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    Black Beauty
    Black Beauty
    Black Beauty
    Audiobook (abridged)1 hour

    Black Beauty

    Written by Anna Sewell

    Narrated by Frances Sternhagen

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Black Beauty spent her youthful days grazing in grassy meadows, with ponds of clear water, shade trees and apples. But soon these pleasures would severely change into a life of hard and often dangerous work. She hoped that one day she would return to the meadows and be with her old friends by the apple trees.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAudio Holdings
    Release dateJan 1, 2009
    ISBN9781601360557
    Author

    Anna Sewell

    Anna Sewell was born in 1820 into a Quaker family whose respect for horses was out of step with the common view of the time, that animals should be worked until they dropped. Disabled in a fall aged 14, Anna lived all her life with her parents but became an expert carriage driver and, as editor and stern critic, helped her mother, Mary Wright Sewell, become a successful author of evangelical children's books. Anna wrote Black Beauty, her only book, in the last years of her life, as a plea for more humane treatment of horses. She died in 1878, a year after the novel was published to wide acclaim.

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    Reviews for Black Beauty

    4/5

    2,392 ratings91 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A fascinating look into human behavior both good and bad."Through the eyes of Black Beauty, we observe the actions of human beings. The gallant horse is sold to many types of people. Some are good masters who treat Beauty with compassion and tenderness. Others are bad masters, who do not care if Beauty has enough food to eat or if he is too tired to be ridden."You know, this is one of my all-time favorite stories. When I was very young I had a cartoon version of this story that I watched constantly. I now own the live-action film. I know the story like the back of my had. But I'd never read the book... til now!Both utterly sad and depressing as well as joyous and triumphant, this book has an amazing story to tell. This is definitely one that pulls on your heart strings. Perfect for teens and young adult readers as well as adults. I highly recommend this classic tale to everyone who loves animals of any kind.
    • 4/5
      Get ready to cry - or, at least I did. Horses, heroism - what more can you ask for?
    • 5/5
      Since pictures & illustrations are as much a part of a child's imagination as the written word, then this book beautifully combines both, with the abundant B&W line illustrations by illustrator Lucy Kemp-Welch, in addition to the 12 colour plates included; all in keeping with the time period this novel is set in. A wonderful edition to any child's library.I've been reading horse-topic related books for as long as I can remember; but the very first horse story that left an indelible impression on me was ANNA SEWELL's "BLACK BEAUTY."It really openend my eyes to the abuse and cruelty, and majestic fraility that these wonderful creatures suffer at the hands of their human counterparts. Ms Sewell opted to write this book from "the horse's mouth" so to speak, and she was one of the very few authors that was able to pull this off with great success. This book also laid the cornerstone for the ASPCA aims and goals, and brought to light the conditions and treatment of working horses in 20th century London, England (and elsewhere ). The story is told of a horse's life; from start to finish; told with dignity and warmth, and serves as a successful analogy as to how humans should interact with one another. This book also laid the cornerstone for my interest and love of all things equine, and further fed my hunger to acquire as many horse books as an 11 year old could. From there, and I went on to read all of Walter Farley's "The Black Stallion" series (at one time, I owned all the hardcover editions), the Marguerite Henry books, and Enid Bagnold's "National Velvet"(which really wasn't about a horse per se), and anything else I could get my horse-hungry hands on! I now keep a copy of Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty" in my library at home, and have given a copy to my daughter to read. This is a tale that sensitizes the reader to the plight of horses at the hands of their human caregivers, trainers, breeders, riders, etc - all told from the horse's mouth.And lest we think the inhumane treatment of horses has abided since this book was written - one only has to follow the controversy surrounding the use of "Premarin", or the questionable training methods of gaited horses, or the exploitation of horses in the Thoroughbred racing industry, or the many abuses of rodeo, etc.There is much to be gleaned about the exploitation and abuse of animals from this book. All in all, this book will always remain a timeless classic.
    • 4/5
      When I read this story as a kid, I could not get past the fire. When I got to that part of Beauty's life, I closed the book and never opened it again. Maybe I felt that bad things were going to happen to him. I don't like bad things happening to animals and believe that humans are the worst of all animals.
    • 5/5
      I have just re-read this after many, many years. What a marvellous book. Miss Sewell wanted to give Victorian society a wake-up call about how it treated its horses, then so necessary for commerce and travel. She succeeded perfectly.The story flows realistically, the characters and their ways of speaking are natural and believable, and we can even suspend our disbelief easily and hear horses talk. I was shocked and harrowed all over again at the cruelty though."There 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 are".
    • 3/5
      Black Beauty a book with a lovely message about how horses (and I believe in parable, children) thrive best when treated with empathy, respect, and dignity. However, the writing itself is a bit dry and the story not particularly eventful.
    • 5/5
      One of my all-time favorite books as a horse-mad girl, even though my riding days were cut short by family dynamics. I loved getting into the mind of a horse as best one can, and to see what good treatment vs. unkind treatment yields. I often thought of Ginger and her views on humans, and how many adventures Black Beauty had throughout his long years.As an adult reading this book I was struck by many things that I didn't notice at the time: the cause of Black Beauty's accident that ruined his knees being caused by the evils of drink. And there were many instances of lectures against alcohol, what was called in the US "Prohibition," together with many instances of an effort for more humane treatment of animals. The story of Old Captain in what was probably the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War is now something I have historical reference to; then, it was just simply a horse charging into battle. The care of horses' injuries being warm bran mash points out the strides in veterinary medicine since this book was written. But I was glad to read the many instances both animal and human characters advocated for the better treatment of the horse. I just wish there were more of them around!
    • 4/5
      One that I never read in childhood, but it really is very good. Narrated by the eponymous horse, this follows him through a succession of homes, good and bad; he tells the stories of horses he meets along the way, and draws the reader's attention to the evils of certain horse tack; uncaring drivers; and the economic clime, whereby impoverished coachmen are forced to overwork their animals to make ends meet.I picked up a sense that this could well be said to picture slavery (Ms Sewell was an abolitionist)...the good ...and the cruel masters, the overwork and brutality...
    • 4/5
      Autobiography - I would not think I would like such books. I like historical fiction about real people. I guess you could call this historical fiction. Really though - it is an autobiography about a horse that lived in the 1800's. Very interesting and mostly well done. Every now and then a "this is how you should live your life/treat people" chapter was thrown in that I would not have missed. 12,423 members; 3.9 average rating; 5/2/2020
    • 5/5
      I first read an unabridged copy of Anna Sewell's Black Beauty when I was very young because of my love of horses and because it was a thick book with a whole lot of story to keep me occupied. This time I chose to read it because I wanted a refresher on the parts I couldn't remember in between certain scenes that stuck out in my mind...and because I love horses (this will always be true).

