Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #75 on Aug 17, 2009, 1:43pm »
Just re reading Jill to see what the fuss is about. Didn't dislike them so much as a child just didn't love them as I did the PT's/JMB/Some Pat leitch/KM peytons etc
Just finished Gymkhana and she still infuriates me....little things like the way she is annoyed because Martin doesn't arrive immediatly after the gymkhana to teach her etc. I forget the line but it was so rude when someone is going out of their way to help you, even if you had been hanging on longer then you expected to! And I'm still not convinced about her becoming a wonder rider and Black pony quite clearly the best pony money could have bought.
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #76 on Aug 17, 2009, 3:14pm »
I WAS Jill when I was 11 but never as lucky as she was in procuring the things I needed, and I desperately wanted to be her when I was 13 and had to leave Kenya and my ponies behind - just the age when Jill finally makes it. I managed to save enough money by the time I was 16 to buy Silver, but as he was only 13.2 I was automatically banned from affiliated shows (in Germany unaffiliated shows or gymkhanas are forbidden). Jill had everything that I dreamt of, (and I must admit, Caneys illustrations played a part in my obsession), although I went on to love older characters in G Baxter's, JPT and other books more but that was an age thing. Now as an adult I can see the differences and still think that, taking in stride such things as differing points for bringing down a pole of a fence with front or rear legs, and other bits, for what they are, Jill is still a great character, full of humour and jolly good entertainment.
And I love and always will do Gillian Baxter's earlier books (and Bargain Horses, her last so far), JPT's Noel and Henry series, CPT's The Impossible Horse and last but definitely not least, J Cannan's I Wrote a Pony Book. I sometimes think it depends on a person's personal circumstances and their age when they first read which books determine which were favourites and which didn't do it for a person.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,167 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #77 on Aug 23, 2009, 3:42pm »
I just finished a book that had been lurking in my tbr pile for a while...A Different Kind of Sister by Pamela Reynolds. Reynolds wrote only two books, the first of which was Horseshoe Hill, in which a girl and her parents move into a new house, only to find that a sick, neglected horse has been left in the run down stables there.
This second book, A Different Kind of Sister, is a great departure from the ordinary. In it, a girl and her parents have finally, after years of moving around to accomodate the father's job (he's an engineer), settled down and bought a house in Connecticut. As the house is down the street from a stables, it means the girl can fulfill her dream of riding, and as the summer approaches, her parents rent her a horse for the holdiays. Ordinary so far, yes? Here comes the twist....now that they've finally settled, the girl's older (18 year old) sister is coming home from the special school for mentally retarded children that she has been at for the past four years.
This is a subject that could so easily become maudlin, sugary, preachy, and yet it never does any of that....the characters are wonderfully realized and human. Their reactions and emotions as they adjust to what is a difficult situation are well drawn, and never sugar coated...the author never pretends that it isn't hard to blend a disabled family member into a non-disabled family....for any of the members, including the disabled sister, but that ultimately being family, together, is worth it. (Ok, that sounds preachy.....never mind, the author does it much, much better....she shows, rather than tells, if you see what I mean).
Anyway, onto the horse type details....there is a lot of good pony content, much of the book takes place at the stables, (the disabled sister loves horses too!) there's the ubiquitous nasty wealthy girl, the sidekick of said girl, who may turn out to be a friend, the sage, understanding groom, etc. As is often the case, our protagonist progresses in her riding far too quickly to be believable....you have to check your disbelief firmly at the door, perhaps more so than in other, similar books. But for this book, I'd say it was worth the effort.
Published only in the US (1968) but, perhaps because neither the title nor the cover art would suggest that it is a pony book, not hard to find or expensive. Checking copies on abebooks, I see they are in the US, Canada and Australia.
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #78 on Aug 23, 2009, 5:26pm »
I just ordered it, so you better be right, Susan. When I file for bankruptcy at least I know it's all your fault. It just sounds far too good to pass up, and your reviews are always spot on - you have the same taste in books as I have.
I'll answer your PM tomorrow, too tired with visiting the new baby and all that.
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #79 on Aug 24, 2009, 12:53pm »
Just finished reading The Horsemasters which I really enjoyed. It's a bit of an 'older' read describing life on the show jumping circuit with a bit of drama, mystery and intrigue thrown in. I think I read on here somewhere that it has also been made into a film? Must track it down.
susanb, that book sounds interesting. (Shuffles off to abe books site).
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,167 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #80 on Aug 25, 2009, 2:04am »
Oh, I do feel responsible now....people are going broke because of me!!!
