British broadcaster Balding (
The Ration Book Olympics: When London Hosted the Austerity Games) grew up in a family where animals earned more respect and were better understood than its human members. This did not make Balding's childhood unhappy, but it did make it different. Her father was a racehorse trainer, and she grew up in the English countryside of the 1960s surrounded by champion steeds and a constant procession of dogs. Her life completely revolved around horses and the people who helped care for and train them. The book chronicles her experiences as a child and adolescent, with each chapter named for a horse that was paramount in her life at that point. Balding's social awkwardness as a child is endearing; many readers may identify with the ten-year-old who desperately wants to make friends but who always seems to say the wrong thing. She has no trouble interacting with a horse or dog, but dealing with her peers is a different matter.
VERDICT This memoir will be of interest to readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories, and it provides a glimpse into the British world of horse racing. Balding's story of growing up in an unusual environment and trying to fit in with the rest of the world will resonate with many readers.
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