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28 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every Horse Story is a Love Story, May 9, 2004
When Jane Smiley won the Pulitzer prize for Literature in 1992 for her novel "A Thousand Acres", she celebrated by buying a skinny, white Thoroughbred gelding called Mr T. Mr T, Smiley then discovered, had trained at Longchamp in France and had won races all over the United States. From here there was no going back. Thanks in part to Mr T, Smiley now owns a string of Thoroughbred race-horses and dreams, but only dreams, of leaving her writer's days behind her and becoming a full-time horse-trainer. In the meantime, she has compromised by writing "A Year at the Races", an account of her experiences as a racing-stable owner. Each chapter reads like a letter to a friend and the entire book covers an amazing amount of ground. The author looks at the special role of horses in human society: Horses, according to Smiley are more intelligent than dogs and more like humans in their wide-ranging abilities. She considers the personality types of horses, compares them to human types, and considers how we both react to our environment, challenges and communities. The book also takes a long, hard look at what horses have to do earn their living. Horses, unlike other "pets", are too expensive to be indulged as only companions: They must race, jump, show or carry. Mini-horses are even earning a place as guides for the blind. A horse that fails to socialize properly and learn to earn a living has a poor future. That gives owners and trainers a particular responsibility to help the horse succeed at its job and remain healthy and strong.
Where I am sure the book will draw criticism is in Smiley's use of "horse communicators," who claim to be able to "talk" to horses. It sounds silly and it's only when the author disarmingly admits that such activities are probably "rubbish", but nevertheless wildly entertaining, that you realize that it is not Smiley who is the fool. She is an intelligent and open-minded individual, who can explore possibilities that are beyond the imagination of most of us. That is what made her a Pulitzer prize-winner and that is what makes "A Year at the Races" a great read, even for those who don't consider themselves "horsy."
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A philosophy of the equine-human relationship, May 19, 2005
This is a smiley sort of book about a year at the Thoroughbred races. It is philosophical, mystical at times, and is an in-depth look at the psychology of horses and humans together.
Jane Smiley has a very ingratiating style, even though she gets a bit weird at times. She has on tap a different sort of horse whisperer--this one telephones telepathic messages from horse to owner. For instance, according to the telepath, the beautiful gray Thoroughbred, Hornblower didn't like his name so Smiley changed it informally, i.e. not through the Jockey Club, to Wowie. She had everyone at the track call him 'Wowie' and he perked up and earned his keep, although not exactly setting the racecourse on fire. Smiley also learned that Wowie liked the turf better than the main course, and preferred horse shoes with pads. I realize the trainer probably had a lot to do with the last two items, but they also came over the telephone from Wowie's mind reader.
At first, I felt embarrassed about reading a book where people communicate telepathically with horses and give them energy massages without actually touching them. Then I realized that all people who raise, train, or race Thoroughbreds are a bit eccentric by non-horse-lover standards.
I decided I would rather fit in with the horse-crazy folk any day, even if they do wear their underwear inside-out for luck. Besides, Jane Smiley proves once and for all that horses are smarter than pigs, and they may be smarter than dogs.
Some of the books that influenced Smiley while she was writing "A Year at the Races," were "A General Theory of Love" by Dr. Thomas Lewis, et. al., Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel," and Stephen Budiansky's "The Covenant of the Wild: Why Animals Chose Domestication." She quotes freely from her sources while developing her own unique philosophy of why horses tolerate, and even like humans.
This is not just a book about a year at the races. It also includes the author's insights and adventures while jumping, riding, grooming, and just hanging around with horses. Smiley writes calmly and flatly as though she were reassuring a jittery mount. I think that if you tend to be nervous around horses, you'll be able to form better equine relationships after reading this book.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's about Horses, Humans, Love, Money and Luck, January 21, 2005
As a non-racing horse person, I really enjoyed this book. I thought that author did a great job of explaining the perspective of the amateur horse owner. She did it without apologizing for how much she invested (finacially and emotionally) or how she chose to spend her resources (like animal communicators). Amateurs keep the horse industry going in racing and other sports. I enjoyed reading a book that described how she tied her hopes and dreams to her young horses and how emotionally invested she became. I enjoyed learning about her relationships with her trainers and her other horses. I would recommend this book to horse people of all disciplines and folks who are interested in exploring the emotional lives of animals.
If you are looking for a rags to riches racehorse story pick a book about a famous horse. Seabiscuit and the Funny Cide book are great books about horses, racing and the people who were part of their greatness.
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