Horse Heaven

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It takes a great deal of faith to gear a novel this horse-besotted to the general public. Horse love is one of those things either you get or you don't, and for the vast majority of the populace, horse stories tend to read like porn written for 13-year-old girls. The good news, then, is that while a love of all things equine is not a prerequisite for enjoying Jane Smiley's Horse Heaven, a love of human perversity is. Racing, after all, is at worst a dangerous, asset-devouring folly and at best an anachronism, as one of her horse trainers notes:

The Industry Leaders had made it their personal mission to bring horse racing to the attention of the general public, with the NFL as their model and television as their medium of choice, which was fine with Farley, though his own view was that horse racing out at the track, newspaper reading, still photography, placing bets in person, and writing thank-you notes by hand were all related activities, and football, ESPN, video, on-line betting, and not writing thank-you notes at all were another set of related activities.

A crucial piece of information for Smiley fans is that, among her many novels, Horse Heaven most resembles Moo. (And there's even a pig!) In fact, with these two books it appears that this versatile author has finally found a home in which to unpack her impressive gifts: that is, the sprawling, intricately plotted satirical novel. Her target in this case is not academia but horse racing--less commonly satirized but, here at least, just as fruitfully so. Wickedly knowing, dryly comic, the result is as much fun to read as it must have been to write.

None of which means that Horse Heaven is a casual read. For starters, one practically needs a racing form to keep track of its characters, particularly when their stories begin to overlap and converge in increasingly unlikely and pleasing ways. Perhaps it says something about the novel that the easiest figures to follow are the horses themselves: loutish Epic Steam, the "monster" colt; the winsome filly Residual; supernaturally focused Limitless; and trembling little Froney's Sis. And that's not to forget Horse Heaven's single most prepossessing character, Justa Bob--a little swaybacked, a little ewe-necked, but possessed of a fine sense of humor and an abiding disdain for winning races by anything but a nose.

Then there are the humans, including but not limited to socialite Rosalind Maybrick, her husband Al (who manufactures "giant heavy metal objects" in "distant impoverished nationlike locations"), a Zen trainer, a crooked trainer, a rapper named Ho Ho Ice Chill, an animal psychic, and a futurist scholar, as well as attendant jockeys, grooms, and hangers-on. (Not to mention poor, ironically named Joy, a few years out of Moo U and still having problems relating.) It's a little frustrating to watch this cast come and go and fight for Smiley's attention; you glimpse them so vividly, and then they disappear for another hundred pages, and it breaks your heart.

But there are certainly worse problems a novel could have than characters to whom you grow overattached. A plot this convoluted would be one, if only it weren't so hard to stop reading. There are elements of magic realism, astounding coincidences, unabashed anthropomorphism. (At one point--while Justa Bob throws himself against his stall in sorrow at leaving his owner's tiny, wordless mother behind--this reviewer cried, "Shameless!" even as she began to tear up.) Improbably, it all works. Horse Heaven is a great, joyous, big-hearted entertainment, a stakes winner by any measure, and for both horse lovers and fans of Smiley's dry, character-based wit, a cause for celebration on par with winning the Triple Crown. --Mary Park

Book Description

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK

"A WISE, SPIRITED NOVEL . . . [IN WHICH] SMILEY PLUMBS THE WONDROUSLY
STRANGE WORLD OF HORSE RACING." --People

"ONE OF THE PREMIER NOVELISTS OF HER GENERATION, possessed of a mastery
of craft and an uncompromising vision that grow more powerful with each
book . . . Racing's eclectic mix of classes and personalities provides
Smiley with fertile soil . . . Expertly juggling storylines, she
investigates the sexual, social, psychological, and spiritual problems
of wealthy owners, working-class bettors, trainers on the edge of
financial ruin, and, in a typically bold move, horses."
--The Washington Post

"A NOVEL OF PASSION IN EVERY SENSE . . . [SHE DOES] IT ALL WITH APLOMB .
. . WITH A DEMON NARRATIVE INTELLIGENCE."
--The Boston Sunday Globe

