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效械褉薪懈褟 袣褉邪褋邪胁械褑
As a young horse, Black Beauty is well-loved and happy. But when his owner is forced to sell him, his life changes drastically. He has many new owners鈥攕ome of them cruel and some of them kind. All he needs is someone to love him again....
Whether pulling an elegant carriage or a ramshackle cab, Black Beauty tries to live as best he can. This is his amazing story, told as only he could tell it.
Whether pulling an elegant carriage or a ramshackle cab, Black Beauty tries to live as best he can. This is his amazing story, told as only he could tell it.
136 pages, Paperback
First published November 24, 1877
5593 people are currently reading
99625 people want to read
About the author
Anna Sewell
476听books913听followersAnna Sewell was an English novelist who wrote the 1877 novel Black Beauty, her only published work. It is considered one of the top ten best-selling novels for children, although the author intended it for adults. Sewell died only five months after the publication of Black Beauty, but long enough to see her only novel become a success.
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September 10, 2014
This is the first book I ever read. I remember the day that I brought it in to show to my teacher, Miss Gerardi. She asked me if I could read it, so I started reading it aloud to her right away.
The story is told in Black Beauty's own words. Beauty's friends are hard to forget, especially high-spirited Ginger. Anna Sewall's words are full of loving empathy for these beautiful animals. The story was set in 19th century England, at a time when almost everyone came into frequent contact with horses. I hope that her story caused at least a few people to treat them with greater kindness.
The story is told in Black Beauty's own words. Beauty's friends are hard to forget, especially high-spirited Ginger. Anna Sewall's words are full of loving empathy for these beautiful animals. The story was set in 19th century England, at a time when almost everyone came into frequent contact with horses. I hope that her story caused at least a few people to treat them with greater kindness.
October 9, 2021
Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell.
It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid.
The novel became an immediate best-seller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, but having lived long enough to see her only novel become a success.
With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time.
The story is narrated in the first person as an autobiographical memoir told by the titular horse named Black Beauty鈥攂eginning with his carefree days as a foal on an English farm with his mother, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, to his happy retirement in the country.
Along the way, he meets with many hardships and recounts many tales of cruelty and kindness.
Each short chapter recounts an incident in Black Beauty's life containing a lesson or moral typically related to the kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment of horses, with Sewell's detailed observations and extensive descriptions of horse behavior lending the novel a good deal of verisimilitude.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄貨 芦爻蹖丕賴 夭蹖亘丕禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賳丕 爻蹖賵卅賱 (爻賵賱)貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 賴噩丿賴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱1990賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
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丕賲丕 趩蹖夭賽 賳賮乇鬲鈥屫з嗂屫槽� 亘賵丿! 丌賳鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 賴乇诏夭 丿賴賳賴 丿乇 丿賴丕賳卮丕賳 賳丿丕卮鬲賴鈥� 丕賳丿貙 賳賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁嗀� 亘賮賴賲丿 讴賴 丿賴賳賴 丿丕卮鬲賳 趩賴 丕丨爻丕爻 亘丿蹖 亘賴 賵噩賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫①堌必� 蹖讴 鬲讴賴 賮賵賱丕丿 爻乇丿賽 爻禺鬲貙 亘賴 讴賱賮鬲蹖 丕賳诏卮鬲 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳貙 亘賴 丿丕禺賱 丿賴丕賳鬲 賮卮丕乇 丿丕丿賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘蹖賳 丿賳丿丕賳鈥屬囏� 賵 乇賵蹖 夭亘丕賳鬲! 丿賵 丕賳鬲賴丕蹖 丌賳 丕夭 诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 賱亘鬲 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 賵 亘丕 鬲爻賲賴鈥� 賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 爻乇鬲貙 夭蹖乇 诏賱賵蹖鬲貙 丿賵乇 亘蹖賳蹖鈥屫ж� 賵 夭蹖乇 趩丕賳賴鈥屫ж� 賲丨讴賲 賳诏賴 丿丕卮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘賴鈥� 胤賵乇蹖 讴賴 亘賴 賴蹖趩 胤乇蹖賯蹖 賳賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗃� 丕夭 卮賻乇賽賾 丕蹖賳 趩蹖夭賽 賳賮乇鬲鈥屫з嗂屫操� 爻賮鬲 禺賱丕氐 亘卮賵蹖. 禺蹖賱蹖 亘丿 丕爻鬲! 禺蹖賱蹖 亘丿!貨
丿爻鬲 讴賲 賲賳 丕蹖賳鈥屫焚堌� 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必呚� 丕賲丕 賲蹖鈥屫з嗀池� 讴賴 賲丕丿乇賲 賴賲蹖卮賴 賵賯鬲蹖 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 丕蹖賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屬举堌篡屫� 賵 賴賲賴鈥� 蹖 丕爻亘鈥屬囏� 賵賯鬲蹖 亘夭乇诏 賲蹖鈥屫簇嗀� 賲蹖鈥屬举堌篡屫嗀� 禺賱丕氐賴貙 亘賴 讴賲讴 毓賱賮鈥屬囏й� 禺賵卮鈥屬呚操囏� 賵 賳賵丕夭卮鈥屬囏� 賵 讴賱賲賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 賲賴乇丌賲蹖夭貙 賵 乇賵卮 賲賱丕蹖賲 氐丕丨亘賲貙 蹖丕丿 诏乇賮鬲賲 讴賴 丿賴賳賴 賵 丕賮爻丕乇賲 乇丕 亘倬賵卮賲)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 16/07/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell.
It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid.
The novel became an immediate best-seller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, but having lived long enough to see her only novel become a success.
With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time.
The story is narrated in the first person as an autobiographical memoir told by the titular horse named Black Beauty鈥攂eginning with his carefree days as a foal on an English farm with his mother, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, to his happy retirement in the country.
Along the way, he meets with many hardships and recounts many tales of cruelty and kindness.
Each short chapter recounts an incident in Black Beauty's life containing a lesson or moral typically related to the kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment of horses, with Sewell's detailed observations and extensive descriptions of horse behavior lending the novel a good deal of verisimilitude.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄貨 芦爻蹖丕賴 夭蹖亘丕禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賳丕 爻蹖賵卅賱 (爻賵賱)貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 賴噩丿賴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱1990賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賳丕 爻蹖賵卅賱 (爻賵賱)貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賳賵趩賴乇 讴乇蹖賲 夭丕丿賴貨 丕賲蹖丿 丕賯鬲丿丕乇蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賮乇賴賳诏禺丕賳賴 丕爻賮丕乇貙 1368貙 丿乇 313氐貙 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 19賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 丌賳丕 爻蹖賵卅賱 (爻賵卅賱)貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇蹖賳賵卮 丕蹖乇丕賳亘丿蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 鬲賵爻賳貙 1369貙 丿乇 273氐貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 爻蹖丕賴 夭蹖亘丕貨 丌賳丕 爻賵賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇賲賴乇 賲賳噩夭蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲丿乇爻賴貙 1377貙 丿乇 150氐貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 丌賳丕 爻賵賵賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 毓亘丕蹖 乇丕賴亘蹖貨 賲卮賴丿貙 賳禺爻鬲貙 1380貙 丿乇 111氐貙 卮丕亘讴9649061479貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 丌賳丕 爻賵賵賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賳賵趩賴乇 讴乇蹖賲 夭丕丿賴貨 丕賲蹖丿 丕賯鬲丿丕乇蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賱賵丨 賮讴乇貙 1382貙 丿乇 255氐貙 卮丕亘讴9649403159貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 丌賳丕 爻賵賵賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 噩亘蹖亘 诏賵賴乇蹖 乇丕丿貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳蹖讴 倬蹖丕賲貙 1382貨 丿乇 128氐貙 卮丕亘讴9648439001貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴貨 丌賳丕 爻賵賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 卮蹖賵丕 賲賯丕賳賱賵貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 孬丕賱孬貙 1392貙 丿乇 200氐貙 卮丕亘讴9789643807320貨
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 夭亘丕賳 蹖讴 丕爻亘 爻蹖丕賴貙 讴賴 賳禺爻鬲 芦爻蹖丕賴禄貙 賵 爻倬爻 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄 賳丕賲蹖丿賴 賲蹖鈥屫簇� 亘蹖丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賵 亘賴 亘蹖丕賳 丿乇丿 賵 乇賳噩 丕爻亘鈥屬囏� 丿乇 爻丿賴 蹖 賳賵夭丿賴賲 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖貙 賵 亘蹖丕賳 亘丿乇賮鬲丕乇蹖賴丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕 亘丕 丕爻亘賴丕 賲蹖鈥屬矩必ж藏� 讴鬲丕亘 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄貙 乇賲丕賳蹖 賳賵卮鬲賴 蹖 芦丌賳丕 爻賵賵賱禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 亘丕乇 丿乇 爻丕賱1877賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賲賳鬲卮乇 卮丿貨 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄貙 丕爻亘蹖 噩賵丕賳貙 夭蹖亘丕貙 禺賵卮乇賮鬲丕乇貙 賵 賯賵蹖 丕爻鬲貨 丕賵 丿乇 賲丕賴賴丕蹖 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 夭賳丿诏蹖卮貙 亘賴 賴賲乇丕賴 賲丕丿乇 毓夭蹖夭 禺賵蹖卮貙 賵 賳诏賴丿丕乇賳丿賴 蹖 賲賴乇亘丕賳卮丕賳貙 丌夭丕丿 賵 乇賴丕貙 丿乇 毓賱賮夭丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 爻乇爻亘夭 诏卮鬲 賵 诏匕丕乇 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 賲蹖鬲丕夭丿貨 丕賲丕 夭賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 氐丕丨亘丕賳 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄 賲噩亘賵乇 賲蹖卮賵賳丿 丕賵 乇丕 亘賮乇賵卮賳丿貙 丕賵 丕夭 蹖讴 夭賳丿诏蹖鈥� 爻乇卮丕乇 丕夭 乇丕丨鬲蹖 賵 賲賴乇亘丕賳蹖貙 亘賴 丿賳蹖丕蹖蹖 倬乇 丕夭 乇賳噩 賵 讴丕乇 賵 亘蹖乇丨賲蹖 賵丕乇丿 賲蹖卮賵丿貨 丕賵 亘丕 卮噩丕毓鬲貙 鬲丕 噩丕蹖蹖讴賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳丿 讴丕乇 賲蹖讴賳丿貙 賵 丕夭 丿爻鬲 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕蹖蹖 乇賳噩 賲蹖亘乇丿貙 讴賴 亘丕 丨蹖賵丕賳丕鬲 亘丿乇賮鬲丕乇蹖 賲蹖讴賳賳丿貨 丕賲丕 芦夭蹖亘丕蹖 爻蹖丕賴禄貙 乇賵丨蹖賴 賵 毓夭賲蹖 卮讴爻鬲 賳丕倬匕蹖乇 丿丕乇丿貙 賵 賲氐賲賲 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 卮乇丕蹖胤 噩丕賳 爻丕賱賲 亘賴 丿乇 亘亘乇丿貨
