To call this history from scientist and journalist Raulff (director, German Literature Archive in Marbach am Neckar) a sprawling work would be an understatement. The author's deep love of and fascination with all things equine is apparent in this beautifully translated deep dive into the history of humankind's relationship with the horse. Organized into four sections, the book leaves no stone unturned in examining the many ways in which horses have played key roles in civilization—in work, in war, in art, in symbolism, and in companionship—and how that relationship has drastically changed since World War II. The only criticism is that the amount of detail, which borders on encyclopedic, is often overwhelming. While beautifully written and undeniably compelling, this work has a very niche audience in mind. VERDICT Anyone with a love of horses will be in paradise reading this reverently catalogued tribute. Cultural anthropologists and historians will also appreciate.—Jennifer Stout, Virginia Commonwealth Univ. Lib., Richmond