Price: $35.00 - $22.99
(as of Sep 16, 2024 08:08:57 UTC – Details)
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER
An International Bestseller
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book
From New York Times bestselling author of The Mosquito, the incredible story of how the horse shaped human history
Timothy C. Winegard’s The Horse is an epic history unlike any other. Its story begins more than 5,500 years ago on the windswept grasslands of the Eurasian Steppe. When one human tamed one horse, an unbreakable bond was forged and the future of humanity was instantly rewritten, placing the reins of destiny firmly in human hands.
Since that pivotal day, the horse has carried the fate of civilizations on its powerful back. For millennia it was the primary mode of transportation, an essential farming machine, a steadfast companion, and a formidable weapon of war. Possessing a unique combination of size, speed, strength, and stamina, the horse dominated every facet of human life and shaped the very scope of human ambition. And we still live among its galloping shadows.
From the thundering cavalry charges of Alexander the Great to the streets of New York during the Great Manure Crisis of 1894 and beyond, horses have shaped both the grand arc of history and our everyday lives. Horses revolutionized the way we hunted, traded, traveled, farmed, fought, worshipped, and interacted. They fundamentally reshaped the human genome and the world’s linguistic map. They determined international borders, molded cultures, fueled economies, and built global superpowers. They decided the destinies of conquerors and empires. They were vectors of lethal disease, and contributed to lifesaving medical innovations. Horses even inspired architecture, invention, furniture, and fashion.
Driven by fascinating revelations and fast-paced storytelling, The Horse is a riveting narrative of this noble animal’s unrivaled and enduring reign across human history. To know the horse is to understand the world.
Publisher : Dutton (July 30, 2024)
Language : English
Hardcover : 544 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593186087
ISBN-13 : 978-0593186084
Item Weight : 1.66 pounds
Dimensions : 6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
4.5
Reviewer: Diederik V.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fantastic Ride Through World History!
Review: Following up on his New York Times Bestseller, The Mosquito, Winegard has done it againâthis time, perhaps even better. The Horse is an impeccably researched chronological journey through global civilizations and world history on the back of a horse. Winegard traces the unrivalled, game-changing historical power of this âliving machineâ across both space and time in an engaging (and often witty) narrative style. Written like Guns, Germs, and Steel or Sapiens, this book is filled with wonderful human-horse stories, amazing historical connections, and fascinating trivia-like âbits and pieces.â The Horse is one of the best books I have read in quite some time.
Reviewer: Nancy G
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very interesting
Review: Iâm really enjoying this book. There is a ton of information I never knew and Iâm a horse person. It is also written with a dry wit that Iâm enjoying. I find myself laughing out loud at some things. Totally worth the price.
Reviewer: scifishm
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: How horses made history
Review: Timothy Winegard convinces me that it was not just the triumvirate of guns, germs and steel that determined the course of world history. Horses were just as important.This is such a lively book that you will not want to drop the reins of Winegardâs galloping narrative. He starts his journey way back in historyâevolutionary as well as humanâand rapidly traverses the varying terrains of the world to tell a story that is dense with memorable characters, action, heroism (equine and human), violence, and horror (most vivid in his account of the Spanish importation of horses to their colonies in North and South America).To tell this story, Winegard draws upon a huge literature and an arenaâs worth of perspectives, dating from the earliest written records and archaeological finds to recent work, both popular and scholarly. If there are books or articles about horses that Winegard has not consulted, they probably are not worth knowing about. And I would be surprised if there are facts, statistics, people, and events connected with horses that he has overlooked and/or failed to mention in writing in this book.Winegardâs narrative also includes seemingly every turn of phrase or metaphor (often with a discussion of its origins) associated with horses: straight from the horseâs mouth, eating like a horse; horse sense; horsing around; horseplay; champing at the bit; hold your horses; behold a pale horse; riders on the storm; my kingdom for a horse; dark horse; unbridled; trotting along; etc.I did not know much about horses before I read this book. When I learned of it, I wanted to read it because I think horses are magnificent animals, and I felt I needed to know more about them.Winegard shows us how humans throughout history have taken advantage of the beauty, strength, speed, stamina, and intelligence of horses. I think it is great that Winegard shows us the central role of the horse in the human story, that in effect he has written a work of history from the viewpoint of the horse. I needed to know this. Maybe you need to know it too.Thank you PENGUIN | Dutton for providing an advance copy in galley form for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Reviewer: colocat
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great!
Review: So interesting and informative!
Reviewer: Jim Scott
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Reviewed of âThe Horse â
Review: An excellent overview of the evolution of horses!
Reviewer: Gregory Moreno
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: So much I didnât know.
Review: Liked the history and biology. Didnât like left out stuff what about US cowboys?
Reviewer: Crazee Dazee
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Must-have for horse lovers!
Review: This is an awesome gift for the horse lovers in your life!
Reviewer: John King
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Captivating Journey Through the History of Horses
Review: Winegard’s storytelling is rich and detailed, yet accessible, making it both an educational and entertaining read. His deep understanding of history and his passion for the subject shine through on every page.Whether you’re a history buff, a horse lover, or just someone looking for an engaging and enlightening read, this book is a must. I highly recommend it to anyone curious about the profound impact horses have had on our world.