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳 賲鬲乇噩賲丕賳: 丕賲蹖丿 丕賯鬲丿丕乇蹖貙 賲賳賵趩賴乇 讴乇蹖賲鈥屫藏ж囏� 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賱賵丨 賮讴乇貙 1382賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丿乇 255氐: (丿蹖诏乇 丿丕卮鬲賲 夭蹖亘丕 賲蹖鈥屫簇�. 倬賵爻鬲 爻蹖丕賴 賵 亘乇丕賯賲 賱胤蹖賮 賵 賳乇賲 卮丿賴 亘賵丿貨 蹖讴 倬丕蹖 爻賮蹖丿 丿丕卮鬲賲 賵 爻鬲丕乇賴鈥� 蹖 爻賮蹖丿 夭蹖亘丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 倬蹖卮丕賳蹖鈥� 丕賲 亘賵丿貨 賴賲賴鈥屰� 丕蹖賳鈥屬囏� 亘丕毓孬 賲蹖鈥屫簇� 讴賴 賲賳 乇丕 禺蹖賱蹖 夭蹖亘丕 亘丿丕賳賳丿貨 鬲丕 趩賴丕乇 爻丕賱賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫簇呚� 氐丕丨亘賲 賲賳 乇丕 賳賲蹖鈥屬佖辟堌� 趩賵賳 毓賯蹖丿賴 丿丕卮鬲 倬爻乇亘趩賴鈥� 賴丕 賳亘丕蹖丿 賲丕賳賳丿 賲乇丿賴丕 讴丕乇 讴賳賳丿貙 賵 讴乇賴鈥� 丕爻亘鈥屬囏� 鬲丕 禺賵亘 亘夭乇诏 賳卮丿賴鈥� 丕賳丿貙 賳亘丕蹖丿 賲丕賳賳丿 丕爻亘鈥屬囏� 讴丕乇 讴賳賳丿貨 賵賯鬲蹖 趩賴丕乇 爻丕賱賴 卮丿賲貙 芦丕爻讴賵蹖蹖乇 诏賵乇丿賳禄 丌賲丿 賲賳 乇丕 亘亘蹖賳丿貨 趩卮賲鈥屬囏й屬呚� 丿賴丕賳賲 賵 倬丕賴丕蹖賲 乇丕 賵丕乇爻蹖 讴乇丿貨 賴賲賴 乇丕 賱賲爻 讴乇丿貙 亘毓丿 亘丕蹖丿 倬蹖卮 乇賵蹖 丕賵 乇丕賴 亘乇賵賲貙 蹖賵乇鬲賲賴 亘乇賵賲 賵 鬲丕禺鬲 亘夭賳賲貨 亘賴 賳馗乇 賲蹖鈥屫①呚� 讴賴 丕夭 賲賳 禺賵卮卮 丌賲丿賴貨 诏賮鬲: 芦賵賯鬲蹖 禺賵亘 鬲毓賱蹖賲 丿丕丿賴 卮賵丿貙 禺蹖賱蹖 禺賵亘 丕夭 丌亘 丿乇賲蹖鈥屫③屫�.禄貨
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賲賳貙 丕賱亘鬲賴 丕夭 賲丿鬲鈥屬囏� 倬蹖卮 亘賴 丕賮爻丕乇 賵 爻乇亘賳丿貙 賵 亘賴 丌乇丕賲 賴丿丕蹖鬲 卮丿賳 丿乇 賲夭乇毓賴貙 賵 讴賵趩賴鈥屬囏� 毓丕丿鬲 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿賲貨 丕賲丕貙 丨丕賱丕 亘丕蹖丿 蹖讴 丿賴賳賴 賵 丕賮爻丕乇 賲蹖鈥屫ж簇呚� 氐丕丨亘賲貙 賲孬賱 賴賲蹖卮賴 賲賯丿丕乇蹖 毓賱賮 亘賴 賲賳 丿丕丿貙 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳鈥屭┵� 賲賯丿丕乇 夭蹖丕丿蹖 賳賵丕夭卮賲 讴乇丿貙 丿賴賳賴 乇丕 丿乇 丿賴丕賳賲 诏匕丕卮鬲貙 賵 丕賮爻丕乇 乇丕 賲丨讴賲 讴乇丿
丕賲丕 趩蹖夭賽 賳賮乇鬲鈥屫з嗂屫槽� 亘賵丿! 丌賳鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 賴乇诏夭 丿賴賳賴 丿乇 丿賴丕賳卮丕賳 賳丿丕卮鬲賴鈥� 丕賳丿貙 賳賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁嗀� 亘賮賴賲丿 讴賴 丿賴賳賴 丿丕卮鬲賳 趩賴 丕丨爻丕爻 亘丿蹖 亘賴 賵噩賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫①堌必� 蹖讴 鬲讴賴 賮賵賱丕丿 爻乇丿賽 爻禺鬲貙 亘賴 讴賱賮鬲蹖 丕賳诏卮鬲 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳貙 亘賴 丿丕禺賱 丿賴丕賳鬲 賮卮丕乇 丿丕丿賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘蹖賳 丿賳丿丕賳鈥屬囏� 賵 乇賵蹖 夭亘丕賳鬲! 丿賵 丕賳鬲賴丕蹖 丌賳 丕夭 诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 賱亘鬲 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 賵 亘丕 鬲爻賲賴鈥� 賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 爻乇鬲貙 夭蹖乇 诏賱賵蹖鬲貙 丿賵乇 亘蹖賳蹖鈥屫ж� 賵 夭蹖乇 趩丕賳賴鈥屫ж� 賲丨讴賲 賳诏賴 丿丕卮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘賴鈥� 胤賵乇蹖 讴賴 亘賴 賴蹖趩 胤乇蹖賯蹖 賳賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗃� 丕夭 卮賻乇賽賾 丕蹖賳 趩蹖夭賽 賳賮乇鬲鈥屫з嗂屫操� 爻賮鬲 禺賱丕氐 亘卮賵蹖. 禺蹖賱蹖 亘丿 丕爻鬲! 禺蹖賱蹖 亘丿!貨
丿爻鬲 讴賲 賲賳 丕蹖賳鈥屫焚堌� 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必呚� 丕賲丕 賲蹖鈥屫з嗀池� 讴賴 賲丕丿乇賲 賴賲蹖卮賴 賵賯鬲蹖 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 丕蹖賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屬举堌篡屫� 賵 賴賲賴鈥� 蹖 丕爻亘鈥屬囏� 賵賯鬲蹖 亘夭乇诏 賲蹖鈥屫簇嗀� 賲蹖鈥屬举堌篡屫嗀� 禺賱丕氐賴貙 亘賴 讴賲讴 毓賱賮鈥屬囏й� 禺賵卮鈥屬呚操囏� 賵 賳賵丕夭卮鈥屬囏� 賵 讴賱賲賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 賲賴乇丌賲蹖夭貙 賵 乇賵卮 賲賱丕蹖賲 氐丕丨亘賲貙 蹖丕丿 诏乇賮鬲賲 讴賴 丿賴賳賴 賵 丕賮爻丕乇賲 乇丕 亘倬賵卮賲)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 16/07/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
January 6, 2019
Review
by is a beautiful story meant for older children or very young adults. It was written in the 19th century by a woman who passed away shortly after its publication. I enjoyed the story and have given it a 3 of 5 stars, which is still very good in my book.
A few interesting things:
1. The point of view in the book is from Black Beauty, the horse.
2. It takes place in London nearly 150 years ago.
3. It's still a cherished story for both pleasure reading and education purposes.
I received it as a gift when I was about 8 or 9, as I had asked for several "classics" for Christmas. When I saw the cover, I thought it looked pretty. But not enough to read it. It sat on my shelf for probably two years until one day, I said "let's just give it a chance." I was afraid it would be too boring... I've always preferred complex plots and strong characters. I wasn't sure this would really work for me. I was wrong!
Seeing how people mistreated and misunderstood animals was a big benefit of the book. It opens your eyes to things from another perspective, and if it helps just a little to develop a bond between younger adults / children and animals, then it's served its purpose.
It's one of those books everyone should read... but not as a forced school assignment. It should be something parents want to share with their kids around 7 or 8... teaching them about how to be respectful and kind to all creatures. And then take them horseback riding to see what it's actually like. That's what I did when I finished it... went with a small group of friends to a riding academy / farm a few towns over and learned about horses for one summer. I kinda miss riding... maybe I should try it again. Off topic again... what is up with me today on these reviews! :)
FYI - Wrote this review ~2017 from memory as I want to have a review for everything I remember reading. If I messed it up, let me know! LOL :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on 欧宝娱乐, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
[polldaddy poll=9729544]
[polldaddy poll=9719251]
by is a beautiful story meant for older children or very young adults. It was written in the 19th century by a woman who passed away shortly after its publication. I enjoyed the story and have given it a 3 of 5 stars, which is still very good in my book.
A few interesting things:
1. The point of view in the book is from Black Beauty, the horse.
2. It takes place in London nearly 150 years ago.
3. It's still a cherished story for both pleasure reading and education purposes.
I received it as a gift when I was about 8 or 9, as I had asked for several "classics" for Christmas. When I saw the cover, I thought it looked pretty. But not enough to read it. It sat on my shelf for probably two years until one day, I said "let's just give it a chance." I was afraid it would be too boring... I've always preferred complex plots and strong characters. I wasn't sure this would really work for me. I was wrong!
Seeing how people mistreated and misunderstood animals was a big benefit of the book. It opens your eyes to things from another perspective, and if it helps just a little to develop a bond between younger adults / children and animals, then it's served its purpose.
It's one of those books everyone should read... but not as a forced school assignment. It should be something parents want to share with their kids around 7 or 8... teaching them about how to be respectful and kind to all creatures. And then take them horseback riding to see what it's actually like. That's what I did when I finished it... went with a small group of friends to a riding academy / farm a few towns over and learned about horses for one summer. I kinda miss riding... maybe I should try it again. Off topic again... what is up with me today on these reviews! :)
FYI - Wrote this review ~2017 from memory as I want to have a review for everything I remember reading. If I messed it up, let me know! LOL :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on 欧宝娱乐, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
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September 7, 2022
My first read on anthropomorphism!! Having read novels using literary devices as various personifications but none on anthropomorphism, Black Beauty was a cathartic reading journey for me.
Anna Sewell, deep-rooted love for horses and deep-rooted dejection against ill-treatment towards animals, douses the novel with sensitivity, love, kindness and compassion. This novel educates the
public about horses, love, prevailing empathy and apathy towards them.
Being an ardent animal lover, Black Beauty rendered me with an emotional yet an invigorating reading experience. The journey of Black beauty from a colt to a stallion, from an empathic caring owner to an apathic cruel one. Being introduced to different hostlers, horse-friends and experiences from the paddock, open meadows to being stranded in a stable, from facing a fire incident to being shifted to another cleaner one. There is not a single page which I would want to skip or ramble through casually. The comforting words of the caring-owner during the deep dark moments in the novel "Lassie" incite a whirlpool of emotions in an overtly emotional person like me.
I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this beautifully crafted anthropomorphic classic. Far from pontification, Anna Sewell very humbly and realistically takes us through the emotional journey of horses.
I deeply admired the bond and understanding between Black Beauty and the high-spirited Ginger.
It is a deeply involving, compelling and a-must read for everyone.
I will surely revisit this novel whenever I experience a reading slump and want to live with the horses (imaginatively ofcourse!), experience their love, agony and deep compassion for the world and people.
A definite 5-star for this rarest of the rare masterpiece!!!!
September 18, 2018
鈥淭he greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.鈥� 鈥� Mahatma Gandhi
I had never actually owned a copy of this wonderful classic until very recently when I spotted this one well worn and loved in a house clear out of a relative and when I was asked if there was anything I would like to take as a memento I was so happy to give a home to this stunning book. Black Beauty was always out on loan from my school library and as a child I remembering constantly requesting the one copy as it was one the most popular read along with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I adore animals of all shapes and sizes and cannot abide any sort of animal cruelty but this book brings back wonderful childhood memories for me and I think its an important book for children to read and understand that animals have feelings and they too feel pain just as humans do.