Eliza...I really enjoyed Horsemasters too...I've got two more by him, the semi-horsey Pony Express book, Must Be Good Riders, and the non-horsey Mystery of Coral Reef in the tbr pile....must get to them soon!
Just finished reading The Horsemasters which I really enjoyed. It's a bit of an 'older' read describing life on the show jumping circuit with a bit of drama, mystery and intrigue thrown in. I think I read on here somewhere that it has also been made into a film? Must track it down.
susanb, that book sounds interesting. (Shuffles off to abe books site).
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,167 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #83 on Aug 26, 2009, 4:38am »
eliza...almost forgot to mention, yes, Disney did make a movie of the book, but it was released only very briefly on VHS, at a time when most VHS tapes (at least in the US) were being sold to rental places....because they ran about $60 to $70 each!!! By the time they'd reduced the prices to what the average individual would pay, the movie was out of print, and was never re-released on VHS or on DVD. I've never seen it myself, as my local video store wasn't one that bought it
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #84 on Aug 26, 2009, 11:00am »
Susan, I have around 700 to 800 books and another 250 on my list to buy (which gets longer every day). Don Stanford IS on my list for American Authors to Buy, but I didn't know it was American.
I will have a look-out for this book - I assume from your gasp of disbelief that it is a must have.
If it isn't a good book let me know asap! You know me, I hit the buy now button by reflex!!!
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #85 on Aug 26, 2009, 11:22am »
Ooops! I have just trawled through every market seller possible. I can't believe the prices! The Harrap version which you correctly praise for it's cover art (although the Funk & Wagnalls looks nice as well - reminds me of Black although HE had a far more well-bred head) sells only in 3 figures and the Funk & Wagnalls doesn't come up much less than £40 either. What is it about this book. I like the description of the story plot, but the prices are seriously OTT.
I have just sent off a 3-figure cheque for the registration of Whisper (did I mention that my new little filly is called Whisper?), so books really have to wait just this once. Horses are more important than books every time, at least when I am responsible for them.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,167 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #86 on Aug 26, 2009, 2:01pm »
konstanze...The Horsemasters is a fun book, but it has been released in 6 different editions that I know of: 2 UK hardcover, 1 UK paperback, 1 US hardcover, 2 US paperback....so, while there might not be any inexpensive copies around right at this moment, one will surely pop up eventually!
I checked ebay for you, and there are two copies in the UK right now...the Brockhampton hardcover....sadly not the same cover art as the lovely Harrap edition, and a Puffin paperback
Both are for sale, rather than for auction, so there wouldn't be any bidding....the paperback version is "buy it now or best offer", which means a buyer can offer less and see if the seller accepts it.
If you're not interested in the Brockhampton or Puffin editions (and I know you're drooling over the Harrap) with 700 to 800 books already, you can certainly wait till a copy pops up!
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #87 on Aug 26, 2009, 4:42pm »
You are so right, Susan, I DO want the original Funk & Wagnalls Co AND the Harrap & Co. version. I will just have to wait and in the meantime find out how ebay works - or pay a fortune via AbeBooks or Amazon.com. Time will show.
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #88 on Aug 27, 2009, 2:11pm »
Konstanze - The Horsemasters is worth the wait, and if you do have to settle for the Puffin reprint I'm pretty certain it does use the full text. The book's so expensive because it's very, very popular in America. Most of the copies I've sold have gone there, though I must say the copies for sale on Abe etc do seem quite spectacularly expensive!
Re: Pony Books I am reading at the moment « Reply #89 on Aug 27, 2009, 2:15pm »
I've just read Michael Hardcastle's The Saturday Horse, which was ok. The heroine is one of those who Has A Special Feeling for The Horse No One Else Does, and I didn't quite believe how all round wonderful she was, but it passed the time without me wanting to fling the book across the room!
I'm now reading Siegfried Sander's The Horse, which is another of those books I've meant to read for ages but actually haven't. I've found the Saddle Club I was reading and failed to finish, so am wondering if I can pluck up enough enthusiasm to read it.... no is the answer.
Konstanze, a while ago you said I should have 3 piles of books: well, you obviously have a view into my study, as that is exactly what I have! There is a very large pile of books which I've read, are on the website, and are for sale. There is a very small pile of books I am keeping for myself, which I need to enter on my own catalogue before I try and find space for them on my shelves. Then there is the quite large pile of books I want to read before they go/am not sure if they're on the website so need to check/am quite sure they're not on the website so need to photograph/summarise etc etc!
I have just had a sniff of a 100 book collection another dealer wants to sell, but it may well remain a sniff. Fingers crossed.....
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