Half Broke Horses
Summary
“Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did.” So begins the story of Lily Casey Smith, Jeannette Walls’s no nonsense, resourceful, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. By age six, Lily was helping her father break horses. At fifteen, she left home to teach in a frontier town — riding five hundred miles on her pony, alone, to get to her job. She learned to drive a car (“I loved cars even more than I loved horses. They didn’t need to be fed if they weren’t working, and they didn’t leave big piles of manure all over the place”) and fly a plane. And, with her husband Jim, she ran a vast ranch in Arizona. She raised two children, one of whom is Jeannette’s memorable mother, Rosemary Smith Walls, unforgettably portrayed in The Glass Castle.
Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds — against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn’t fit the mold. Rosemary Smith Walls always told Jeannette that she was like her grandmother, and in this true-life novel, Jeannette Walls channels that kindred spirit. Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa or Beryl Markham’s West with the Night. Destined to become a classic, it will transfix audiences everywhere.
(Summary taken from www.simonandschuster.com)
My Review
When this book arrived in the mail from Amazon, I’m wasn’t sure what to make of it based on its cover. But I quickly learned that there was more to this story than meets the eye. Half Broke Horses is based on the life and many adventures of Lily Casey Smith, an insanely driven woman living out west during the early 1900′s. Part of the book described “ranch life”, which I surprisingly enjoyed – enough to be informative without going overboard with too many details. I became enamoured with Lily’s stubbornness, determination and perseverance as she pursued her dreams which included, becoming a teacher, graduating from college and flying a plane . She left her humble beginnings at the ranch to follow her dreams at a time when women were expected to marry early and raise a family. She accomplished what few, even in this day and age, only dream of doing. The book is written in first person with an easy, conversational tone, as well as divided in very short chapters. This made the reading effortless! The book was fast paced, so I didn’t feel like it lagged in any areas. Because of the way it was written, I felt I was right there with Lily during her greatest trials and triumphs. Overall, I think Walls did a marvelous job of painting a vivid picture of her grandmother – a courageous woman, with all her inner beauty and flaws.
Closing Remarks: A very quick & enjoyable read! Though the main character went through many trials and tribulations, the general tone of the story of positive and uplifting. Many interesting references to American Southwestern life, without going overboard.
Drink of Choice: A double shot of Johnny Walker
Additional Information
Click here to purchase “Half Broke Horses” on Amazon