What a unique, heart-breaking and compelling read that is as beautiful and poignant today as it was when I read it as a 10 year old girl and am sure it was way back in 1877. The story is narrated in the first person as an autobiographical memoir told by Black Beauty himself. The Story begins with happy times as a colt on an English farm with his mother and the book continues as he goes through life.
This is a tale of hardships ,cruelty and kindness that broke my heart as child and all over again as an adult. It teaches real life lessons as bad things happen in life and yet there is always goodness out there somewhere, we just have to look for it sometimes.
We shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be towards man or towards beast.鈥�
鈥� Anna Sewell, Black Beauty
A beautiful book that has pride of place on my bookshelf for I hope many years to come.
I had never actually owned a copy of this wonderful classic until very recently when I spotted this one well worn and loved in a house clear out of a relative and when I was asked if there was anything I would like to take as a memento I was so happy to give a home to this stunning book. Black Beauty was always out on loan from my school library and as a child I remembering constantly requesting the one copy as it was one the most popular read along with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I adore animals of all shapes and sizes and cannot abide any sort of animal cruelty but this book brings back wonderful childhood memories for me and I think its an important book for children to read and understand that animals have feelings and they too feel pain just as humans do.
What a unique, heart-breaking and compelling read that is as beautiful and poignant today as it was when I read it as a 10 year old girl and am sure it was way back in 1877. The story is narrated in the first person as an autobiographical memoir told by Black Beauty himself. The Story begins with happy times as a colt on an English farm with his mother and the book continues as he goes through life.
This is a tale of hardships ,cruelty and kindness that broke my heart as child and all over again as an adult. It teaches real life lessons as bad things happen in life and yet there is always goodness out there somewhere, we just have to look for it sometimes.
We shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be towards man or towards beast.鈥�
鈥� Anna Sewell, Black Beauty
A beautiful book that has pride of place on my bookshelf for I hope many years to come.
October 24, 2024
This book happens to be one of my most favourite 2021 reads.
It's packed with emotions and beautiful writing.
The characters are memorable and, most of all, it taught me so many things about horses. I never thought I would be this invested when it comes to stories about horses!
What I came across through this read is that only a few men know how to be actually kind. And it just breaks my heart.
I wish I could save the horses. They are so overworked and being abused. All they need is some good care and kindness.
Is it okay for men to be cruel towards them just because they cannot speak?
If you haven't read this beautiful classic yet, please do pick it up. It's fast-paced and you will love the characters, the horses and a few people who are dedicated towards them.
"My life was now so utterly wretched that I wished I might, like Ginger, drop dead at my work, and be out of my misery."
I just cannot stop crying.
Pick up this book if you haven't yet!
It's packed with emotions and beautiful writing.
The characters are memorable and, most of all, it taught me so many things about horses. I never thought I would be this invested when it comes to stories about horses!
What I came across through this read is that only a few men know how to be actually kind. And it just breaks my heart.
I wish I could save the horses. They are so overworked and being abused. All they need is some good care and kindness.
Is it okay for men to be cruel towards them just because they cannot speak?
If you haven't read this beautiful classic yet, please do pick it up. It's fast-paced and you will love the characters, the horses and a few people who are dedicated towards them.
"My life was now so utterly wretched that I wished I might, like Ginger, drop dead at my work, and be out of my misery."
I just cannot stop crying.
Pick up this book if you haven't yet!
June 3, 2017
This was one of my very first 'horse' books. I read it when I was nine or ten, and it left a deep impression on me.
Told from the viewpoint of the horse, it starts with Beauty's gentle upbringing and careful training. Well cared for and well mannered, Beauty is a valued animal with a good life at first. But a mishap or two is all it takes for Black Beauty to begin a downward spiral into a world where the appearance of an animal matters far more than its comfort, and into the depths where the only fate for a horse is to be 'used up' in any servitude it can finally be put to.
Like Lassie Come Home, the story does wind to a gentler and comforting ending, but along the way there are some dark times. It's an insight into another time as well as a different view of the world.
Once considered a classic, I don't see it recommended as often as it used to be. So I will recommend it here.
Told from the viewpoint of the horse, it starts with Beauty's gentle upbringing and careful training. Well cared for and well mannered, Beauty is a valued animal with a good life at first. But a mishap or two is all it takes for Black Beauty to begin a downward spiral into a world where the appearance of an animal matters far more than its comfort, and into the depths where the only fate for a horse is to be 'used up' in any servitude it can finally be put to.
Like Lassie Come Home, the story does wind to a gentler and comforting ending, but along the way there are some dark times. It's an insight into another time as well as a different view of the world.
Once considered a classic, I don't see it recommended as often as it used to be. So I will recommend it here.
May 2, 2020
"My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.".
BLACK BEAUTY, with the help of some of her friends and acquaintances, narrates her own life story in this absolute gem of a children's classic. I've always loved the beauty and grace of horses, but now have an even greater respect and appreciation for them......and their needs.
A few heartbreaking stories are told here, but the positive, encouraging message and education for children and adults alike is priceless.
EVERYONE should read BLACK BEAUTY!
February 11, 2008
I revisited this classic horse story not knowing what to expect, really. I have found that I can't really trust my childhood memories. In this case, however, the years made no difference. The odd thing I noticed while reading this book was how completely I'd internalized the messages regarding animals and how one should treat them. I know that I must have read this 20 or 30 times before I was 14, but I didn't realize that I was memorizing whole chunks of it and grafting it into my moral code. It's a wonderful book.
December 18, 2023
Black beauty is one of the most sensitive and heartfelt animal stories I have read. Being an autobiography of a horse, Black Beauty exposes the suffering of horses due to the thoughtless and cruel conduct of humans and advocates the need for their overall welfare. It is said that what inspired Anna to write the only book she ever wrote was to create social awareness of the suffering of horses, and induce them to be treated with kindness, compassion, and understanding.
Although the story is focused on horses, it teaches the world in general the need to be kind, considerate and sympathetic toward all animals. I read this story for the first time when I was about nine. I remember being heartbroken and unhappy for days, for I was a very sensitive child. I鈥檝e heard that some say this book is unsuitable for children as it unsettle their mind. I鈥檓 no psychologist and cannot account for its truth, but I think this should be read by children. Kindness, compassion, and sympathy towards all beings are qualities that we have to cultivate in children's minds from an early age. The best mode to instill those qualities in children is to show how other beings suffer in their absence.
Written of the world as seen through the eye of a horse, the story creates a certain sense of shame. Humans as an intelligent species to have treated their inferior beings in the manner described in this story are quite shocking. I鈥檓 inclined to think that in modern times we do treat animals far better.
The story is beautifully written. From the first chapter, the reader is drawn into the life of black beauty. It is amazing how strongly the readers get attached to the main character and narrator, black beauty that when he suffers, our heartbreaks and when he is happy and content, our hearts are overjoyed. The simple and sensitive presentation and the truthful and sincere storyline are extremely touching. I enjoyed the read very much, perhaps more so the second time around. My revisit of this beautiful classic was due to a goodreads challenge that I have taken, and I'm really glad to have done so.
Although the story is focused on horses, it teaches the world in general the need to be kind, considerate and sympathetic toward all animals. I read this story for the first time when I was about nine. I remember being heartbroken and unhappy for days, for I was a very sensitive child. I鈥檝e heard that some say this book is unsuitable for children as it unsettle their mind. I鈥檓 no psychologist and cannot account for its truth, but I think this should be read by children. Kindness, compassion, and sympathy towards all beings are qualities that we have to cultivate in children's minds from an early age. The best mode to instill those qualities in children is to show how other beings suffer in their absence.
Written of the world as seen through the eye of a horse, the story creates a certain sense of shame. Humans as an intelligent species to have treated their inferior beings in the manner described in this story are quite shocking. I鈥檓 inclined to think that in modern times we do treat animals far better.
The story is beautifully written. From the first chapter, the reader is drawn into the life of black beauty. It is amazing how strongly the readers get attached to the main character and narrator, black beauty that when he suffers, our heartbreaks and when he is happy and content, our hearts are overjoyed. The simple and sensitive presentation and the truthful and sincere storyline are extremely touching. I enjoyed the read very much, perhaps more so the second time around. My revisit of this beautiful classic was due to a goodreads challenge that I have taken, and I'm really glad to have done so.
November 25, 2019
Okay it had started as a review but it ended up becoming something totally different. It is rather dark, you have been warned.
"In Defense of Cannibalism"
"I think the story starts when, as a kid, I was a neighbor of this family of slaughterers for a short while and, though they did their work within walls of their house, still sitting inside our home, we could hear the cries of goats, full of pain, as they were being slaughtered. These cries would go on for several minutes. It was unbearable for my family to hear those cries day after day. Personally, I found their reactions more annoying.
I have never liked these kind- hearted people. Animals have always been slaughtered, and most of them never show concern except when it happens right in front of them, which is when their hyper-sensitive imagination starts working and they suddenly grow compassionate. Their compassion creates an听inconvenience when things happen in their backyard, an inconvenience which they want removed. They can't care less for animals. They won't mind if it happens at some distance, away from their physical presence.
And this is true generally, even when we are talking about suffering of humans too. There is a reason Europeans do not want immigrants from middle-East. There is also a reason why it needed an hours-long disgusting scene on the roads of their capital city, for Indians to start remembering how terrible the position of their women is. And if we tried so hard to get the criminals punished, it wasn't out some sense of justice, it was just that we were made uncomfortable by the whole scene and needed someone to get our anger out.
A kid falls from his/her bicycle and a good number of these compassionate idiots will gather around him/her, their faces full of concern. Over 6 million children dead due to famine in , and millions still starving - and I could like to know how many of these kind-hearted spirits get a single hour of sleepless night upon knowing it. Out of sight, out of mind.听And if this doesn't flood the newspapers with the news and pictures, there is a reason for it.听 Mere knowledge of things is not enough, compassion needs sensory evidence to exist and persist, we know it - we use this knowledge to avoid this inconvenience by denying ourselves sensory evidence. I tell you, nothing makes humans as hypocrite as compassion does.
... I'm getting to it, I know you want me to get to the point about cannibalism. Have patience.
And these people try their best to kill this compassion - so, since they can't imagine themselves killing and eating a cow, they call it a beef. Takes the picture out of mind. And since last thing you want to imagine when you sit down to eat is meat of a pig slaughtered just for you, it is conveniently renamed as pork. A sheep being murdered doesn't cut so nice a picture and so it becomes mutton.
Don't assume for a single moment that I am some sort of animal lover. The last thing I will like to be compared to is one of these PETA folks. I can't care less for them - especially dogs. Man's best friends, you say? The stupid creature can't even catch its own tail. And if any animal deserved a kicking, it is those cats. They need to be shown their places.
Plus, people eat the animals they love. Don't you love turkey or chicken? And oh, fish!
Wait, wait.. let me say what I have to say, it is all related...
And don't even get me started on pet lovers. Whatever they might say, theirs is the most selfish kind of love. Imagine听yourself being kidnapped away from your family at a young age by aliens, who can't speak your language, and forced to live with them - seeing other humans only rarely, and allowed sex only at fixed times and that too without any dating. They might love you, smother you with their hugs, care for you, train you to do things you can't see the meaning of, provide you great food as well as crumbs that might fell from their plate, dress you in a beautiful way which is uncomfortable for you - but will you ever overcome the loneliness? Why then do such a thing to a creature you claim you love? I think many people can say that they need pets, but no one can say they deserve one.
