For anyone looking for the Kindle version of “Horse,” it’s included in today’s sale selections. Here’s the title of the email from Amazon I received: “Instant credit on select eBooks and today’s best deals for you” With the $5.00 savings, it cost $8.99.
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Thanks so much going to buy now
Rats, missed that sale, and I’m still 8-10 weeks away in my library. Fortunately my husband has unused Audible credits, so it looks like I’ll be listening rather than reading this time. Starting soon.
I have another email today from Amazon offering the same $5.00 savings on the Kindle version of “Horse.” The email subject is the same as the previous one.
Thank you!
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I bought this book for my Kindle when Amazon had it on sale for $1.99 in early January. I had been letting The Dutch House sit for quite awhile on my Kindle and told myself I couldn’t start Horse until I had marked Ann Patchett’s book off. Well, I LOVED The Dutch House and now a few months later I have finally started Horse. Not quite 20% through, but loving it so far. I have picked up a few new words so. far, including clerestory (have seen these types of windows, but was unfamiliar with the term). The writing is lovely.
I lived in Lexington during junior high & first year of high school and went to college there, so lots of regional connection for me. Will be interesting to hear what everyone thinks.
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I recently asked a friend about a book club he loves (combo of fiction and nonfiction), wanted to know what titles they’d like. He was really excited about their current read, Horse. Decided to bite the bullet and buy a hardcover. It’s likely a book I will pass on to hubby and others.
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I finished the book on Saturday night. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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I finished last night and loved it. I have had two 5 star books on Goodreads this year - The Dutch House and Horse. I loved that she provided short bios on the “real” characters at the end of the book. Having spent a good chunk of my life in Lexington, I knew pretty much exactly where those farms were and have heard some of those names through the years in passing.
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I was notified that the book was in transit on Saturday, but it didn’t arrive at my library till Wednesday. I’m about 1/3 of the way through. Luckily it seems to be a pretty quick read.
I am enjoying the book. The horse farm story is reminding me of our visit to this site -
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Up late last night trying to finish on time, and it’s 6am ( no hardship I wake crazy early ) and finished Horse in time for discussion. Five Star book in my opinion,
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It’s April 1st! Welcome to our discussion of Horse by Geraldine Brooks.
I really, really liked this book. I can’t say I “enjoyed” it, as there was too much sorrow and tragedy. The ending of Theo’s story took me by surprise. I came away from the book feeling a little dispirited.
Brooks took on so much with this novel – was it too much? I’m not sure I needed all the various jumps in time and point-of-view. I kept wanting to go back to Jarret’s story. It was beautifully written. If I had one quibble with the book, it was Jarret’s final appearance. I completely understand that he further educated himself between 1865 and 1875; even so, the long speech he gives to Colonel Bruce seemed off-key to me. We got to know Jarret well, and regardless of educational advancements, the speech simply didn’t sound like him. He was always a man of few words, a bit of a quiet philosopher. This read more like the author needed a mouthpiece for one last History Channel lesson:
Colonel Bruce, you must be aware of the rising difficulty for men like me in the thoroughbred world. You must know that for some who supported the Southern cause, the war is not over. They deplore their reduced circumstances and do not care to see someone like me finding success. It leads to unpleasantness that I would rather…avoid. Even the greatest jockeys, the men everyone delighted to cheer for, cannot now get a decent mount, South or North. And if they do chance to ride, it has become perilous. The White jockeys collaborate against them to provoke falls. A great trainer such as Charles Stewart is relegated to house servant, caring for carriage horses…You do no favor to the turf by not addressing these matters in your journal, Colonel. This sport that once gathered all classes and, yes, colors, will not thrive long if it continues to spit on the talent that built it (p. 376).
Also, the fact that the word “White” was capitalized made the speech seem too “21st century essay.” Anyway, it bugged me. Just had to get that off my chest at the start! Otherwise, great book and a page turner for sure. Discussion questions to follow for those interested.
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Discussion Questions:
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On page 28 (Theo, Georgetown, Washington, DC, 2019), Theo reflects that depictions of horses are among the oldest art humans created. The book’s epigraphs reflect on the significance of Lexington — in his day, an even bigger celebrity than Seabiscuit or Secretariat. Discuss the enduring human fascination with horses. Do they move you more than other animals? If so, why?
