The Horse

A Novel

De: Willy Vlautin

Narrado por: Willy Vlautin

“Willy Vlautin writes about people overlooked by society and overlooked by literature. In The Horse, he tells the story of a tenderhearted man who has a steady talent and a crushing addiction. It is both a work of extraordinary compassion and a really great novel."—Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Lake

“A moving tale of suffering and redemption, The Horse portrays the immense gravity of what it takes to be human in tough times, and the elusive grace that might just be grasped from music, animals, and memory.”—Geraldine Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of Horse

Award-winning author Willy Vlautin explores loneliness, art, regret, and hard-won empathy in this poignant novel—his most personal to date—that captures the life of a journeyman musician unable to escape the tragedies of his past.

Al Ward lives on an isolated mining claim in the high desert of central Nevada fifty miles from the nearest town. A grizzled man in his sixties, he survives on canned soup, instant coffee, and memories of his ex-wife, friends and family he’s lost, and his life as a touring musician. Hampered by insomnia, bouts of anxiety, and a chronic lethargy that keeps him from moving back to town, Al finds himself teetering on the edge of madness and running out of reasons to go on—until a horse arrives on his doorstep: nameless, blind, and utterly helpless.

Al hopes the horse will vanish as mysteriously as he appeared. Yet the animal remains, leaving him in a conundrum. Is the animal real, or a phantom conjured from imagination? As Al contemplates the horse’s existence—and what, if anything, he can do—his thoughts are interspersed with memories, from the moment his mother’s part-time boyfriend gifts him a 1959 butterscotch blonde Telecaster, to the day his travels begin. He joins various bands—all who perform his songs once they discover his talent–playing casinos, truck stops, clubs, and bars. He falls in love, and finds pockets of companionship and minor success along the way. Never close to stardom or financial success, he continues as a journeyman for decades until alcoholism and a heartbreaking tragedy lead him to the solitude of the barren Nevada desert.

A poignant meditation on addiction, heartbreak, and the reality of life on the road in smalltime bands, The Horse is a beautiful, haunting tale from an author working at the height of his powers.

©2024 Willy Vlautin (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Lovely Harsh Sweet

This is the first book I have heard read by the author that was hands-down, the most beautiful pairing of sound and story. It’s strange, but i felt like I was inhabiting the protagonist’s skin. I walked a lifetime of rough miles in this person‘s shoes and found deep empathy for a kind of person I’m unlikely to ever encounter in my “real” life. The author clearly understood his subject with rich, poetic, yet plain spoken language. The attention to detail, in a matter of fact way, framed this fictional portrait of an unknown artist’s life story with truth. To top off the extraordinary story telling “The Horse” secured one of my personal basic tenets: everything is better with an animal in it.

The sobering details of the few up’s and the many‘down’s in Al’s life.

It was among the most depressing stories I’ve ever listened to - so real. It was a bit boring in spots as many of the experiences were repetitive. But that’s the life of depressed people and an alcoholic to boot. I forced myself to listen through to the end.

Deeply moving piece of Americana

Superbly written and performed by the author, The Horse recounts the slow unraveling of a down-on-his-luck musical savant in the golden era of country music.

Al’s Song titles

You could listen to this just for Al’s song titles. Real story about the lives of a musician.

Couldn't go on...

The book was too depressing. The humans were depressing. The poor horse. I just couldn't finish.

Willy Vlautin is a treasure

Man can he write. Not the most compelling plot, but the characters and settings are alive with heart and grit. Maybe the greatest collection of country music song titles ever compiled in one place. A really different feel and place than most books being written today.

Poetic

The author did an incredible job of narration.
The tale was haunting, depressing, yet ever hopeful
I was deeply moved by the story and how well it was spoken

After a while, I kinda started to like it.

it's a tale of a musician who is very talented, but can't quit hit the big time. he travels and plays, but he is really good at writing songs. the author gives us an Easter egg, the ballad of Frank and Jerry Lee. it was a little hard tkeep track of everything but buy the end your came to know Al.

Depressing, moving and classic W. Planting! Great story with very real characters.

Author reading instead of professional narrator. Drives me crazy when it's a book I especially like.

Tugs at the heartstrings

I myself and a lot of people I’ve known can all find parallels along this story. It’s maybe not for all, and the heartbreak in this story is long and deep.
But the protagonist is a good man, just unlucky in life. And the horse himself is also a parallel of the main character, sort of a spirit animal.
I won’t ruin the end, but the journey is wonderfully told. Don’t know a lot of forlorn country singers myself, but I do know a lot of people who’ve tried their whole lives to get it right and never really get there. Empathy for woebegone types is a must for this story and the treasure can be found.
Also, it’s just one of the best books I’ve ever read.