Anyways, nothing could be done about our neighbors - they were simply doing their job, only thing they were skilled in. And they were pretty nice folks too - I remember how they were there for us when my mom died.
Also, it didn't stop me or my family from eating our听share of chicken's fetus; and I don't grudge people all the cows and pigs they want to eat. Let us face it - they provide all those proteins and nutrients, and they are delicious. But let us also call things by their real names, shall we? A cow is a cow is a cow. A pig by any other name is pig still. And a mutton is a sheep's cooked corpse and an egg is a bird's fetus. Period.
And 听before you assume I'm being satirical for promoting vegetarianism or something, I will tell you I never liked those vegetarians - they are only slightly less cruel to animals than pet lovers, I mesn think of all those hens that are being nourished and cared for because there is demand for their children's fetus. Who will care for them if people just stop consuming their product? I, for one, am going do my part to see that they don't get unemployed. Just imagine all the animals these Vegetarians want to be left uncared for, just because of their misguided conscience! Why do you think animals, whose cooked corpses we consume, never go extinct? Because we provide food and shelter to them before we kill them. It is only animals that serve humanity some purpose that are above danger of extinction. It is only by eating goats, we make sure that they don't go extinct.
But I deviate yet again. To turn back to the story of my neighbors, the thing was made听much worse because they killed the animals according to Hallal method (the method permitted by Islam) - not merely killing at once with a single blow (animals about to become food aren't shot before being killed anywhere in India as far as I know听and you can forget stunning); but were rather killed in a slow and painful method of blood loss while a prayer is read over them. Don't jump to conclusions again. They were compassionate people - animals were well fed before they were killed, they won't let an听animal see the blade being sharpened or another animal slaughtered before it. See, they felt for the animal.
Compassionate killers have always been there. Some ancient Hindu kings who hunted animals for fun often considered dishonorable to kill animals engaged in sex or pubs or breastfeeding mothers. And of course holy cows!
Wait a little more... I'm just about to get to cannibalism.
Personally I think that to relief an animal of useless pain could be better but only slightly - as whether or not they are stunned, animals will lose their lives anyway. But I'm sure there will be some compassionate souls who will advocate for less painful methods of killing them.
Also, it is this Hallal practice that made one of my favorite Sufi poets, Bulleh Shah, comment "Hallal nalo murdar bhala" (dead is better than Hallal food) - arguing that he could rather eat the dead than Hallal food.
Now a lot of people think he听was talking about dead animals, not humans, but that is only yet again the superiority complex which make humans think that they aren't one of the animals anymore. I, for one, was shocked when I听learnt that cannibalism is considered a barbarous practice.
At first, I could not understand what was so barbarous about cannibalism? it hardly harms anyone. I mean the dead they eat are ... you know, dead and their bodies would be wasted otherwise. If anything, it is a better utilization of resources. Think of all the proteins, minerals and stuff. And I bet human eyes must be delicious too - all you can say about other dead animals is true for dead humans听too, and it is much better than animals killed specifically for consumption. Moreover, you will either bury or burn your dead. The first consumes a lot of land which could house homeless humans (or hens听left听unemployed because of those mean, mean vegetarians) and second causes pollution; besides the already stated wastage of resources - in a time when children are dying of hunger! And it saves money too, think of it, the dead could finance the food served in their own funeral! And before you give reasons of sentiments of their family, I agree, the dead are someone's parents who have, for years, fed their children. Do you think they will grudge them a last nutritious meal? In case they are someone's significant other, remember, lovers bite each-other all the time. And you can spare the bones for your beloved dog.
Also,听if you eat some other dead animal, you听are听called non-vegetarian; but if you eat a dead human, you become a cannibal. Why make the distinction at all? Because of that superiority complex again? Because it will make non-vegetarians comfortable? There you go, the whole beef and pork thing all over again. Let us use one word for听all such humans听- either cannibal or non-vegetarian. I prefer cannibal. It sounds sexier. And while we are at it, let us include vegetarians too - it is only human ignorance which makes us presume that just because plants can't scream, they don't feel the pain. Lack of sensory evidence, my friend!;There is no difference between plants or animals - so vegetarians need not be听high-brow either. We all kill, cause pain, to eat. We are all cannibals.
I think, if you have followed my chain of reasoning, 听we can safely say听that听we are all already cannibals, so why waste dead humans? If you were struck in an island with corpse of a friend who just died and a living animal, won't it be more humane to eat the corpse instead of killing the beast for food? Why kill living animals, when we can have dead humans?"
Those were the thoughts that I discussed with a friend, who had listened impatiently and then after some reflection told me something which showed me the obvious fault in this scheme, which I, being slow to understand such things, hadn't noticed that far. 听
"You don't understand anything about civilization. Being civilized," he told me, 听"means that we show more compassion to dead humans than living animals."
"In Defense of Cannibalism"
"I think the story starts when, as a kid, I was a neighbor of this family of slaughterers for a short while and, though they did their work within walls of their house, still sitting inside our home, we could hear the cries of goats, full of pain, as they were being slaughtered. These cries would go on for several minutes. It was unbearable for my family to hear those cries day after day. Personally, I found their reactions more annoying.
I have never liked these kind- hearted people. Animals have always been slaughtered, and most of them never show concern except when it happens right in front of them, which is when their hyper-sensitive imagination starts working and they suddenly grow compassionate. Their compassion creates an听inconvenience when things happen in their backyard, an inconvenience which they want removed. They can't care less for animals. They won't mind if it happens at some distance, away from their physical presence.
And this is true generally, even when we are talking about suffering of humans too. There is a reason Europeans do not want immigrants from middle-East. There is also a reason why it needed an hours-long disgusting scene on the roads of their capital city, for Indians to start remembering how terrible the position of their women is. And if we tried so hard to get the criminals punished, it wasn't out some sense of justice, it was just that we were made uncomfortable by the whole scene and needed someone to get our anger out.
A kid falls from his/her bicycle and a good number of these compassionate idiots will gather around him/her, their faces full of concern. Over 6 million children dead due to famine in , and millions still starving - and I could like to know how many of these kind-hearted spirits get a single hour of sleepless night upon knowing it. Out of sight, out of mind.听And if this doesn't flood the newspapers with the news and pictures, there is a reason for it.听 Mere knowledge of things is not enough, compassion needs sensory evidence to exist and persist, we know it - we use this knowledge to avoid this inconvenience by denying ourselves sensory evidence. I tell you, nothing makes humans as hypocrite as compassion does.
... I'm getting to it, I know you want me to get to the point about cannibalism. Have patience.
And these people try their best to kill this compassion - so, since they can't imagine themselves killing and eating a cow, they call it a beef. Takes the picture out of mind. And since last thing you want to imagine when you sit down to eat is meat of a pig slaughtered just for you, it is conveniently renamed as pork. A sheep being murdered doesn't cut so nice a picture and so it becomes mutton.
Don't assume for a single moment that I am some sort of animal lover. The last thing I will like to be compared to is one of these PETA folks. I can't care less for them - especially dogs. Man's best friends, you say? The stupid creature can't even catch its own tail. And if any animal deserved a kicking, it is those cats. They need to be shown their places.
Plus, people eat the animals they love. Don't you love turkey or chicken? And oh, fish!
Wait, wait.. let me say what I have to say, it is all related...
And don't even get me started on pet lovers. Whatever they might say, theirs is the most selfish kind of love. Imagine听yourself being kidnapped away from your family at a young age by aliens, who can't speak your language, and forced to live with them - seeing other humans only rarely, and allowed sex only at fixed times and that too without any dating. They might love you, smother you with their hugs, care for you, train you to do things you can't see the meaning of, provide you great food as well as crumbs that might fell from their plate, dress you in a beautiful way which is uncomfortable for you - but will you ever overcome the loneliness? Why then do such a thing to a creature you claim you love? I think many people can say that they need pets, but no one can say they deserve one.
Anyways, nothing could be done about our neighbors - they were simply doing their job, only thing they were skilled in. And they were pretty nice folks too - I remember how they were there for us when my mom died.
Also, it didn't stop me or my family from eating our听share of chicken's fetus; and I don't grudge people all the cows and pigs they want to eat. Let us face it - they provide all those proteins and nutrients, and they are delicious. But let us also call things by their real names, shall we? A cow is a cow is a cow. A pig by any other name is pig still. And a mutton is a sheep's cooked corpse and an egg is a bird's fetus. Period.
And 听before you assume I'm being satirical for promoting vegetarianism or something, I will tell you I never liked those vegetarians - they are only slightly less cruel to animals than pet lovers, I mesn think of all those hens that are being nourished and cared for because there is demand for their children's fetus. Who will care for them if people just stop consuming their product? I, for one, am going do my part to see that they don't get unemployed. Just imagine all the animals these Vegetarians want to be left uncared for, just because of their misguided conscience! Why do you think animals, whose cooked corpses we consume, never go extinct? Because we provide food and shelter to them before we kill them. It is only animals that serve humanity some purpose that are above danger of extinction. It is only by eating goats, we make sure that they don't go extinct.
But I deviate yet again. To turn back to the story of my neighbors, the thing was made听much worse because they killed the animals according to Hallal method (the method permitted by Islam) - not merely killing at once with a single blow (animals about to become food aren't shot before being killed anywhere in India as far as I know听and you can forget stunning); but were rather killed in a slow and painful method of blood loss while a prayer is read over them. Don't jump to conclusions again. They were compassionate people - animals were well fed before they were killed, they won't let an听animal see the blade being sharpened or another animal slaughtered before it. See, they felt for the animal.
Compassionate killers have always been there. Some ancient Hindu kings who hunted animals for fun often considered dishonorable to kill animals engaged in sex or pubs or breastfeeding mothers. And of course holy cows!
Wait a little more... I'm just about to get to cannibalism.
Personally I think that to relief an animal of useless pain could be better but only slightly - as whether or not they are stunned, animals will lose their lives anyway. But I'm sure there will be some compassionate souls who will advocate for less painful methods of killing them.
Also, it is this Hallal practice that made one of my favorite Sufi poets, Bulleh Shah, comment "Hallal nalo murdar bhala" (dead is better than Hallal food) - arguing that he could rather eat the dead than Hallal food.
Now a lot of people think he听was talking about dead animals, not humans, but that is only yet again the superiority complex which make humans think that they aren't one of the animals anymore. I, for one, was shocked when I听learnt that cannibalism is considered a barbarous practice.
At first, I could not understand what was so barbarous about cannibalism? it hardly harms anyone. I mean the dead they eat are ... you know, dead and their bodies would be wasted otherwise. If anything, it is a better utilization of resources. Think of all the proteins, minerals and stuff. And I bet human eyes must be delicious too - all you can say about other dead animals is true for dead humans听too, and it is much better than animals killed specifically for consumption. Moreover, you will either bury or burn your dead. The first consumes a lot of land which could house homeless humans (or hens听left听unemployed because of those mean, mean vegetarians) and second causes pollution; besides the already stated wastage of resources - in a time when children are dying of hunger! And it saves money too, think of it, the dead could finance the food served in their own funeral! And before you give reasons of sentiments of their family, I agree, the dead are someone's parents who have, for years, fed their children. Do you think they will grudge them a last nutritious meal? In case they are someone's significant other, remember, lovers bite each-other all the time. And you can spare the bones for your beloved dog.
