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Loading... The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble Companionby Wendy Williams
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) ElentarriLT | Mar 24, 2020 |  Williams begins by detailing the evolutionary process of equines. Though there's nothing too enlightening in the essence of what she has to say (anyone who's read a Big Book of Horse Facts probably gets the gist of equine evolution), her little details add something interesting to the discussion. "I...never really understood why scientists considered those strange little beings horses," she says, speaking of Hyracotherium and Mesohippus, hitting upon a concern any non-biologist might have. "Why ISN'T it a dog?" A fair enough question, for which she has a long and specific answer. I was even more delighted to learn the practical applications of this evolution, such as the fact that horses only see shades of blue and green. In addition to the color images and black-and-white reproductions of horses (including everything from cave art to anatomical renderings to modern day horse-human relationships), the book has pleasing access features. A glossary, index, and extensive footnotes reveal the thoroughness of this book's production. However, one complaint I have is that "training" (arguably the most applicable topic of equine research to the modern day reader) was not listed in the index. Another complaint is the lack of formal bibliography and sometimes shaky use of research. For a writer who insists often that there is a big difference "between anecdote and research," she relies at least equally upon the two to draw her conclusions, calling upon stories of successful horsemen and women without necessarily illustrating the supporting research. Though this book was right up my alley, I can't see your average, non-horse person finishing it--unless they happen to be a particularly voracious and omnivorous reader. ( ) akerner1 | May 8, 2017 | I certainly feel that I have more real knowledge of horses now than I did before reading the book, but the writing style made it uphill work much of the time. Sentences and paragraphs are often poorly structured, to a surprising extent in such a widely recommended book. The author also seems to be trying too hard throughout to convince us of the uniqueness of the relationship between man and horse, which may well be the case, but the insistance undermined the assertion. (  ) Matt_B | Aug 27, 2016 |
 The author promises “a scientific travelogue, a biography of the horse and a worldwide investigation into the bond that unites horses and humans,” and she delivers all three in this restless, surprisingly compact book, but she can’t quite clinch her hypothesis: that horses and humans are bound to one another in a fashion that “is somehow encoded in our genes.” Although she has ridden horses all her life, Williams is ready to relinquish the horse’s usefulness to humans as the best guarantee of its future. In her world, watching wild horses will be enough. AwardsNotable Lists
A New York Times Bestseller and New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A Best Book of 2015, The Wall Street Journal "Love is the driver for Wendy Williams's new book, The Horse . . . [an] affectionate, thoroughgoing, good-hearted book." --Jaimy Gordon, The New York Times Book Review "Charming and deeply interesting . . . Ms. Williams does a marvelous job." --Pat Shipman, The Wall Street Journal The book horse-lovers have been waiting for Horses have a story to tell, one of resilience, sociability, and intelligence, and of partnership with human beings. In The Horse, the journalist and equestrienne Wendy Williams brings that story brilliantly to life. Williams chronicles the 56-million-year journey of horses as she visits with experts around the world, exploring what our biological affinities and differences can tell us about the bond between horses and humans, and what our longtime companion might think and feel. Indeed, recent scientific breakthroughs regarding the social and cognitive capacities of the horse and its ability to adapt to changing ecosystems indicate that this animal is a major evolutionary triumph. Williams charts the course that leads to our modern Equus-from the protohorse to the Dutch Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, and cow ponies of the twenty-first century. She observes magnificent ancient cave art in France and Spain that signals a deep respect and admiration for horses well before they were domesticated; visits the mountains of Wyoming with experts in equine behavior to understand the dynamics of free-roaming mustangs; witnesses the fluid gracefulness of the famous Lipizzans of Vienna; contemplates what life is like for the sure-footed, mustachioed Garrano horses who thrive on the rugged terrain of Galicia; meets a family devoted to rehabilitating abandoned mustangs on their New Hampshire farm; celebrates the Takhi horses of Mongolia; and more. She blends profound scientific insights with remarkable stories to create a unique biography of the horse as a sentient being with a fascinating past and a finely nuanced mind. The Horse is a revealing account of the animal who has been at our side through the ages, befriending us and traveling with us over the mountains and across the plains. Enriched by Williams's own experience with horses, The Horse is a masterful work of narrative nonfiction that pays tribute to this treasure of the natural world. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)636.1Technology Agriculture & related technologies Animal husbandry HorsesLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.8)
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