      I searched hard for a copy of the book that was just the written story and that was complete. I couldn't find an available unabridged one in my local library, online, or somewhere that I could easily confirm it was what I was wanting without paying for something sight unseen and hoping I received a copy of Black Beauty unabridged. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful friend at my local library who found this copy for me courtesy of the InterLibrary Loan program. Sara is amazing! ❤❤

      When it comes to the graphic novel portion of this book, I don't even want to rate it. I feel like so much is lost and I gained only 1 thing by reading it but in still guessing at another in the same area (I found out what was meant by "Polly's mistress" and who "Mary and the children" might possibly be). I don't get the feeling that this book has the same meaning if it were only read in graphic novel form because much of the details of treating animals and others well is lost in that part of the book. I'm also not a fan because I just don't like to be told how to envision the characters and setting beyond maybe a couple details. Yes, I'm one of those people who has to read the book before seeing the movie because it's ruined if I do it the other way around.

      The novel portion of this book is beautifully written, despite some portions being slightly...draggy. I didn't feel like I needed to hear about the 14 trips back and forth down the lane, or across the meadow, or even through the city, but the information is important to the story when it comes to something happening after/during/because of that trip. Just like I personally didn't need to hear about what was done to the horses after they were brought in from rides, but I realized when it became important to the story that not everyone is familiar with routines or why they are done. The story still felt draggy when I got that, but I knew it meant I should pay attention to those parts.