"WITTY, ENERGETIC . . . It's deeply satisfying to read a work of fiction
so informed about its subject and so alive to every nuance and detail .
. . [Smiley's] final chapters have a wonderful restorative quality."
--The New York Times Book Review

"RICHLY DETAILED, INGENIOUSLY CONSTRUCTED . . . YOU WILL REVEL IN JANE
SMILEY'S HORSE HEAVEN."
--San Diego Union-Tribune

Chosen by the Los Angeles Times as One of the Best Books of the Year

From the Trade Paperback edition.

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"It's not true," says a character in Jane Smiley's funny, passionate, and brilliant new novel of horse racing, "that anything can happen at the racetrack," but many astonishing and affecting things do -- and in Horse Heaven, we find them woven into a marvelous tapestry of joy and love, chicanery, folly, greed, and derring-do.

Customer Reviews:

No Plot. Characters didn't move me. I had a hard time with it.......2007-03-29

I expected to love the book. I love horse racing. I ride horses. I'm not troubled by slow, dense, books. So I'm very disappointed to find that this book did not engage me, and I have to throw in the towel and put it back in the stack.

I've read quite a few horse books including Horse People: Scenes from the Riding Life, but Michael Korda, and some by Rita Mae Brown - the Virginia Fox hunting series, and of course, Seabiscuit.

This is a character driven, rather than a plot driven book. Nevertheless, I didn't find that I enjoyed any of the characters, particularly Al and Rosalind - whose marriage did not float my boat. As I forced my way deeper and deeper into it, I found myself saying - I don't Care about these People!

The setting didn't grab me. I didn't feel the 'feel' of the racetrack, the feel of the saddle under my seat, the smell of leather, the rumble of distant hoofbeats. Even the environment of the working class/hired people didn't provide a compelling 'atmosphere' for the story.

I did like that the horses and animals were given page time. The animals were more enjoyable than the people.

I'm sure its just me. Maybe if I wait a year then I'll pick up the book in the right mood to have it take hold of me. But for now, I can't read it, and I'm passing my thoughts along in case there is any body else out there like me.

One of the very best..........2007-03-09

Jane Smiley never ceases to amaze. This book I somehow overlooked, and found by surprise. It is a divine thing: warm, funny, and horses, too.

JUST FABULOUS JUSTA BOB.......2007-03-07

JUSTA BOB is the most touching character I've encountered in the past few years. Horse Heaven is a delightful read which plants the reader firmly in the Thoroughbred world of racing. Jane Smiley is an eclectic wonder.

Great read!.......2007-01-07

I once had a vet who used to work at the track. He said it was like going to work at the circus every day. This book was like going to the circus. It had everything going on all at once and it was all so interesting, and wacky, and fun, and real, especially the horse part.

You lost me in Chapter 5.......2006-04-23

I was spellbound until I hit the end of Chapter 5. I couldn't wait to see what the horse masseuse was going to tell Al about his adulterous wife. It turns out he didn't say anything at all over their dinner of pasta.

The Characters in this book are a curious lot. The most unbelievable one is the elderly oracle who forsees the winner of many horse races by channeling a retired racehorse who hangs out at the track. I was hoping she would kill off the scavy Veterinarian, but she didn't. She portrays the women characters who are strong women making a name for themselves in a man's world of horse racing. But, she proves her strong women to be not that strong when she has them have to be saved by a strong man.

Why she threw in the Clinton Sex Scandal is beyond me. What does that have to do about horse racing?

The Author did earn three stars with me because of her wonderful character development of all the horses in this book. You become attached to all the horses and feel their ups and downs, their victories and defeats. The Author kept me reading on by continually putting "justa Bob" a loveable down and out racehorse in perilous predicaments.

