Posted
on November 24, 2016
On
this date in 1877, the world was treated to the story of a horse's
life – through a horse's point of view!
The
best-selling novel Black Beauty is a sort of autobiographical
memoir – a fictional one, of course! – of a horse. We start with
Black Beauty's happy colt-hood on an English farm, we learn about his
troubles while pulling cabs in London, we rejoice in his happy
retirement at the end of the story.
The
author of Black Beauty, Anna Sewell, was disabled as a young
teen by an accident, and she was basically unable to walk. She had to
rely on horses for transportation, and she spent many hours driving
her father to and from work via horse-drawn vehicles.
Sewell
also helped out her mother – a popular author of children's books –
learning about writing while helping her mother edit her books.
Anna
Sewell only wrote one book – but Black Beauty was a huge
hit. A more-than-fifty-million-copies-sold kind of hit! A
one-of-the-best-selling-books-of-all-time kind of hit!
A
has-been-adapted-to-seven-movies-plus-two-TV-series kind of hit!
There has even been an LP adaptation and a theatrical adaptation of
the well-loved story.
The
book was not particularly meant for kids – it was meant to
encourage people who work with horses to be kind to them – but it
is thought of (at least now) as a kids' book. It is preachy and teachy, but the
preaching and teaching are all about treating people and animals with
kindness and sympathy. Here is one quote:
"....
[T]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...."
I
can dig that, can't you?
Also
on this date:
Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving:
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