Also,听if you eat some other dead animal, you听are听called non-vegetarian; but if you eat a dead human, you become a cannibal. Why make the distinction at all? Because of that superiority complex again? Because it will make non-vegetarians comfortable? There you go, the whole beef and pork thing all over again. Let us use one word for听all such humans听- either cannibal or non-vegetarian. I prefer cannibal. It sounds sexier. And while we are at it, let us include vegetarians too - it is only human ignorance which makes us presume that just because plants can't scream, they don't feel the pain. Lack of sensory evidence, my friend!;There is no difference between plants or animals - so vegetarians need not be听high-brow either. We all kill, cause pain, to eat. We are all cannibals.
I think, if you have followed my chain of reasoning, 听we can safely say听that听we are all already cannibals, so why waste dead humans? If you were struck in an island with corpse of a friend who just died and a living animal, won't it be more humane to eat the corpse instead of killing the beast for food? Why kill living animals, when we can have dead humans?"
Those were the thoughts that I discussed with a friend, who had listened impatiently and then after some reflection told me something which showed me the obvious fault in this scheme, which I, being slow to understand such things, hadn't noticed that far. 听
"You don't understand anything about civilization. Being civilized," he told me, 听"means that we show more compassion to dead humans than living animals."
May 11, 2022
鈥淲e call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.鈥�
~ First Read- 2013 ~
~Second Read- 2021 ~
~First Rating- 4 stars ~
~Second Rating- 5 stars ~
Content / Trigger Warnings- Animal Cruelty
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven鈥檛 missed something.
-Mention of some of these in the review-
鈥淭here is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham - all a sham, James, and it won't stand when things come to be turned inside out and put down for what they鈥�
Black Beauty, a beautiful horse, has spent his youth in a loving home, surrounded by friends and cared for by his owners. But when his circumstances change, he learns that not all humans are so kind. This book, told from the perspective of a horse, is about Black Beauty's experiences in his different homes.
鈥淚t is good people who make good places.鈥�
I read Black Beauty for the first time when I was a kid. I recall picking up a dusty old copy from my school library, and finding the idea of a book told from the perspective of a horse intriguing. I remember being enchanted by the story, flipping through pages with curiosity, and being very interested in what Black Beauty had to say. I was horrified by the wicked way he was treated, and my face burned with fury at every monstrosity he went through.
鈥淒o you know why this world is as bad as it is?... It is because people think only about their own business, and won't trouble themselves to stand up for the oppressed, nor bring the wrong-doers to light... My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.鈥�
On my reread- around seven years later, I still felt the same way, but I also felt so much more. I noticed how despite this book being a book about animal cruelty, it was a also a display of society, as most classics are. It shows us that if are 'different' in any way, we will be belittled and mocked. We will be criticized, our ideas will be dismissed and we will be considered 'separate' from the rest, for no reason other than just existing. We will be the Black Beauties of the world, and everyone else will disregard us. They will not see our strength or our courage. They will think of us as unimportant. As weak. Or at least, that's my interpretation of it.
鈥淲hat right had they to make me suffer like that?鈥�
Black Beauty made me question and think a lot about animals. I've never been a huge animal lover, but I'd never thought much about the struggles animals go through before reading this book. It enlightened me on several things, and even though this book was written years ago, I believe it is relevant even today.
鈥淢aster said, God had given men reason, by which they could find things out for themselves; but he had given animals knowledge which did not depend on reason, and which was more prompt and perfect in it's way, and by which they had often saved the lives of men.鈥�
Maybe if I revisit this book in a few years, my thoughts will change. Or maybe they will remain the same. But there is no denying, that Black Beauty is an impactful story, in spite of being a simple tale. Most importantly, its a reflection of how some humans treat animals. It provides an insight on how we sometimes ignore the feelings of others for our own selfish needs. It is in my opinion, a masterpiece.
鈥淭his horse has got a good master, and he deserves it.鈥�
Review written on 21st January, 2022.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I鈥檝e read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
..............................
5 stars again. Loved my reread. Review to come.
April 27, 2020
I think this was my first 'favourite book'.
I've read it over and over again, and I still cry every single time, at so many different points. It's such a beautiful book and I always feel it so deeply. The way some people treat animals (and each other) can be appalling. On the other hand, some people can be incredibly wonderful, the kind of person we all should want to be, and hopefully know (this applies to both the book and life in general of course). Black Beauty's life has a great many ups and downs and although I know the story so well I go through a roller coaster of emotions as I read. Lots of sad parts, many painful truths that are unfortunately still very relevant today and also some very happy, beautiful times. 馃崄
I've read it over and over again, and I still cry every single time, at so many different points. It's such a beautiful book and I always feel it so deeply. The way some people treat animals (and each other) can be appalling. On the other hand, some people can be incredibly wonderful, the kind of person we all should want to be, and hopefully know (this applies to both the book and life in general of course). Black Beauty's life has a great many ups and downs and although I know the story so well I go through a roller coaster of emotions as I read. Lots of sad parts, many painful truths that are unfortunately still very relevant today and also some very happy, beautiful times. 馃崄
March 20, 2024
Anna Sewell's evocative, poignant and yes, often devastatingly brutal autobiography of a horse, her 1877 Black Beauty, is a novel which even though I very much and dearly cherish and appreciate (and consider it even a personal favourite), I am also glad to have first read as an adult, and NOT as a child. For with horses being amongst my favourite animals, particularly Black Beauty's many many trials and tribulations, his often neglectful and at times even deliberately cruelly abusive grooms and owners, the fact that there are also horses depicted who succumb, who perish due to abuse and neglect (with poor Ginger's suffering and death being especially sad, heartbreaking and infuriating), all this would have likely been much much too saddening for my sensitive childhood self (and indeed, I would thus not automatically recommend Black Beauty for younger children, and would also strongly encourage parents and caregivers to pre-read Black Beauty to check if the subject matter could perhaps not be too much for very sensitive children, and especially for children who are ethical vegetarians or vegans).
But as an adult (and I first read Black Beauty at around age twenty or so), I can not only appreciate both Beauty's life story, but also (and perhaps even more so) the historical fact that Anna Sewell's masterpiece (written with pathos, understanding, humanity, but also with gentleness and tenderness) actually did have a profound and socially relevant effect in so far that particularly in Great Britain, there was a deliberate move started to make life easier and less strenuous, less harsh for especially work and carriage horses (the eventual banning of the bearing reign which caused horses' heads to basically be yanked into a permanently unnaturally high position, and the even more horrid docking, cutting of horses' tails were two of the most well-known and necessary changes brought about partially due to the popularity of Black Beauty and the public outcry its publication engendered).
Now Black Beauty is a first person narrator who seems to think and feel as a human being would, albeit he is also not ever to be considered as an anthropomorphic and human-like equine, as Black Beauty cannot and does not actually speak to and with humans and still always looks, moves and acts like a typical horse. And this is actually also the case with all of the other horse characters being described in Black Beauty, as Ginger, Merrylegs and even Beauty's own mother all think and emote rather like humans would and with their thoughts and musings being textually presented by Anna Sewell, but that they also and always do act and react like typical horses in Black Beauty, not like horses in a humanoid costume, a for me profound and very much appreciated consideration. For I have never truly enjoyed very anthropomorphic animals all that much and especially so if they behave and are featured not according to their biological nature, but according to how people would act and react, and thus, if Black Beauty were to have actually spoken aloud, if he and the other equines of Black Beauty had been depicted as quasi talking horses, I would definitely not have enjoyed Anna Sewell's text all that much.
And considering that Anna Sewell was an invalid since an accident at age fourteen, and often confined to her bed (in almost constant, often excruciating pain for most of her adult life, she died very soon after Black Beauty's publication), the themes and also the writing style are exquisite and nuanced, balanced, showing not only Black Beauty's trials and tribulations, but also equally demonstrating tenderness, joy and much happiness (Beauty's life with his mother and original aristocratic owners, even his first sojourn as a London cab horse are happy, the latter being a rather hard working existence perhaps, but with a kind and thoughtful owner/driver who as much as possible strives to ease the often difficult conditions Beauty faces, until he himself falls ill due to thoughtless aristocratic customers keeping the carriage waiting in the pelting rain and snow, as they arrogantly enjoy society's extravagances). And while Sewell's story does, indeed, hold very clear and powerful pleas for a change in attitudes towards horses, towards poverty, it is nevertheless Black Beauty's own biography that shines through (Black Beauty is thus not simply preachiness, and while the messages are obvious and thankfully strongly and emassdioantely presented, the plot, the themes, the tale itself for Black Beauty always comes first and is as readable and as approachable today as it was in the late 19th century and that is certainly saying an awful lot and all of it good and nicely affirmative and positive).
But as an adult (and I first read Black Beauty at around age twenty or so), I can not only appreciate both Beauty's life story, but also (and perhaps even more so) the historical fact that Anna Sewell's masterpiece (written with pathos, understanding, humanity, but also with gentleness and tenderness) actually did have a profound and socially relevant effect in so far that particularly in Great Britain, there was a deliberate move started to make life easier and less strenuous, less harsh for especially work and carriage horses (the eventual banning of the bearing reign which caused horses' heads to basically be yanked into a permanently unnaturally high position, and the even more horrid docking, cutting of horses' tails were two of the most well-known and necessary changes brought about partially due to the popularity of Black Beauty and the public outcry its publication engendered).
Now Black Beauty is a first person narrator who seems to think and feel as a human being would, albeit he is also not ever to be considered as an anthropomorphic and human-like equine, as Black Beauty cannot and does not actually speak to and with humans and still always looks, moves and acts like a typical horse. And this is actually also the case with all of the other horse characters being described in Black Beauty, as Ginger, Merrylegs and even Beauty's own mother all think and emote rather like humans would and with their thoughts and musings being textually presented by Anna Sewell, but that they also and always do act and react like typical horses in Black Beauty, not like horses in a humanoid costume, a for me profound and very much appreciated consideration. For I have never truly enjoyed very anthropomorphic animals all that much and especially so if they behave and are featured not according to their biological nature, but according to how people would act and react, and thus, if Black Beauty were to have actually spoken aloud, if he and the other equines of Black Beauty had been depicted as quasi talking horses, I would definitely not have enjoyed Anna Sewell's text all that much.
And considering that Anna Sewell was an invalid since an accident at age fourteen, and often confined to her bed (in almost constant, often excruciating pain for most of her adult life, she died very soon after Black Beauty's publication), the themes and also the writing style are exquisite and nuanced, balanced, showing not only Black Beauty's trials and tribulations, but also equally demonstrating tenderness, joy and much happiness (Beauty's life with his mother and original aristocratic owners, even his first sojourn as a London cab horse are happy, the latter being a rather hard working existence perhaps, but with a kind and thoughtful owner/driver who as much as possible strives to ease the often difficult conditions Beauty faces, until he himself falls ill due to thoughtless aristocratic customers keeping the carriage waiting in the pelting rain and snow, as they arrogantly enjoy society's extravagances). And while Sewell's story does, indeed, hold very clear and powerful pleas for a change in attitudes towards horses, towards poverty, it is nevertheless Black Beauty's own biography that shines through (Black Beauty is thus not simply preachiness, and while the messages are obvious and thankfully strongly and emassdioantely presented, the plot, the themes, the tale itself for Black Beauty always comes first and is as readable and as approachable today as it was in the late 19th century and that is certainly saying an awful lot and all of it good and nicely affirmative and positive).
January 16, 2013
I'm sorry, I read this book when I was 6 or 7 and it almost scarred me for life..the sight of Ginger's body being carted away stayed with me for years. Between this, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Yearling, and of course Old Yeller I have to assume that somewhere there is a Marquis de Sade school of children's literature. I never gave these to my children as they were growing up (they had to make do with Narnia, Charlie Bucket, and some others). Neither the books nor the movies did I take them to. If they want to read them later on their own, that's up to them.
