Horse Heaven

By: Jane Smiley

Narrated by: Shelley Thompson

Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Many astonishing and affecting things happen at the racetrack, and the mysterious universe of horse racing, passionate, cold-hearted, pure, corrupt, is woven into a marvelous tapestry of joy and love, chicanery, folly, greed, and reckless courage. Spanning two years on the circuit, from Kentucky and California to New York and Paris, Horse Heaven, puts us among trainers, nervey jockeys, billionaire breeders, and restless track wives.

©2014 Jane Smiley (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

horse heaven

as ab equestrian, not my favorite author. interesting enough to stream while busy with other tasks...not captivating to me

Love it!

I've read this book many times and hearing it was as much a delight. Well worth the purchase.

A whole lotta horse

It's a wonderful novel full of flawed character of human, equine and canine persuasion. It is very long however and without an expectation of a fulfilling ending you won't be disappointed. It just kind of fizzles out like a worn out candle. But no doubt about it, Smiley can write.

Loved it!!!

I thought this book was most exceptional. I keep wanting to listen to each part over and over for more intense visuals. This book is one of my favorite. Major kudos to Smiley as I feel she has given a wonderful gift to my imagination.

LOVED IT!

This book was fantastic!! I thought it was one of the best reads I've had in a while. Shelley Thompson was very entertaining to listen to and she made each and every character come to life. There were a few mis-pronunciations, but all in all, she did a fantastic job. I, being a huge horse lover, was able to identify with and understand the contents of the different stories told for each character. One of my favorite characters was Joy Gorham and her horse Mr. T. I can totally relate to her story. A must read for any horse person who enjoys listening to the animals' point of view. Loved it!!

Don't let the preview put you off

The worst part of this audiobook is the preview - does not do this fantastic book justice! I was a big fan of the paperback version, read it religiously, and was so excited to see that it was an audiobook. When I listened to the preview, I was extremely disappointed - sounded flat and dull and monotonous. These qualities are in no way reflected by the actual narration or structure of the audiobook.

Fast-paced and quirky, Horse Heaven draws together a collection of oddball characters and intertwines their stories with that of their beloved (or not) thoroughbreds. The narrator does a great job of dramatizing the dialogue, and keeping the listener entertained. Five stars - a must for horse lovers.

Tangents and filler

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I believe about 30% of the book could have been cut and kept the story moving in a much better and more realistic way. The haphazard insertion of the dog's point of view as well as the side step of an Irish shopping trip did nothing to maintain or evolve the story. It was as if the author merely had some extra material, and chose to stuff it in to fill pages.

What could Jane Smiley have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Stick to 3-4 main characters and actually write about them rather than use them as a fulcrum to launch into shallow 'thoughts' about a few people with whom then come in contact.

When she wrote about the trainers, she did a good job. When she wrote about the fringe, she seemed to do it for her own amusement, rather than for the story.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The repeated mispronunciation of common words is completely unacceptable in a professional reading.

La Jolla... come on... she isn't in kindergarten.

The recording editor should be fired.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Absolutely not.

justabook

if you listen you will realize justabook is high praise. I wish I could give it six stars. This is the most enjoyable listen of any of the books I have listened to (at least 20). I actually began to look forward to my commute so that I could hear more of the story (seriously). This is the only audiobook where I feel compelled to buy the hard cover. I want to keep it and savor it again. Don't be intimidated by the length, there are very few minutes that are not a delight. There are some things you want to last.

My Favorite Book

I bought this book years ago and have read it three times since. When I discovered the Audible version, I jumped on it and have listened to it twice. I absolutely enjoyed the reader. Without a doubt, I will continue to enjoy listening to Horse Heaven again and again 😊

Awesome book for horse lovers

What made the experience of listening to Horse Heaven the most enjoyable?

Great story, really well read.

What other book might you compare Horse Heaven to and why?

-

Which character – as performed by Shelley Thompson – was your favorite?

Just a Bob

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really

Any additional comments?

Love this story and keep re-listening to it!