For thousands of years, humankind has relied on the horse for companionship. Powerful and spirited, yet gentle and trusting, horses inspire both the hearts and imaginations of many. In Horse People: Writers and Artists on the Horses They Love, notable horse lovers collectively celebrate the equine in words and images. Some 25 writers present stories from the heart, including Jane Smiley's account of overcoming a lifetime of paralyzing fear by jumping her horse; poet Henry Taylor's tale of Goldheart, a memorable horse of his youth; and Rita Mae Brown's horse Peggy Sue's valuable horsy advice. Photographs and paintings, illustrations and sculpture--including the work of Tess Gallagher, Fritz Scholder, John Derryberry, and Deborah Butterfield--offer stirring images in both full color and black and white, skillfully capturing the spirit of horses and of those that love them best.
From School Library Journal
YA-This beautifully presented collection of essays, photographs, and artwork by horse lovers, some of whom are quite famous, demonstrates the human fascination with this animal. Among the selections are an interview with Dick Francis and a heart-tugging story by Jana Harris. Jane Smiley offers a personal story of panic and fear conquered through learning to jump a horse. Rita Mae Brown's horse, Peggy Sue, gives Ms. Brown's cat Sneaky Pie some stiff competition with the charming and amusing "Working with Humans," told from a horse's point of view. The illustrations provide a view of horses in many habitats, from Wyoming to Baltimore. This thoroughly delightful book will certainly please all those adolescents so aptly described in the essays (wearing the perfume "Eau de Riding Stable") as well as those who wonder what all the fuss is about.
Carol DeAngelo, Garcia Consulting Inc., EPA Headquarters, Washington, DC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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