Note....There is a spoiler below line.--------------
I hated it.
Update Jan. 2013
Okay I originally reviewed this in 2009 (just after my wife died). There has been a lot of "controversy" over my dislike of this book (as there has been over my reviews of Old Yeller, The Yearling, etc., etc...). This was (I think) the first book my dad bought me when it became clear I was reading well beyond my "school fellows" (I was 6 I think).
I hated this book. I still retain the picture in my mind of Ginger being removed lolling head and all. In my life I've had enough of pain. As a kid (on a farm) I had 2 dogs shot lost a dog to distemper and had to deal with deaths of other animals I loved. I also had to deal with the loss of people I loved.
My dad (and mom) were of the generation that said, "their just animals". I believe they thought that stories like The Yearling, The Red Pony and so on toughened kids up and prepared them for life. The fact I actually loved my pets was almost foreign to them. They saw no difference (or little difference) in a dog and a hog or a beef cow or whatever.
I have dealt with the actual pain of loss in life and I see no reason to spend good time and money to experience artificial emotional pain. Yes life can be hard, but love is worth it. In the darkest view of things to love anyone or anything is a down-payment on pain. To love a pet or a person one of you will in most cases die first. Still to concentrate on that misses the truth that with pain there is a time of love.
C.S.Lewis said:鈥淭o love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.鈥�
I don't think inoculating a child with stories like Old Yeller helps them. It actually helps build those walls. As I noted. The books still exist. If my kids choose to read them they can. They're both adults now. I think they actually effected me negatively and chose not to expose my kids to them. Had one of them brought one of these books home from the school library I'd have warned them it was sad but they would then have read it, I wouldn't have forbidden it. I just didn't choose to supply that experience.
We have lost pets to death and from that I think they have understood that life ends. Their mother (my wife) died in 2009. They know people you love pass. I don't think children need these books to "get it". Each parent will decide on their own...but MY EXPERIENCE of these books has been negative and I rate them accordingly. Each here may rate and review them as they see fit...please if these are books you like enjoy.
I've lived life and don't need my free time reading (or indeed viewing) to tell me how life can hurt.
Note....There is a spoiler below line.--------------
I hated it.
Update Jan. 2013
Okay I originally reviewed this in 2009 (just after my wife died). There has been a lot of "controversy" over my dislike of this book (as there has been over my reviews of Old Yeller, The Yearling, etc., etc...). This was (I think) the first book my dad bought me when it became clear I was reading well beyond my "school fellows" (I was 6 I think).
I hated this book. I still retain the picture in my mind of Ginger being removed lolling head and all. In my life I've had enough of pain. As a kid (on a farm) I had 2 dogs shot lost a dog to distemper and had to deal with deaths of other animals I loved. I also had to deal with the loss of people I loved.
My dad (and mom) were of the generation that said, "their just animals". I believe they thought that stories like The Yearling, The Red Pony and so on toughened kids up and prepared them for life. The fact I actually loved my pets was almost foreign to them. They saw no difference (or little difference) in a dog and a hog or a beef cow or whatever.
I have dealt with the actual pain of loss in life and I see no reason to spend good time and money to experience artificial emotional pain. Yes life can be hard, but love is worth it. In the darkest view of things to love anyone or anything is a down-payment on pain. To love a pet or a person one of you will in most cases die first. Still to concentrate on that misses the truth that with pain there is a time of love.
C.S.Lewis said:鈥淭o love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.鈥�
I don't think inoculating a child with stories like Old Yeller helps them. It actually helps build those walls. As I noted. The books still exist. If my kids choose to read them they can. They're both adults now. I think they actually effected me negatively and chose not to expose my kids to them. Had one of them brought one of these books home from the school library I'd have warned them it was sad but they would then have read it, I wouldn't have forbidden it. I just didn't choose to supply that experience.
We have lost pets to death and from that I think they have understood that life ends. Their mother (my wife) died in 2009. They know people you love pass. I don't think children need these books to "get it". Each parent will decide on their own...but MY EXPERIENCE of these books has been negative and I rate them accordingly. Each here may rate and review them as they see fit...please if these are books you like enjoy.
I've lived life and don't need my free time reading (or indeed viewing) to tell me how life can hurt.
September 24, 2019
This was my favorite book growing up as a child. I was obsessed with horses and living in a barn. Black Beauty was the ultimate fan-girl horse book and I ate it up as a little girl. Revisiting this as an adult was equally impactful.
I teared up multiple times as I re-lived Beauty and the slew of his bad owners, his poor knees and despite it all his good, tender heart. This is my favorite animal character in any book and Beauty still has a beloved space that I'll cherish in my soul. This book still holds up over time and one I may revisit again.
I teared up multiple times as I re-lived Beauty and the slew of his bad owners, his poor knees and despite it all his good, tender heart. This is my favorite animal character in any book and Beauty still has a beloved space that I'll cherish in my soul. This book still holds up over time and one I may revisit again.
December 11, 2010
Black Beauty is one of those rare books that can preach without being preachy. Anna Sewell wrote this to illustrate the abuse of horses, in particulary the harsh use of the bearing rein. The bearing rein was used to get the horse's head arched, but made it difficult for the horse to breathe and near impossible for the horse to pull a carriage uphill. When Sewell died, the hearse to carry her body used horses with bearing reins. Her mother went out and made the driver get rid of them.
Another Sewell story. On her way home, driving her own trap, she was able to tell that her horse picked up a stone simply though the reins.
Sewell was an awesome woman.
Sewell was truly a horsewoman and an educator, both of which are on display in Black Beauty. The plot deals with the abuse and mistreatment of horses; it teaches and raises awareness while it entertains. Sewell respects readers of all ages enough not to shy away from unpleasentness, though she never ever descends into shock value (and disregards more pressing questions for the adult reader wonders if Beauty is a gelding). She makes both her animal and human characters real and doesn't over romantize the story, as has been done in some adaptions of her work.
If you liked this book, you might want to check down .
Another Sewell story. On her way home, driving her own trap, she was able to tell that her horse picked up a stone simply though the reins.
Sewell was an awesome woman.
Sewell was truly a horsewoman and an educator, both of which are on display in Black Beauty. The plot deals with the abuse and mistreatment of horses; it teaches and raises awareness while it entertains. Sewell respects readers of all ages enough not to shy away from unpleasentness, though she never ever descends into shock value (and disregards more pressing questions for the adult reader wonders if Beauty is a gelding). She makes both her animal and human characters real and doesn't over romantize the story, as has been done in some adaptions of her work.
If you liked this book, you might want to check down .
December 29, 2021
4.5鈽�
A 欧宝娱乐 member requested some of the Black Beauty quotes be cleaned up. I owned this copy and it became easier to reread and try to fix as many quotes as I could while reading. (I should note that doing this is quite definitely a one-off & that I was intending to read this book next year anyway!)
This is the story of Black Beauty's rise and then fall through the ranks through no fault of his own. BB's voice is quite definitely Ms Sewell's, a kindly woman who wanted to see horses (still the main form of transportation in the 1870s) treated (quite a bit) better. You really feel that BB has a few things he wants to get off his chest!
Sewell/BB do feel compassion for the poor working class cabbies who have no choice but to work horses they have rented seven days a week. Ginger's
Anyone who is thinking of buying a horse (or any other domestic animal) should read this.
Sewell died a few months after this book was first published. I hope she did get at least to taste a small measure of the book's success.
A 欧宝娱乐 member requested some of the Black Beauty quotes be cleaned up. I owned this copy and it became easier to reread and try to fix as many quotes as I could while reading. (I should note that doing this is quite definitely a one-off & that I was intending to read this book next year anyway!)
This is the story of Black Beauty's rise and then fall through the ranks through no fault of his own. BB's voice is quite definitely Ms Sewell's, a kindly woman who wanted to see horses (still the main form of transportation in the 1870s) treated (quite a bit) better. You really feel that BB has a few things he wants to get off his chest!
They always seemed to think that a horse was something like a steam-engine, only smaller. At any rate, they seemed to think that if they only pay for it, a horse is bound to go just as far, and just as fast, and with just as heavy a load as they please.
Sewell/BB do feel compassion for the poor working class cabbies who have no choice but to work horses they have rented seven days a week. Ginger's
Anyone who is thinking of buying a horse (or any other domestic animal) should read this.
Sewell died a few months after this book was first published. I hope she did get at least to taste a small measure of the book's success.
June 30, 2023
Do not be expecting an objective review here. I have loved this book since a copy was given to me at the end of my fifth grade school year and have read it so many times I practically know it by heart. And as a matter of fact, I still have that very book! Here is the GR link for it, which did not take me nearly as long to find as I thought it might (there are nearly 800 editions of Black Beauty listed).
/book/show/2...
The story follows Black Beauty from his days as a foal through training, happy times, sad days, and many unexpected changes in both living and working conditions. We meet the people around him: good ones like John Manly and Jerry Barker, and bad ones like Lady W---. We get to know his friends: Merrylegs the pony, Ginger the high-spirited chestnut mare, Captain the ex-cavalry horse who survived what my adult self recognizes as the Charge Of The Light Brigade in the Crimean war.
Throughout the book we witness the cruel treatment many horses received during Black Beauty's day. As frightening as city streets can be in modern times, with drivers of all skill levels behind the wheels of cars of all shapes and sizes, the London streets of the past would have been much much worse. Cars at least don't think for themselves. But imagine the horses! Being told what to do and where to go, but still with their own brains at work. If one got scared, it could trigger a catastrophe all around.
This book was meant to show the inhumane treatment of horses, and to suggest better ways to behave. I have read a few copycat books written not long after Black Beauty was published, but this is the only one that gets the point across without being annoyingly preachy or interrupting the flow of the story. I thought Sewell's methods were quite effective.
Black Beauty was my dream horse when I was younger, as I am sure he will be for many girls for years to come. It would be poetic for me to say that I thought of this book when I began working with horses myself, and remembered to use Sewell's gentle and friendly approach. But I loved any and all horses so much that it never would have occurred to me to behave any other way.
/book/show/2...
The story follows Black Beauty from his days as a foal through training, happy times, sad days, and many unexpected changes in both living and working conditions. We meet the people around him: good ones like John Manly and Jerry Barker, and bad ones like Lady W---. We get to know his friends: Merrylegs the pony, Ginger the high-spirited chestnut mare, Captain the ex-cavalry horse who survived what my adult self recognizes as the Charge Of The Light Brigade in the Crimean war.
Throughout the book we witness the cruel treatment many horses received during Black Beauty's day. As frightening as city streets can be in modern times, with drivers of all skill levels behind the wheels of cars of all shapes and sizes, the London streets of the past would have been much much worse. Cars at least don't think for themselves. But imagine the horses! Being told what to do and where to go, but still with their own brains at work. If one got scared, it could trigger a catastrophe all around.
This book was meant to show the inhumane treatment of horses, and to suggest better ways to behave. I have read a few copycat books written not long after Black Beauty was published, but this is the only one that gets the point across without being annoyingly preachy or interrupting the flow of the story. I thought Sewell's methods were quite effective.
Black Beauty was my dream horse when I was younger, as I am sure he will be for many girls for years to come. It would be poetic for me to say that I thought of this book when I began working with horses myself, and remembered to use Sewell's gentle and friendly approach. But I loved any and all horses so much that it never would have occurred to me to behave any other way.
