The Greatest Horse Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Horse Tales [Paperback]

Steven D. Price (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2004 | Series: Greatest

Throughout recorded history, the horse has played many roles in human life. He has been man's partner in war, his servant in work, his teammate in sports, his inspiration in art. So it is only natural that literature includes many masterpieces about horses and horsemanship.
The Greatest Horse Stories Ever Told gathers together the best of the equestrian genre. It includes stories and articles by Pulitzer Prize-winners Red Smith, Maxine Kumin, and Jane Smiley, and tales by jockey-turned-mystery novelist Dick Francis and veterinarian-turned-writer James Herriot. Here also are reflections on fox hunting by Steven Budiansky and Anthony Trollope; a profile of Buck Brannaman, the inspiration for The Horse Whisperer; an inspirational piece from Ellie Phayer, and a story about the Spanish Riding School's dancing white horses by Felix Salten (author of Bambi), as well as writing from Tom McGuane, Bill Barich, humorist Cooky McClung, and classic western authors Will James and Zane Grey.
Heartwarming, adventurous, profound, and funny, this anthology is a treasure trove that includes favorite writers and little-known or long-forgotten gems, illuminating our fascination-and captivation-with horses.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A veteran writer on horses, Price (The Quotable Horse Lover) has assembled a varied collection of tales on the noble steed. Unlike Paul B. Staudohaur's Boxing's Best Short Stories (LJ 10/15/99), this work blends fiction with book excerpts, newspaper columns, and even poetry. The selections include horseracing, cowboy life, rider training, and veterinary practice. Especially appealing are an "All Things" selection by James Herriott, Alexis Podjajsky's Spanish Riding School memoir, and Maxine Kumin on girls' love of horses. Lay readers may long for Price's The Horseman's Illustrated Dictionary (LJ 12/00) for help defining some of the terms used, but this is a fine adult and YA choice for public libraries. Morey Berger, St. Joseph's Hosp. Lib., Tucson, AZ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Price, an equestrian writer, provides an excellent justification for a new anthology of horse stories by pointing out that all the stories help us to see ourselves in relation to horses. In 30 short stories, essays, and articles, the reader is led to a greater understanding of the bond between horse and rider. The bond can be monetary, as Dick Francis shows in his humorous contribution about a botched attempt at robbing a racecourse--or was it botched? The union between a beloved horse and his longtime rider is explored in Jane Smiley's essay on the death of her favorite mount. James Herriot writes of the inevitable changes to farm life with the passing of the age of draft horses, and Gene Smith shows us the wonder of a once-crippled horse, intended for the racetrack, that now teaches handicapped kids to ride. An essay on the death of Secretariat is a guaranteed weeper. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592280110
• ISBN-13: 978-1592280117
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #447,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed at first, November 27, 2001

By 

J. Rizk (Washington) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greatest Horse Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Horse Tales (Hardcover)

My non-horsey boyfriend bought this book for me for my birthday. The book name is kind of generic, but I figured he at least got an E for effort. However, once I got started I have been savoring each story. This is definitely a book for horse lovers....real horse lovers. A story taken from "My Horses My Teachers" by Podiesky (sp?) is outstanding. The story about Buck Brannamen - "The Horse Whisperer" was another I'll never forget. Ignore the stupid name and buy this book. Make a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter night and just get lost in the stories.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of the Greatest, February 9, 2002

By 

Jena Ball "Jena Ball" (North Carolina, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Greatest Horse Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Horse Tales (Hardcover)

The GREATEST horse stories EVER told? Well...let's put it this way. These are definitely some of the better stories, and certainly the book as a whole offers an eclectic and therefore engrossing range of stories. But don't hold the book's title against it. It really is a nice mix that ranges from the first-person accounts by Jane Smiley of her dear old friend Mr. T. and Colonel Alois Podhaksky's description of his time spent as the Director of the Vienna Spanish Riding School (home of the Lipizzaner stallions) to a story of a real life horse whisperer and Maxine's Kumin's thoughtful answer to the question, "Why is it that girls love horses?" Here too you will find racehorses, cow ponies, hunters and the people who know and care for them. This book is a sure beat for anyone who loves horses, or is interested in what makes those who love them tick.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Happy Enough for Young People, August 20, 2007

By 

Lisa (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Greatest Horse Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Horse Tales (Paperback)

My twelve year old thought the book too full of negative stories and dying horses. While a more experienced horseperson may appreciate the realism, this is not the book for a little girl who always loves to draw her horse and puts glitter in his mane even before barrel races.