The Red Pony

By: John Steinbeck

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The beautiful, spirited red pony is everything Jody ever dreamed of....

Raised on a ranch in northern California, Jody is well-schooled in the hard work and demands of a rancher's life. He is used to the way of horses, too; but nothing has prepared him for the special connection he will forge with Gabilan, the hot-tempered pony his father gives him. With Billy Buck, the hired hand, Jody tends and trains his horse, restlessly anticipating the moment he will sit high upon Gabilan's saddle. But when Gabilan falls ill, Jody discovers there are still lessons he must learn about the ways of nature and, particularly, the ways of man.

©1933, 1961 John Steinbeck (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Awesome book

This was one of my favorite books. I have already read it at least twice and I will gladly to it again.everybody on audible should keep up the good work.

Hand in Hand

Where does The Red Pony rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is among the best in terms of quality, but I've yet to find a bad one yet among the Audible collection.

What did you like best about this story?

The Red Pony is like no other story because each episode can be treated in isolation; however, they are interrelated as well.

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

His voice has now become synonymous with the story itself. I can't think of listening to anyone else. He treats the narration and the characters as separate entities, as good readers should; however, he gives each character a personality I've never seen in other Audible books.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I have listened to it in one setting, in part because the book allows for it. But the reading is great enough to pull you in once you begin.

Good read for 12 yr old

The story was exciting and sad. It was very descriptive and dramatic. The story described the Salinas area accurately and I was able to picture the setting.

What is not to love here?

One of the greatest stories ever told read by Frank Muller? This is a special treat indeed.

The Draw of The Red Pony

If you have not read this lovely book by John Steinbeck, I highly recommend you take the time to do so. His insight into human nature and the strong lessons of ordinary life are profound and undeniable. This is an excellent introduction to this highly celebrated author.

Great story, good performance

Absolutely beautiful story, but narrator could be a little annoying and nasally at times. Overall good, would recommend for any Steinbeck fan! Just brace yourself; this story isn't as happy as the title makes it seem...

About the narration

I just had to write briefly to say that, while the reader has a wonderful speaking voice, his narrating style involves an inflection that lilts and trails off every time he comes across a period. With the exception of dialogue, it seems that every sentence he speaks ends with the same tone, dropping off exactly the same way each time; almost as if the sentence isn't completed and ends with an ellipses. Although the words are always clear and easy to understand, the constant and repeated rhythm quickly became annoying to me. If you are able to space out enough to just absorb the story without paying too much attention to the sound of it, it becomes less obvious, but I found myself irritated within the first four minutes.

nice book

Easy to follow along. Good plot. It was interesting that the red pony was not the main interest.

4 Pastoral Stories in Salina.

“It would be a dreadful thing to tell anyone about it, for it would destroy some fragile structure of truth. It was truth that might be shattered by division.”
― John Steinbeck, The Red Pony

A episodic novella that collects four (or sometimes five) short stories written in the 30s. Each of the stories' protagonist is a young boy named Jody, centered on his family's ranch near Salina, California. The novel is pastoral and full of the dreams and emotions of a young boy learning about life, death, fragility and disappointment. Loved the stories. Steinbeck is a master of the simple story that lovingly explores one or more characters.

"The Gift" was first published in the November 1933 issue of North American Review.

"The Great Mountains" was first published in the December 1933 issue of North American Review.

"The Promise" was first published in the October 1937 issue of Harper's Monthly.

"The Leader of the People" was first published in the August 1936 issue of Argosy.

The edition I read/listened to (Penguin/Audible) didn't have the story "Junius Maltby" that was part of an earlier book of Steinbeck entitled The Pastures of Heaven.

Steinbeck maybe about his youth?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. A beautiful story about longing. Growing up. Responsibility life!

What other book might you compare The Red Pony to and why?

A separate peace

Which character – as performed by Frank Muller – was your favorite?

Billy

If you could take any character from The Red Pony out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Billy. Would like to understand how he came to this ranch and why he wanted to stay!

Any additional comments?

One can really feel the place and the people here