Average customer rating:

Familiar theme beautifully treated

Horses of Heaven
Gillian Bradshaw
Manufacturer: Nan A. Talese
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385414668
Release Date: 1991-04-01

Customer Reviews:

Familiar theme beautifully treated.......2000-08-23

In "Horses of Heaven," acclaimed writer Gillian Bradshaw goes far into the past to tell the story of Heliokleia, a beautiful, Bactrian (pre-Greek), Buddhist queen, and her marriage to the elderly Ferghanan king, Mauakes. Mauakes has a grown son from a previous marriage, Itaz, who detests and fears the Bactrians. This is a fairly typical Tristan-and-Isolde theme: what saves it from the commonplace by Ms. Bradshaw's beautiful writing, her clear, subtle world-building, and her creation of layered, multi-leveled characters. Elements of the supernatural are introduced in a low-key and fairly believable way (insofar as having conversations with ghosts are "believable.") A very good, well-written, engaging story, with intriguing glimpses into the pre-Christian world.

Unguarded Moment / Horse Heaven (Louis L'Amour)

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Unguarded Moment / Horse Heaven (Louis L'Amour)
Louis L'Amour
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0739308483
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Book Description

Unguarded Moment

Arthur Fordyce is an ordinary man blessed with a budding career, a lovely fiancee, and a sunny future. He is hardly a criminal-until he finds a wallet stuffed with money at the racetrack. In one "unguarded moment," he removes the cash and throws the billfold away-unaware that he is being watched by a petty crook named Bill Chafey. Unscrupulous and conniving, Chafey approaches Fordyce to demand a payoff. And Arthur Fordyce, frightened and guilty, takes his first step toward a downward spiral of violence, duplicity, and near ruin.

Horse Heaven

When Jim Locklin pays his brother George a visit, he finds George missing, his horse ranch taken over by his brother's estranged wife, and a shifty gambler named Chance Varrow who seems to have become a permanent visitor.

As Jim's suspictions build, they center on one person – Varrow, whose relationship with George's wife, Amie, is a little too close for comfort. Taking matters into his own hands, Jim vows to find out the truth, no matter what the cost. In the end, it will all come down to just two men – and only one will walk away.

Are There Horses in Heaven?: And Other Thoughts : Sermons Preached in the Shadyside Presbyterian Church Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Christian Inspiration at its Finest
A Fantastic Vision of True Christianity

Are There Horses in Heaven?: And Other Thoughts : Sermons Preached in the Shadyside Presbyterian Church Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
F. Morgan Roberts
Manufacturer: Lighthouse Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 096379664X

Customer Reviews:

Christian Inspiration at its Finest.......2002-03-07

Roberts' words come truly from his heart. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak when he was the interim pastor at our church in Birmingham, AL. Even as a teenager, I was able to absorb what he said and apply it to my own life, both then and now. I have always been a daydreamer, but I was never able to turn my daydreams into real life Christianity. This quote by Roberts I read everyday and it continues to make my life a little more livable and I little more in touch with God. "So, one thing that I believe is that there are dreams that are energizing and that God has some dream plan which is implanted in every heart. I don't know what God's dream is for you but I believe that God has one and that it is important for you to keep seeking that dream. Make sure that it is somewhat impossible and don't ever confuse a dream for some easily attainable goal. Make sure that it's a big enough dream and that it is your very own dream - not one others choose for you. Your dream doesn't have to be one of the limited, proper dreams that meets approval of others. What matters is that it is your dream and that it keeps urging you on, invigorating you, bringing the best out of you, making you your best self." Though I am still uncertain what my dream is I know that it is there inside me now and that it always had been. Even when I was confused about my life, it was always there, just temporarily misplaced. Now that it has been rediscovered I wake up every morning with something truly to live for - my own dream and my own life. Once I have this true sense of happiness I know that I can continue my life confident that God knows what he is doing with it and it is beautiful. And I thank Dr. Roberts for that gift.