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Theo and Jess are both obsessed with their rarefied fields of expertise. Does the author manage to convey why these unusual careers can be so compelling? If so, how?
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Jarret’s connection with horses is presented as stronger than his bonds with people. How does his love for and dedication to Lexington help or hamper his coming of age and his transformation over the course of the novel?
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Horseracing in the mid-19th century was very different to its modern iteration. What surprised you? Do you think horseracing today takes adequate care for the well-being of equines?
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On p. 71 (Thomas J. Scott, The Meadows, Lexington, Kentucky, 1852), Scott writes, “[We] who think we are above enslaving our fellow man are corrupted. Only show us absolute agency over the apt and the willing, and suddenly we find the planters’ obduracy that much less odious. I must guard against the rank seductions of this place.” How does the author draw out the similarities and differences between Northern and Southern attitudes in this era through Thomas J. Scott, a practiced observer who moves between the regions?
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Several historical figures appear in the novel, among them the emancipationist newspaper publisher Cassius Clay and his daughter, the suffragist Mary Barr Clay. What are Cassius Clay’s arguments for emancipation to the Warfield family? Do you see the roots of what would become Mary Barr Clay’s passion for the women’s suffrage movement in the way she is portrayed in her youth? What are their respective strengths and limitations? How do novels make historical figures come alive for us beyond what we might find in a work of nonfiction?
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Martha Jackson was a real American gallery owner and art collector. Discuss her portrayal in HORSE and what her relationship to the painting of Lexington conveys about her character. What does her storyline contribute to the novel’s themes? What did her chapters reveal to you about America in that era, and did you notice any similarities between the art world of the mid-20th century and the horse racing economy of a century prior?
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Referring to the Civil War on p. 87 (Jess, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, 2019), Jess says, “Not my war […] Unless you call Australia the very Deep South.” Theo is also not American. Nevertheless, they’re both forced to reckon with the legacy of slavery — particularly Theo, who encounters racism in his daily life. How does this affect their relationship? What does the novel reveal about the way history shapes our present moment?
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Discuss Theo and Jess’ relationship. What do you think attracts them to one another despite their differences? What do they learn from each other?
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Examine Jess’ conversation with Daniel in the aftermath of what happens to Theo at the end of the novel. What did you make of Daniel’s assessment of the situation? Do you share his point of view?
https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/horse-by-geraldine-brooks/guide
Here’s a Q&A with the author: Horse: Q&A with Geraldine Brooks - Geraldine Brooks Official Author Website
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I enjoyed the way the narratives were interwoven, and although I was upset by the end of Theo’s story, I think it served as a reminder that our nation’s problematic relationship to race continues to this day.
The paintings interested me and I was able to find what I believe to be a painting of Lexington in his older years as well as another one that shows Harry with some other people.
Scott – Portrait of Lexington
Troye – Richard Singleton with Viley’s Harry, Charles and Lew
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And the reticulated skeleton. It’s behind a paywall, but it looks like the Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article.
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I really enjoyed the book including that I had to play hooky from work most of yesterday in order to finish it! Luckily no one is breathing down my neck at the moment!
I loved the book, though like Mary, I have a few quibbles. I really liked the intertwining stories and how art, horse racing and science intertwined. I was particularly fond of the academics, since I live with a bunch of them, she really understands that single-minded focus. I thought Theo’s struggles to write a non-academic article were hilarious and his fraught relationship to his thesis advisor was all too familiar. That’s what turned me off of life in academia.
I think Mary is right on about that last speech just being something Brooks wanted to say, but that Jarrett himself never would have, even after many years of continued self-education. I had trouble following where all the various paintings ended up. We have two paintings of Scott’s that survive - the one that the art dealer gets from her maid, and the one found on the curb. Is the latter the one the bandits made off with in their raid?
Like with the only other book I’ve read by Brooks (Year of Wonders), I felt like she made a serious misstep with the ending for one of the characters - sending her far away for a happier ending away from the traumatic events of the book. I just didn’t feel like it was what Jess would do.