      Overall, I give the story of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell 5 STARS because it is a timeless classic for me that is just as good now as I thought it was *coughcough* years ago. I love the messages about being kind to others, no matter what species, color, or sex they may be. I hope those who read the book will mentally add in being kind to all those who exist. There really isn't a reason to put conditions on it or add any religious twist to it. Just be nice and do good things in life without expectation of reward. The book also advocates for standing up for injustices. We need more of that in this world as well. The lessons to be learned in this book are definitely timeless.
    • 5/5
      I read this book when I was young. I am still a horse lover. It was a favorite of mine due to the similarities between Black Beautys' life and my own. I now have 2 copies and am pleased with each. It shows how I have always viewed animals and the way they view us. Excellently written and the ebb and flow allows one to see the rhythm of life is similar for one and all.
    • 5/5
      Excellent teen book
    • 2/5
      I always thought this was a children's book, but I now think it is a treatise on the ill use of horses in the time it was written.
    • 5/5
      I thought I had read this book as a child and in fact, as I began to read I remembered much of the story. As a child I either stopped reading midway through or blocked out the rest of the story, because it was rather tragic. The story was set in 19th century England, at a time when almost everyone came into frequent contact with horses. It is told from the narrative of Black Beauty, a noble stallion, who is bought and sold many times to various owners, and who treated their horses in various ways. 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. We meet other horses who share a stable, at various times, with Black Beauty and in some cases their demise which is quite painful. Of course at the end, Black Beauty ends up back with an earlier groom and lives his final years in happiness, but to get there, he endures much. I would suggest not necessarily a book for younger children, but a great read especially when you are trying to teach about proper treatment of animals.
    • 4/5
      This was surprisingly good. A very nice story!
    • 2/5
      I can't even finish this thing. It is dull as dirt. I cannot imagine a child being captivated by this story. If this was my first novel as a child, I probably would never have picked up another. Sorry, I like literature for children, but this one didn't do it for me.
    • 4/5
      Read first time as an adult, a bit surprised at how morbid it is. Dawned on me that carousel horses look like they do because they most have been modeled on horses rigged with a bearing rein.
    • 4/5
      A fun trip through Victorian London through the eyes of a horse.
    • 4/5
      I've read this book three times over the years. It's always been one of my favourites, first as I like horses, and second as it's even better when the horses are doing the talking.The book tells the story of the life of a horse from youth to old age, and the good and bad events that follow him. Through his eyes and occasional commentary you see people and animals of different attitudes and opinions. While Sewell was adressing the poor treatment of animals by people, she also acknowledges that there are good people and sometimes bad people have reasons for being the way they are though the eyes of the horse.The story is, at some points, quite miserable, but the end is heartening and it forces us to look at things from the perspective of the animals we work and live with.
    • 5/5
      A fascinating look into human behavior both good and bad."Through the eyes of Black Beauty, we observe the actions of human beings. The gallant horse is sold to many types of people. Some are good masters who treat Beauty with compassion and tenderness. Others are bad masters, who do not care if Beauty has enough food to eat or if he is too tired to be ridden."You know, this is one of my all-time favorite stories. When I was very young I had a cartoon version of this story that I watched constantly. I now own the live-action film. I know the story like the back of my had. But I'd never read the book... til now!Both utterly sad and depressing as well as joyous and triumphant, this book has an amazing story to tell. This is definitely one that pulls on your heart strings. Perfect for teens and young adult readers as well as adults. I highly recommend this classic tale to everyone who loves animals of any kind.
    • 5/5
      This was the first book I ever owned. I was a little girl, and it was one I'd selected to take out from the library, and it was already a bit fragile (more than 60 years ago). The librarian looked at it, and said that, if it was okay with my mother, they would just *give* me the book, and I wouldn't have to bring it back. This ruined me forever for libraries, because mostly, they want the books back after you've read them.I read this multiple times (as a child), and have never quit loving it. Children's book, or not, it's well written, with a timeless and sweet story. It's a good book for an older child, since there are situations that might be upsetting for a very young one.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars
      This is one of those books that makes you think. Anyone who wants a pet or who wants to learn about horses should really read it. It's from the horse's POV and tells things humans don't think about. Also, it has lots of great life lessons. It's a good read for all ages, but I recommend it more for kids and teens. I really liked it a lot, but it was pretty depressing for me. I felt very sorry for the horses.
    • 4/5
      Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody’s business to interfere when they see it.