A Fantastic Vision of True Christianity.......2000-09-19

I was priveleged to hear Morgan Roberts preach as an Interim minister at Independent Presbyterian Church. I've never been an avid church goer, but after hearing Morgan's sermon the first time I was "hooked", so to speak, and went almost every Sunday until he finished his time with our congregation. Morgan's philosophies and view points are special in that they appeal both to Intelligence and Christian values without blurring any lines or making any radical interpretations. To summarize what I mean, here is an excerpt from the first chapter of the book: "Do you really want everyone in your heaven? Do you want the multitude of every tribe and tongue and nation which is pictured in Revelation? Must everyone in heaven look like you and yours? Do you want the foreigners, the undesirables, the homeless, the addicts, and the gays to come home to our heavenly Father? Do you hope and pray and work for their homecoming? Do you love them unconditionally as Christ loves them unconditionally? And if you don't, how can you hope to be forgiven if you do not forgive others their debts? Heaven is for the forgiven and the forgiving".

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War Party/Horse Heaven (Louis L'Amour)
Louis L'Amour
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

ASIN: 0739333933
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

This collection includes:

War Party
Bud Miles was a boy when he crossed the Mississippi. But Bud buried his father after an Indian attack, and as the wagon train pushed on through Sioux country, the boy stood as tall as any man ... Tell Sackett killed cougars at fourteen and fought a war at fifteen. Now Tell was hauling dangerous freight--a soldier's wife and a fortune in gold--knowing that someone wanted him dead ... Laurie Bonnet was a mail-order bride who thought she was a failure on the frontier. But when the chips were down, she was the only one who could save her husband's life. . .

Horse Heaven
When Jim Locklin pays his brother George a visit, he finds George missing, his horse ranch taken over by his brother's estranged wife, and a shifty gambler named Chance Varrow who seems to have become a permanent visitor.

As Jim's suspictions build, they center on one person – Varrow, whose relationship with George's wife, Amie, is a little too close for comfort. Taking matters into his own hands, Jim vows to find out the truth, no matter what the cost. In the end, it will all come down to just two men – and only one will walk away.

Horse Heaven [Audiobook] [Unabridged] by Smiley, Jane

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Horse Heaven [Audiobook] [Unabridged] by Smiley, Jane

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0788744992

Product Description

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, best-selling author of A Thousand Acres (RB# 94792) comes this serious and tragic, funny and uplifting look at humanity - set in the world of horses. "Eight or nine times a day, day after day, men and horses go out and line up and start running, and the next thing you know, you are in mystery-land." So says Leo, a sad-sack gambler with an incredibly intricate betting system. Leo is one of dozens of characters - some human, some equine - who struggle through two years in the life of horse racing. Unimaginably rich magnates rub elbows with stable managers struggling to make ends meet. Trainers and jockeys balance the precarious demands of owners and horses. Cant-miss colts canter next to glue-factory-bound geldings. From tragic spills and winners circle presentations, the only thing predictable about horse-racing - and life - is its total unpredictability. As in the best-selling Moo (RB# 95536), the combination of Jane Smileys endless imagination and Suzanne Torens perfect narration creates a fabulously complete, utterly unique world.

Taxing Heaven's Storehouse: Horses, Bureaucrats, and the Destruction of the Sichuan Tea Industry, 1074-1224 (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series)

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Taxing Heaven's Storehouse: Horses, Bureaucrats, and the Destruction of the Sichuan Tea Industry, 1074-1224 (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series)
Paul Jakov Smith
Manufacturer: Harvard University Asia Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674406419

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All Horses Go to Heaven
B. Brown
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0448010860

When Riding a Dead Horse, for Heavens Sake....Dismount!

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I'm ready to dismount!
This book will really get you thinking...
Explains why privatization is better than government control

When Riding a Dead Horse, for Heavens Sake....Dismount!
Barry Asmus
Manufacturer: Ameripress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0964042142

Customer Reviews:

I'm ready to dismount!.......2000-08-13

I've had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Asmus speak twice at business conventions before purchasing any of his books, and he is one of the most entertaining as well as persuasive proponents of privatization. He is one of the best public speakers I have listened to. This book is not unlike his actual presentation, although he's even funnier in real life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see how government is NOT the solution to every single problem in life - regardless of what some politician says on TV. A must for anyone who is interested in government, politics and how they impact the economy. A good read!