Read
August 1, 2017DNF 50%
i love horses but sorry i can't
i love horses but sorry i can't
May 7, 2016
A timeless story that should be required reading for everyone, whatever the age. When this book was written, horses were used for every kind of pleasure and work, and were part of most upper class households. Many thought of them the way we think of cars, vehicles there for our use and disposable when they no longer meet our requirements. These, however, are sentient creatures, with needs and feelings, and Sewell wrote a moving and informative piece in their behalf.
Who would not fall in love with Black Beauty; who would not suffer for these noble creatures when they are mistreated? The descriptions of check-reining made me feel sick for the horses and completely angry with the people who would do such a thing for fashion's sake alone. Some of the horses were treated well with poor owners and some badly with wealthy owners, proof that the difference was in the heart of the person who owned them. Sewell set out to expose the cruelty and idiocies of animal mistreatment and she succeeded in spades.
We don't have the exposure to horses that this society did. There are not horses in our streets and we do not use them for hauling our goods to market, but there are still lessons to be learned here. You can see the results of mistreatment of dogs and other domestic animals as close as your internet connection or your local animal shelter. Man failing to appreciate the animals around him is an age old problem and one that still requires our attention and improvement.
This is the first book that has made me cry quite a while!
Who would not fall in love with Black Beauty; who would not suffer for these noble creatures when they are mistreated? The descriptions of check-reining made me feel sick for the horses and completely angry with the people who would do such a thing for fashion's sake alone. Some of the horses were treated well with poor owners and some badly with wealthy owners, proof that the difference was in the heart of the person who owned them. Sewell set out to expose the cruelty and idiocies of animal mistreatment and she succeeded in spades.
We don't have the exposure to horses that this society did. There are not horses in our streets and we do not use them for hauling our goods to market, but there are still lessons to be learned here. You can see the results of mistreatment of dogs and other domestic animals as close as your internet connection or your local animal shelter. Man failing to appreciate the animals around him is an age old problem and one that still requires our attention and improvement.
This is the first book that has made me cry quite a while!
January 19, 2023
This book probably deserves 5 stars or at least 4, and I do recommend it to everyone, especially to girls who love horses. I鈥檓 giving it only 3 stars, however, not because I wasn鈥檛 one of those girls who were big horse fans (which I wasn鈥檛 really), but because for me it was just too emotionally harrowing. This might have been the first book I ever read that made me sick with depression. The horse goes through a lot of suffering in this book. Not for the overly sensitive but a beautifully told story. Terrific one for teaching empathy for non human animals.
January 11, 2021
鈥淚 hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.鈥�
This book was such a pleasant surprise! I did not expect it to be such a page-turner. With its short, straight-to-the-point chapters; the didactic yet never preachy writing style, the clean prose, and the beautiful characters, it made an amazing quick read that will definitely stay in my mind for quite some time. According to the author, this book was supposed to be a sort of "manual" to show people how to treat a horse the right way - changes in the economy had made the use of horses more widespread and many people found themselves in the situation of owning horses but with no experience on how to train them or take care of them - but it reads more as a "manual" on how to be a decent human being, by seeing the cruelty and kindness in men through the nonplussed eye of an animal. Reading this bittersweet story about the delicate relationship between humans and animals, one cannot help to think about those times when, as a kid, we used to play "animals", and try to imagine how a horse would think and talk. Beautiful, enticing read; sometimes heartbreaking. It made me aware of some awful ways people used to treat horses back then. Oh well, some treat them like that today still. A reminder to always be kind with all creatures, regardless of how many legs they have. Heartwarming 鉂�
This book was such a pleasant surprise! I did not expect it to be such a page-turner. With its short, straight-to-the-point chapters; the didactic yet never preachy writing style, the clean prose, and the beautiful characters, it made an amazing quick read that will definitely stay in my mind for quite some time. According to the author, this book was supposed to be a sort of "manual" to show people how to treat a horse the right way - changes in the economy had made the use of horses more widespread and many people found themselves in the situation of owning horses but with no experience on how to train them or take care of them - but it reads more as a "manual" on how to be a decent human being, by seeing the cruelty and kindness in men through the nonplussed eye of an animal. Reading this bittersweet story about the delicate relationship between humans and animals, one cannot help to think about those times when, as a kid, we used to play "animals", and try to imagine how a horse would think and talk. Beautiful, enticing read; sometimes heartbreaking. It made me aware of some awful ways people used to treat horses back then. Oh well, some treat them like that today still. A reminder to always be kind with all creatures, regardless of how many legs they have. Heartwarming 鉂�
December 18, 2016
Very cute story and who wouldn't enjoy a story told from point of view of a horse. It brings animal abuse to the light of day which is a good thing.
October 21, 2017
Kitaba ba艧lamadan 枚nce bir at谋n hikayesini okuyaca臒谋m谋 biliyordum fakat kitab谋n i莽 kapa臒谋nda yazan 'bir at谋n otobiyografisi' yaz谋s谋n谋 g枚rmedi臒im i莽in at谋n a臒z谋ndan okumay谋 beklemiyordum. O y眉zden kitaba ba艧lad谋臒谋mda bu durum beni 艧a艧谋rtt谋.
Siyah 陌nci Anna Sewell'in yay谋nlanan ilk ve tek kitab谋ym谋艧. Ge莽irdi臒i bir rahats谋zl谋ktan dolay谋 hayat谋n谋n geri kalan谋nda at arabas谋nda ta艧谋nmak zorunda kalm谋艧 Anna Sewell ve bu rahats谋zl谋臒谋n 枚l眉mc眉l oldu臒unu 枚臒rendikten sonra yazm谋艧 Siyah 陌nci'yi. Atlara olan d眉艧k眉nl眉臒眉 ve sevgisi y眉z眉nden onlar谋n baz谋lar谋na yap谋lan eziyetlere bir tepki olarak yaz谋lm谋艧 bu kitap. 陌yi ki de yaz谋lm谋艧.
Kedilerden sonra en sevdi臒im hayvan att谋r. Onlardaki asaletin hi莽bir canl谋da oldu臒unu d眉艧眉nm眉yorum. O y眉zden kitaba kar艧谋 daha ba艧lamadan bir sempatim vard谋 ve ba艧lad谋ktan sonra da b眉y眉k bir keyifle okudum. Kitaptan bu kadar keyif almam谋n en b眉y眉k etkilerinden birisi de 莽eviriydi. Kitab谋n 莽evirisi ger莽ekten son derece duru ve ak谋c谋yd谋. Okurken sizi asla zorlamayacak bir klasik Siyah 陌nci, zaten 莽ocuk klasikleri aras谋nda yer al谋yor. Ke艧ke 莽ocukken okumu艧 olsayd谋m dedim bazen, eminim ki o zaman daha ba艧ka bir tat alacakt谋m bu kitaptan.
Kitapta Siyah 陌nci'nin ba艧谋ndan ge莽en ve 艧ahit oldu臒u olaylar谋 okuyoruz. Do臒du臒u 莽iftlikte ona olduk莽a iyi davranan sahipleri olan Siyah 陌nci hayat谋n atlar i莽in hep b枚yle g眉zel oldu臒unu d眉艧眉n眉yordu ama sat谋lacak kadar b眉y眉d眉臒眉 zaman ba艧kas谋na sat谋ld谋 Siyah inci ve insanlar谋n atlara kar艧谋 ne kadar k枚t眉 olabilece臒ini 枚臒rendi. Ve birka莽 sahip de臒i艧tirmek zorunda kald谋. Zaman zaman y眉k at谋 olarak kullan谋ld谋, ata binmeyi bile bilmeyen insanlara denk geldi ama 艧ansl谋yd谋 Siyah 陌nci. Her zaman bir yerlerde iyi insanlar da 莽谋k谋yordu kar艧谋s谋na.
Bence herkes Siyah 陌nci ile tan谋艧mal谋 ve herkes kendisini hayvanlar谋n yerine koyabilmeli. Onlara bo艧una Allah谋n sessiz kullar谋 denmiyor. Sana muhta莽 olan bir canl谋ya yapt谋臒谋n eziyet sana bir g眉n fazlas谋yla d枚necektir. Bug眉ne kadar bana muhta莽 olan bir canl谋ya hi莽bir zaman arkam谋 d枚nmeye vicdan谋m el vermedi, yolda buldu臒um ya da bir 艧ekilde kar艧谋ma 莽谋kan b眉t眉n yaral谋 hayvanlara yard谋m etmek i莽in elimden geleni yapt谋m. Bu y眉zden hayvanlara zulmeden insanlar谋 asla anlamad谋m, anlayamayaca臒谋m da. Bu kitap, 莽ocuklara hayvanlar谋n insanlardan bekledi臒i 艧eyin ilgi, sevgi oldu臒unu anlatabilecek en g眉zel kitaplardan birisi. Bence her 莽ocuk bu kitab谋 mutlaka okumal谋 ve hayvanlar谋 severek b眉y眉meli.
Siyah 陌nci Anna Sewell'in yay谋nlanan ilk ve tek kitab谋ym谋艧. Ge莽irdi臒i bir rahats谋zl谋ktan dolay谋 hayat谋n谋n geri kalan谋nda at arabas谋nda ta艧谋nmak zorunda kalm谋艧 Anna Sewell ve bu rahats谋zl谋臒谋n 枚l眉mc眉l oldu臒unu 枚臒rendikten sonra yazm谋艧 Siyah 陌nci'yi. Atlara olan d眉艧k眉nl眉臒眉 ve sevgisi y眉z眉nden onlar谋n baz谋lar谋na yap谋lan eziyetlere bir tepki olarak yaz谋lm谋艧 bu kitap. 陌yi ki de yaz谋lm谋艧.
Kedilerden sonra en sevdi臒im hayvan att谋r. Onlardaki asaletin hi莽bir canl谋da oldu臒unu d眉艧眉nm眉yorum. O y眉zden kitaba kar艧谋 daha ba艧lamadan bir sempatim vard谋 ve ba艧lad谋ktan sonra da b眉y眉k bir keyifle okudum. Kitaptan bu kadar keyif almam谋n en b眉y眉k etkilerinden birisi de 莽eviriydi. Kitab谋n 莽evirisi ger莽ekten son derece duru ve ak谋c谋yd谋. Okurken sizi asla zorlamayacak bir klasik Siyah 陌nci, zaten 莽ocuk klasikleri aras谋nda yer al谋yor. Ke艧ke 莽ocukken okumu艧 olsayd谋m dedim bazen, eminim ki o zaman daha ba艧ka bir tat alacakt谋m bu kitaptan.
Kitapta Siyah 陌nci'nin ba艧谋ndan ge莽en ve 艧ahit oldu臒u olaylar谋 okuyoruz. Do臒du臒u 莽iftlikte ona olduk莽a iyi davranan sahipleri olan Siyah 陌nci hayat谋n atlar i莽in hep b枚yle g眉zel oldu臒unu d眉艧眉n眉yordu ama sat谋lacak kadar b眉y眉d眉臒眉 zaman ba艧kas谋na sat谋ld谋 Siyah inci ve insanlar谋n atlara kar艧谋 ne kadar k枚t眉 olabilece臒ini 枚臒rendi. Ve birka莽 sahip de臒i艧tirmek zorunda kald谋. Zaman zaman y眉k at谋 olarak kullan谋ld谋, ata binmeyi bile bilmeyen insanlara denk geldi ama 艧ansl谋yd谋 Siyah 陌nci. Her zaman bir yerlerde iyi insanlar da 莽谋k谋yordu kar艧谋s谋na.
