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Title details for The Age of the Horse by Susanna Forrest - Available

The Age of the Horse

An Equine Journey Through Human History

by Susanna Forrest
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A “superb” account of the enduring connection between humans and horses—“Full of the sort of details that get edited out of more traditional histories” (The Economist).
 
Fifty-six million years ago, the earliest equid walked the earth—and beginning with the first-known horse-keepers of the Copper Age, the horse has played an integral part in human history. It has sustained us as a source of food, an industrial and agricultural machine, a comrade in arms, a symbol of wealth, power, and the wild.
 
Combining fascinating anthropological detail and incisive personal anecdote, equestrian expert Susanna Forrest draws from an immense range of archival documents as well as literature and art to illustrate how our evolution has coincided with that of horses. In paintings and poems (such as Byron’s famous “Mazeppa”), in theater and classical music (including works by Liszt and Tchaikovsky), representations of the horse have changed over centuries, portraying the crucial impact that we’ve had on each other.
 
Forrest combines this history with her own experience in the field, and travels the world to offer a comprehensive look at the horse in our lives today: from Mongolia where she observes the endangered takhi, to a show-horse performance at the Palace of Versailles; from a polo club in Beijing to Arlington, Virginia, where veterans with PTSD are rehabilitated through interaction with horses.
 
“For the horse-addicted, a book can get no better than this . . . original, cerebral and from the heart.” —The Times (London)

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 20, 2018

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780802189516
      • File size: 14413 KB

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780802189516
      • File size: 14764 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      April 15, 2017

      In her introduction, Forrest (If Wishes Were Horses) promises that this book is not about the history of horses. Rather, it's a look at the intersection of horses and humans throughout time and how these relationships change. It's a vast topic to cover, but the volume is divided into distinct subjects and places, such as conservation efforts for the wild Takhi fighting extinction in Mongolia. Readers will need to be familiar with equine terms before delving into this title. The text sometimes meanders within each section, jumping back and forth in time, and those who prefer a more linear telling might become confused or distracted. However, the vivid language allows readers to experience fully each era and areas. The author also handles controversial issues in an evenhanded manner. For example, tackling the subject of working horses in the United States, she interviews those who are in favor of revival of the horse-powered farms, but she also points out concerns with their arguments. VERDICT A thought-provoking read for history buffs and knowledgeable horse lovers. [Prepub Alert, 11/21/2016.]--Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL

      Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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