The Horse

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The Horse

By: Willy Vlautin

Narrated by: Willy Vlautin

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Sixty-five-year-old Al Ward is living on old mining land in Nevada. One morning, a horse arrives outside his home, seemingly unable to feed itself or stay safe from coyote attacks. Six thousand feet up, 30 miles from the nearest town, and broken by alcoholism and anxiety, Al must decide what to do.

Intercut with Al’s dilemma are episodes from his long life as a touring musician. Beginning in Reno, we follow his chequered career as a guitarist and songwriter, struggling to make ends meet and to survive the reality of a life devoid of the perks and glamour of mainstream success.

A homage to the uncelebrated musicians who can make our lives more joyful, The Horse is a gorgeous journey of a novel, exploring loneliness, humanity and resilience.

2024, Gordon Burn Prize, Long-listed

Willy VlautinWilly VlautinBolinda audio

Animals

Genre Fiction

Animals Genre Fiction

Reviews

'There's not another writer out there, living or dead, that I trust with my heart more than Willy Vlautin, and he breaks it every damn time. In Al Ward's love and loss, in his decency, his pathos, and his struggle to endure, Vlautin has gifted us a paean to the power of song. The Horse is another classic from one of America's greatest storytellers.' (Jonathan Evison, New York Times bestselling author of Again and Again)

'I loved The Horse like I love all Willy Vlautin joints – for its melodic prose and its unflinching heart. This terrific parable of art and aging, laced within the bittersweet story of an old casino musician, is like the literary equivalent of a classic album by Tom Waits or Townes Van Zandt.' (Jess Walter, New York Times bestselling author of The Cold Millions and Beautiful Ruins)

'Willy Vlautin’s characters blaze with honesty, fighting for their slim chance at the American dream.' (Rene Denfeld, author of The Child Finder)

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