- Black Beauty, page 74I knew next to nothing about Black Beauty before I started reading it, and it was very different than I expected. My previous experience with equine stories has been through movies like Secretariat, The Black Stallion, and Hidalgo,  so I was expecting a story about a colt who beats all odds to become a great racehorse. If my Kindle edition would have included the original title, I would have had a much better idea of what to expect. The full title from the first edition is Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions - The Autobiography of a Horse. And that's exactly what it is. Written in 1877, Black Beauty is a first-person account of life as a horse in Victorian England.Black Beauty tells his own story about growing up on a farm in rural England and eventually working as a cab horse in London. The chapters are short, and in each one the horse tells about a significant event from his life that illustrates some moral principle about kindness or treating horses fairly. As Black Beauty is sold from one owner to the next, the reader experiences a cross section of life in England in the late 19th century, and author Anna Sewell uses this to criticize social evils such as heavy drinking, animal cruelty, and unfair labor practices.Black Beauty himself is a humble, hard-working, honest creature, that I came to like more and more as I read his story. The novel is also filled with a memorable cast of supporting characters, both human and equine: the ill-treated mare Ginger, Squire Gordon, Joe Greene, Farmer Thoroughgood, and many more.Black Beauty is a perfect novel to read to children. Its chapters are short enough to be read in ten minutes or so, and it's filled with wonderful details about life in Victorian England. And not only does it naturally spark discussions about moral principles like kindness and honesty, but it could also lead to conversations about deeper social justice issues like fair pay and business ethics.It's a charming novel, and it's no wonder it's been so popular since it was first published. I was surprised to learn that Black Beauty is one of the top thirty best-selling books of all time in the English language, selling over 50 million copies--more than The Odyssey, To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, and Gone with the Wind. If you missed reading this as a child, as I did, pick up a copy and let Black Beauty tell you his story.
    • 4/5
      Book on CD narrated by Simon Vance.First published in 1877, this is the only novel written by Anna Sewel, but it has become a much-loved classic and one of the most widely read animal stories. Black Beauty tells his own story, from his early days as a colt frolicking with his friends and his mother, to learning to accept a bridle, saddle and rider, to being sold as a carriage horse, then to pulling a cab in London, and eventually to a happy country life once again.I had a copy of this book when I was a child; it was part of a set of classics that included works by Louisa May Alcott and Mark Twain (among others). But for some reason I never read it, even during my “horse crazy” phase. I’m so glad I finally got to it. It’s a timeless tale with a simple message: Be kind to everyone (and everything). Sewell manages to convey this through Beauty’s experiences, both good and bad. The hardcover text edition I got from the library was also beautifully illustrated by Lucy Kemp-Welch. There are several full-page full-color plates, as well as small ink drawings beginning each chapter. Simon Vance does a marvelous job voicing the audio version. He gives life to the story, without being overly dramatic. It’s a great book to “read aloud” and I highly recommend listening to it with your children or grandchildren.
    • 4/5
      a very old version of this popular classic
    • 5/5
      This little shining black colt was born with the most lovely mother, a grassy field to live and play in, and most of all, a kind master. He did not shame upon the little horse, nor did he kick, or whip to hard, and he had a light grip upon the reign when it came to his breaking in. He gave him bran mash and oats all the time, and the colt was delighted - yet he had no idea that soon enough, he would be sold away from his master, and away from his mother, and away from his field, and possibly, away from kindness.
      The time did come, of course, and the horse was sold to the squire in the neighbouring village. He bought him and treated him well, luckily for him; and then he named him Black Beauty. The men who looked after him so nicely, John and James and Miss Bessie and Flora. He also had those warming friends close by him, Ginger and Sir Oliver and Merrylegs. Nothing could have been better - apart from how much he missed his family, and how much more liberty Beauty so wanted in his life.
      Whenever the author comes across a time in the book when the colt (or, it could be, no longer a colt anymore) is out in the Victorian streets, I believe, he always finds some time when the reader can get to know horses. For instance, it shows boys behaving badly and terribly to ponies, or men whipping their colt when it turns the wrong direction, poor thing.
      Two of the most charmingly horrible chapters were 'The Hunt' and a different one, named 'The Fire'. They were both incredibly well-written, and made you feel about the horses brilliantly. In the first chapter, The Hunt, a man and a horse died painfully. The horse broke his leg and was shot, and later on in the book it is discovered that that horse was Rob Roy, brother of Black Beauty.
      Back inside the great fire that happened in the stables over business, two horses were left in the stables. 'There was a dreadful sound before we all got into the stables - the shrieks of those poor horses that were left burning to death in the stable.' is one quote. 'The two poor horses that could not be got out were buried under the burnt rafters and tiles.' was another. It was terribly sad.
      Black Beauty was moved from owner to owner, groom to groom; but still he could find no person on earth who seemed to feel good and encouraging about his horses. Soon, however, he found his own life good and pure with Master Jerry, a lovely, good chap with a daughter, son and wife, and a horrendous good mind for horses. He pulled up and complained whenever he saw horses ill-used, and he would be lovely to Black Beauty - or Jack, as he then called him. But from time to time, bad things happen, and young Jackie was given away to lots of other people.
      He was given away to many angry and barking old blokes, who lashed him with the bearing rein and pulled tight up with the bit digging horrifically to the sides of his delicate mouth. Poor old Beauty - but then, a good horse accompanies good souls, and he was given to good old Farmer Thoroughgood and his grandson Willie.
      They picked Black Beauty from the Horse Fair, and they were marvellously kind to him. He was given to Willie, a kind, generous young boy, as his own responsibility, but soon he gave it to Lady Ellen, and Miss Lavinia (the first time I've seen my own name in a book!) and their family, in kindly treated hands; and so he lived until he died with a glorious life.
    • 1/5
      God I fucking hate horses and absolutely fucking everything about them.
    • 5/5
      I read this book as a child and thoroughly enjoyed it. Reading it again as an adult, I found I was just as engrossed and thrilled with the story.
    • 5/5
      This books introduces younger literary members to tragedy without making it traumatizing. By subtly introducing heartbreak and ending on an uplifting moment, the idea that not every story that takes a turn for the worse will stay that way. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
    • 3/5
      This book is a good book, but not great. It involves stories about horses that you might like.