child. I read my copy of The Black Stallion for the first time when I was six-years-old, and many times again in the years that followed. It was, and remains, a story well suited to entertain children. As such, I believe it merits the five stars I've given it.

If you are considering purchasing this (or any) book for a child, please keep in mind that not all children are at the same reading level at the same age. While I read and understood this book easily in first grade, my school library had it reserved for sixth graders. This is a novel, and has no illustrations. It is not a picture book in any way. Whether a child likes or dislikes a book depends greatly on his or her ability to read at the level at which the book was written. And this book, while not written for adults, does require more than a rudimentary understanding of the written word. Please share this book with children, but be sure they are ready for it.

You just can't go wrong with this one. It stirs up those deep longings for adventure in all of us. It's a marvelous classic. From kindergarteners on up, it works for everyone. It'll capture your imagination and you'll be caught up in the story before you know what happened. There's nothing offensive. No boring parts. It will inspire a passion for reading (and quite possibly horses!) in any child that voluntarily reads this gem of a book. I love books and this is the one that started it all.

What would you do if your horse saved you from the frightening death of drowning? Then what would you do if that horse was taken away from you? That is exactly what Alec thought of in the fictional book The Black Stallion written by Walter Farley.

Alec was on a ship back to his homeland, when the ship got in contact with a glacier. No one even thought of about saving that horrible, kicking, horse in the stables. Though Alec knew it was the right thing so he went into the stables and saved the horse. As they jumped off the ship, Alec was too weak to swim. So the stallion swam miles with Alec at the end of the stallions lead rope, until they saw land. They were stuck on that island fighting to survive as their friendship grew between them. One day a ship came and saved them. In a couple of days they would be at home. The stallion was named The Black and was kept in an older barn behind Alec's house.

I couldn't put this book down. This whole series was amazing. Anyone who loves horses would love these books. This book made me happy, nervous, and sad. It also made me cry. I think everyone should experience these feelings when you read a book.

-Courtney Dommer

The Black Stallion Random House, 1941, 196 pp., $17.00
Walter Farley ISBN: 0-679-81349-7

How would you feel if you were the only one to survive a boat wreck? What if you had to live on a stranded island with no vegetation or wild life; just a small pond and an untamed horse.
Thirteen-year-old Alec Ramsey is on boat back to his home-land, New York City, to see his parents. But his plan changes when his boat wrecks. He is forced to live on a deserted island with a wild Arabian stallion. He comes to love and gain the horse's trust and they become friends. He comes to call the horse The Black. As their trust blooms, he gets to ride The Black. When he does he is nearly thrown off due to how fast The Black can run. Will they be saved? And if they are will he get to race The Black.
The Black Stallion is exciting, and thrilling. It was hard for me to even put the book down. I believe if you love horses that you will not be able to put the book down either. I would suggest the book to ages 8 to 12. Remember if you like this book a lot there are plenty of books that Walter Farley has written.