Bence herkes Siyah 陌nci ile tan谋艧mal谋 ve herkes kendisini hayvanlar谋n yerine koyabilmeli. Onlara bo艧una Allah谋n sessiz kullar谋 denmiyor. Sana muhta莽 olan bir canl谋ya yapt谋臒谋n eziyet sana bir g眉n fazlas谋yla d枚necektir. Bug眉ne kadar bana muhta莽 olan bir canl谋ya hi莽bir zaman arkam谋 d枚nmeye vicdan谋m el vermedi, yolda buldu臒um ya da bir 艧ekilde kar艧谋ma 莽谋kan b眉t眉n yaral谋 hayvanlara yard谋m etmek i莽in elimden geleni yapt谋m. Bu y眉zden hayvanlara zulmeden insanlar谋 asla anlamad谋m, anlayamayaca臒谋m da. Bu kitap, 莽ocuklara hayvanlar谋n insanlardan bekledi臒i 艧eyin ilgi, sevgi oldu臒unu anlatabilecek en g眉zel kitaplardan birisi. Bence her 莽ocuk bu kitab谋 mutlaka okumal谋 ve hayvanlar谋 severek b眉y眉meli.
April 10, 2023
Stories about animals never fail to make me cry, this one being no exception.
This was the first time I read Black Beauty and I loved it.
Anna Sewell was truly ahead of her time, speaking out on animal rights with such empathy and insight.
She didn't shy away from describing the mindless cruelty us humans treat animals with.
Nowadays horses are some of the less abused animals, compared to so-called "farm animals", but still they suffer terrible fates as carriage horses, where they are exposed to city noise and pollution, have to pull weights far too great for their bodies, and stand for hours on end in the heat and cold, often without water, sometimes passing out from the strain. It is cruel and unnecessary.
Even "riding horses" are often used until they get too old or their joints or backs are damaged and then get sent to slaughter.
Like Anna Sewell I long for a world in which all animals can be free and just exist for the sake of existing鈥攚ithout being enslaved by us and used up like objects until they are ready to be thrown away.
This was the first time I read Black Beauty and I loved it.
Anna Sewell was truly ahead of her time, speaking out on animal rights with such empathy and insight.
She didn't shy away from describing the mindless cruelty us humans treat animals with.
Nowadays horses are some of the less abused animals, compared to so-called "farm animals", but still they suffer terrible fates as carriage horses, where they are exposed to city noise and pollution, have to pull weights far too great for their bodies, and stand for hours on end in the heat and cold, often without water, sometimes passing out from the strain. It is cruel and unnecessary.
Even "riding horses" are often used until they get too old or their joints or backs are damaged and then get sent to slaughter.
Like Anna Sewell I long for a world in which all animals can be free and just exist for the sake of existing鈥攚ithout being enslaved by us and used up like objects until they are ready to be thrown away.
October 13, 2015
Note, Oct. 13, 2015: The review below is premised on the idea that this is a children's book; it's typically treated as such today, and I did read it as a kid. But my fellow Goodreader Fiona just made me aware that Sewall actually intended the novel for adult readers. This should be kept in mind in approaching and interpreting it!
****
Since this is basically a children's book, my rating is based on my reaction to it as a child reader. If I re-read it now and rated it as adult fiction, probably the rating wouldn't be as high; and it's also the case that the book wouldn't be as easily read or understood by modern kids as it was by their Victorian counterparts. Only the more motivated and better readers in that age group would be apt to give it 4 stars today.
This "Autobiography of a Horse" narrates an equine life running pretty much the gamut of possible horse experiences (except for cavalry service) in the 19th century, many of them decidedly unpleasant. Sewall's message is a forceful and entirely justified plea for decent and humane treatment of the animals whose well-being is so dependent on us. The book is well-written (being intended for younger readers, its prose is more direct and straightforward than that of much Victorian adult fiction); its human and animal characters are vividly-drawn individuals, the pacing is brisk, and it has a satisfying, full-circle kind of plot. To maintain her conceit of a horse narrator, of course (and to do so for an audience too young to respond to the drastically different style of thinking and narrating that would actually be expected from an animal if it could speak), the author makes her horses much more intelligent and anthropomorphic, and much more capable of verbal communication with each other, than they probably really are. Black Beauty, Ginger, and Merrylegs come across essentially as humans in horse bodies. This makes it easier for kids to identify with them, and to see them as entitled to kind treatment; but it arguably sets that conclusion up for refutation and rejection once the readers realize that this picture of horses isn't accurate. Possibly it might be better not to make the case for decent treatment of animals depend on an anthropomorphic view of them, but rather on the fact that they do have feelings and needs which it diminishes us to ignore and deny. It's also true that children who have no experience at all of horses being used as draft animals might find the issues posed here hard to understand or relate to. But for kids --and adult readers-- who can understand the underlying concept, this book has all sorts of modern-day applications to issues, such as factory-style farming, pet neglect, use (or abuse) of animals for "research" purposes, etc.
****
Since this is basically a children's book, my rating is based on my reaction to it as a child reader. If I re-read it now and rated it as adult fiction, probably the rating wouldn't be as high; and it's also the case that the book wouldn't be as easily read or understood by modern kids as it was by their Victorian counterparts. Only the more motivated and better readers in that age group would be apt to give it 4 stars today.
This "Autobiography of a Horse" narrates an equine life running pretty much the gamut of possible horse experiences (except for cavalry service) in the 19th century, many of them decidedly unpleasant. Sewall's message is a forceful and entirely justified plea for decent and humane treatment of the animals whose well-being is so dependent on us. The book is well-written (being intended for younger readers, its prose is more direct and straightforward than that of much Victorian adult fiction); its human and animal characters are vividly-drawn individuals, the pacing is brisk, and it has a satisfying, full-circle kind of plot. To maintain her conceit of a horse narrator, of course (and to do so for an audience too young to respond to the drastically different style of thinking and narrating that would actually be expected from an animal if it could speak), the author makes her horses much more intelligent and anthropomorphic, and much more capable of verbal communication with each other, than they probably really are. Black Beauty, Ginger, and Merrylegs come across essentially as humans in horse bodies. This makes it easier for kids to identify with them, and to see them as entitled to kind treatment; but it arguably sets that conclusion up for refutation and rejection once the readers realize that this picture of horses isn't accurate. Possibly it might be better not to make the case for decent treatment of animals depend on an anthropomorphic view of them, but rather on the fact that they do have feelings and needs which it diminishes us to ignore and deny. It's also true that children who have no experience at all of horses being used as draft animals might find the issues posed here hard to understand or relate to. But for kids --and adult readers-- who can understand the underlying concept, this book has all sorts of modern-day applications to issues, such as factory-style farming, pet neglect, use (or abuse) of animals for "research" purposes, etc.
August 4, 2023
Everyone thinks of the Disney movie for children when talking about Black Beauty but they may not realize that Anna Sewell鈥檚 intent was for an adult audience and not for children. The novel was originally published in 1877 and is a classic study of the Victorian mindset of animals, specifically horses, treatment. It is a novel that is told from the viewpoint of the horses which is quite interesting. And because the Victorians enjoyed a moral story with lessons, it will be very different from what modern readers might expect. Readers will get to know the English countryside as well as the hard-working world of city life in London.
When we meet Black Beauty he is still on the farm where he was born and his mother is with him teaching him how to be a good horse.
I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.
Do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name.
This is a story about using kindness as the ultimate method for training any animal. We see the cruelties instilled by humans upon such noble creatures. Ginger is mistreated and misbehaves willfully due to never being shown love or gentleness. Black Beauty鈥檚 life is full of many different places and people who care for him. It is not all pleasant and idyllic though. What is wonderful, to me, is being able to view the world through the eyes of the horses.
If a thing is right it can be done, and if it is wrong it can be done without; and a good man will find a way.
December 4, 2019
I remember owning this book as a child. It's nice to revisit childhood classics and enjoying them just as much as an adult.
November 16, 2019
Lessons learned from this book: people are shit. *lol* Nothing new or groundbreaking but maybe readers back then (1877) thought differently. In any case, Anna Sewell found a marvellous way to show humans just how dreadful they can be - through the eyes of an animal.
This is the life story of a horse that has had many names. The first of those names was Black Beauty. He was born from a long line of fine horses, growing up in a wonderful place but eventually being sold. Many different things happen to him along the way, showing nice owners who care deeply and affectionately for their animals, violent drunks, ignorant fools, lazy people, hard workers and people who pretend to be "good Christians" but who really are just spiteful.
Thus, the reader gets to see Black Beauty's carefree days as a colt, how he grew up to be a sweet-tempered horse, how he worked hard and had to endure quite a number of injustices (though not as many as other horses we learn about), even pulling cabs in London, and the friends he made (both human and animal) throughout his life.
My favourite character, to this day I'm pleased to report, is Ginger. My heart always breaks for her.
Some things are hard to read about as well they should be. Animal welfare might not be perfect nowadays but we've certainly come a long way from the days when horse tails were cut off with no anasthesia, flesh and hair and all because it was supposed to look better!
While we see Victorian England, both in the countryside and big city, through the eyes of a horse, we get to see living and working conditions of both rich people and lowly workers as well as the financial situations of the different classes.
Funny fact: Amongst other things, the book describes conditions among London horse-drawn taxicab drivers, including the financial hardship caused to them by high licence fees and low, legally fixed fares. Soon after the book was published, the difference between 6-day taxicab licences (not allowed to trade on Sundays) and 7-day taxicab licences (allowed to trade on Sundays) was abolished and the taxicab licence fee was much reduced. No idea if the book was responsible but it might have drawn people's attention to this injustice and thus helped to change the situation for the better. I'd like to think so at least.
Mainly, the book teaches about animal welfare and that their lives count just as much as human lives (a radical idea back then and, depending on whom you're talking about, even today). But the book generally talkes about how to lead a good life, how to treat anyone and anything with kindness, sympathy, and respect.
A wonderful classic that I'm very glad I revisited.
This is the life story of a horse that has had many names. The first of those names was Black Beauty. He was born from a long line of fine horses, growing up in a wonderful place but eventually being sold. Many different things happen to him along the way, showing nice owners who care deeply and affectionately for their animals, violent drunks, ignorant fools, lazy people, hard workers and people who pretend to be "good Christians" but who really are just spiteful.
Thus, the reader gets to see Black Beauty's carefree days as a colt, how he grew up to be a sweet-tempered horse, how he worked hard and had to endure quite a number of injustices (though not as many as other horses we learn about), even pulling cabs in London, and the friends he made (both human and animal) throughout his life.
My favourite character, to this day I'm pleased to report, is Ginger. My heart always breaks for her.
Some things are hard to read about as well they should be. Animal welfare might not be perfect nowadays but we've certainly come a long way from the days when horse tails were cut off with no anasthesia, flesh and hair and all because it was supposed to look better!
While we see Victorian England, both in the countryside and big city, through the eyes of a horse, we get to see living and working conditions of both rich people and lowly workers as well as the financial situations of the different classes.
Funny fact: Amongst other things, the book describes conditions among London horse-drawn taxicab drivers, including the financial hardship caused to them by high licence fees and low, legally fixed fares. Soon after the book was published, the difference between 6-day taxicab licences (not allowed to trade on Sundays) and 7-day taxicab licences (allowed to trade on Sundays) was abolished and the taxicab licence fee was much reduced. No idea if the book was responsible but it might have drawn people's attention to this injustice and thus helped to change the situation for the better. I'd like to think so at least.
Mainly, the book teaches about animal welfare and that their lives count just as much as human lives (a radical idea back then and, depending on whom you're talking about, even today). But the book generally talkes about how to lead a good life, how to treat anyone and anything with kindness, sympathy, and respect.
A wonderful classic that I'm very glad I revisited.
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