This book will really get you thinking..........1998-11-10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dr. Asmus' ideas about the way things were, the way they are, and the way they will be. Specifically, he makes very powerful arguments that we should be very cautious when it comes to government control over anything. Why, he ponders, would we want to have the government do anything when the private sector through free markets can do it better and cheaper. Government is by nature a monopoly which can not simply "go out of business" if it isn't efficient. Compare this to a business which is constantly upgrading and improving in order to stay one step ahead of the competition. I read this book in 4 days and couldn't put it down. Since then, I have never looked at the U.S. government the same. Read this book, and you won't either!

Explains why privatization is better than government control.......1997-04-17

Dr. Asmus is with the Center for Policy Analysis, a libertarian think-tank. The book is an excellent blend of philosophy and real data, all of which is geared toward explaining how many of the functions performed by governments today would be better off in the hands of private enterprise. The book has two shortcomings: 1. It was inspired by the election of Clinton in 1992 and the subsequent 1994 "Republican Revolution", and, as such, much of the material is time-sensitive and will soon be outdated, and 2. Dr. Asmus' attempts at poetry. The main strength of the book is its abundance of real data to justify its points -- something often lacking in dissertations of opposing viewpoints. The only premise that the reader is asked to unconditionally accept is the idea that economic growth is good

AGAINST ODDS A PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF LIFE IN HORSE HEAVEN

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AGAINST ODDS A PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF LIFE IN HORSE HEAVEN
Unknown
Manufacturer: CONCORDIA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NGDR2O

Book Description

In the wilderness of 1880s Oregon, beautiful Tess Bishop was captivated by the most fascinating stranger ever to drift into her small lumbertown -- a man as handsome and cultured as he was mysterious.

Soon she discovered he was really Keith Corbin -- torn by a terrible grief, fleeing his memories and the rich privilege his former life. Bravely, Tess helped him hide his identity, and willingly, she joined him on his flight. A to make him forget that kept him on the run...and free his soul at last for the sweet fullness of her love!

Customer Reviews:

Memory's Embrace.......2000-05-18

This book was pretty good. I must admit, when i read Corbin's Fancy, i thought the continuing with Keith's story would be a little bit more heartfelt. I enjoyed the begining where Tess and Kieth met, what with him yelling up towards the clouds by Tess's interpretation, and then buring his foot by accident while still yelling heavenwards. There were touching scenes, but most of the time, i grew annoyed at Tess's repetitious wording of "I'm a grown woman" and Emma's and Rod's really ignorant and selfish characters. I did't really think it was necessary to add the confusion with Emma's deflowering, her mother's insanity, and Keith's injury. But then, if they weren't, the story probably wouldn't have been great as it was. I like your style, Ms. Miller. Continue the good work and hopefully, with more family stories along. =)

Well worth your time.......2000-05-17

Memory's Embrace is the third of the Corbin series books. Although it is not as good as Banner O'Brien and Corbin's Fancey, it is a delightful read. Keith Corbin is nor your typical preacher! The book begins right after he has lost his wife of only a few moments and he is bitter and definitely not looking for love......until he meets Tess and she turns his world upside down! I highly recommend this book!

Embrace the Sacred: A Woman's Journal of Discovery

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Embrace the Sacred: A Woman's Journal of Discovery
Mayumi Oda
Manufacturer: Brush Dance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 1891731866

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Memory's Embrace
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000JGSML4

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Drawn from Memory
Embrace Cdmsim 758617
Manufacturer: MSI MUSIC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 6309191179

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Memory's Embrace
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Lin Po Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KF3BC4

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Memory's Embrace
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: New York, NY, U.S.A.: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MWF4NE

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