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Yes, the painting Theo found on the curb is the one that Quintrell’s raiders stole. They took the early work that Scott had gifted to young Jarret. At the end of the book, hanging in the museum, it’s titled, “Lexington, as a colt, painted by Thomas J. Scott at The Meadows, circa 1851.” Jarret would have been about 14. They were both colts. 
Scott says:
The brushstrokes landed effortlessly, and I was so pleased with the effect that I considered keeping the piece myself. I was glad, in the end, that I did not, when I saw the look of joy on the boy’s face (p. 72).
Theo’s neighbor tells Jess that the painting was her late husband’s – “it come down to him from his great-granddaddy in the Civil War.” There’s a suggestion there that the descendants of the cruel, racist members of Quintrell’s group share the same characteristics as their forefathers:
And her husband had made clear, through his body language, what he thought about having a Black man living nearby…The only time Theo had heard his voice was when it was raised, yelling at his wife (p. 2).
Much of the book is about bloodlines, human as well as horse.
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I finished the book a couple weeks ago and I’m still deciding how much I liked it. I am away this weekend, so I wrote this up ahead of time. I did a quick read over of what other people wrote so far and see that we have five star reviews coming up, so I guess I am going to be the odd man out.
There was plenty about the book that I enjoyed. It kept my attention and was an easy read. I enjoyed the three different timelines and feel Brooks did a beautiful job tying the timelines together. I loved the relationship between Lexington and Jarrett. Brooks did a beautiful job with her descriptions of Lexington. I could see his beauty and grace.
I don’t think Brooks did a very good job representing the black men, Jarrett and Theo, especially Theo. I really can’t put my finger on everything that bothered me, but there are things that made me uncomfortable. In the Theo time line I assume the author was trying to show us that the bigotry of the past still exists today, but having Theo killed off seemed both forced and predictable. As soon as he didn’t wear his Georgetown sweatshirt on his run, I knew something was going to happen.
I also felt the black/white interactions Jarrett had were often forced. His slavery reminded me of some of the plantation tours I have been on in South Carolina. It seems that every slave owner of an historic homestead was kind to his slaves. I think there is a bit of whitewashing slavery history. I wondered about the horse manager Pryor’s chapters in the book. I guess Brooks needed a reason to put Jarrett in the cotton fields and show us that side of things, but still, it felt forced to me.
I know the racism issues Brooks brings up in her book are real. I just don’t think she did a great job making them real.
After I finished the book I looked around to see if there were any reviews that described the way I was feeling. I like this one from The Atlantic.
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I read the The Atlantic article a few days ago myself. I’m joining your “odd-man-out” club.
Horse is also my IRL book club’s choice - discussion Monday night. Two people have already commented to me on the book, somewhat privately as both are close friends.
The first friend could have written The Atlantic article; she liked the book (3 stars) but also found it problematic. The problematic part bugs her.
The second one loved the book but can’t quite hit the five-star mark either, though I expect her to give it a solid four stars.
Both made the same comment regarding the meet-cute (or not) moment between Theo and Jess. If either saw someone at their somewhat unique bike trying to undo the lock, both would assume that person was up to no good, regardless of race. It’s not as if Jess shouts out “stop, thief” but she has every right to feel concerned. Is it racism at play?
I have to mention that I’ve stumbled across an issue that always bugs me - an author overstepping bounds when depicting a real person in fiction. The NYT mentions Brooks’s portrayal of Thomas J Scott
who also intermittently seizes the narrative and embarks, in Brooks’s imagining, on an interracial gay affair in New Orleans
Was Scott bisexual or gay? Hmm … his biography describes him as married with four children which, of course, doesn’t mean he wasn’t gay. Brooks notes in her Afterword that she imagined Scott’s affair with the painter and also a raid. Is either important enough in the narrative to take liberties with Scott’s life? I haven’t finished the book so can’t answer that yet. But still … honor the dead by not over-fictionalizing their lives.
Truthfully, I’m not yet over Grace Metallious using Tomas Makris’s name and physical description for a character of Peyton Place. You are now privy to one of my pet peeves.
I haven’t finished the book. It’s been an odd two months for me with limited reading time. Odd in both good and bad ways. The bad - a close friend died of pancreatic cancer approximately two months after diagnosis. The good - my fourth grandchild born a week ago yesterday.
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