Black Beauty (version 2)

Anna Sewell (1820 - 1878)

Black Beauty is a fictional autobiographical memoir told by a horse, who recounts many tales, both of cruelty and kindness. The title page of the first edition states that it was "Translated from the Original Equine by Anna Sewell." It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was confined to her house as an invalid. After its publication in 1877, Sewell lived just long enough to see her first and only novel become an immediate bestseller, as well as it encouraging the better treatment of many cruelly-treated animals.

Although initially intended for people who work with horses, it soon became a children's classic. While outwardly teaching animal welfare, it also contains allegorical lessons about how to treat people with kindness, sympathy and respect. The story is narrated in the first person and each short chapter relates an incident in Black Beauty's life, with Sewell's detailed observations and extensive descriptions of horse behaviour lending the novel a good deal of verisimilitude.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Cori Samuel, with help.

Genre(s): Animals & Nature

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - My Early Home Cori Samuel
00:05:03
Play 02 02 - The Hunt Cori Samuel
00:06:34
Play 03 03 - My Breaking In Cori Samuel
00:08:30
Play 04 04 - Birtwick Park Cori Samuel
00:05:54
Play 05 05 - A Fair Start Cori Samuel
00:07:05
Play 06 06 - Liberty Cori Samuel
00:03:19
Play 07 07 - Ginger Cori Samuel
00:08:40
Play 08 08 - Ginger's Story Continued Cori Samuel
00:06:58
Play 09 09 - Merrylegs Cori Samuel
00:05:16
Play 10 10 - A Talk in the Orchard Cori Samuel
00:11:00
Play 11 11 - Plain Speaking Cori Samuel
00:06:00
Play 12 12 - A Stormy Day Cori Samuel
00:06:34
Play 13 13 - The Devil's Trade Mark Cori Samuel
00:05:25
Play 14 14 - James Howard Cori Samuel
00:05:29
Play 15 15 - The Old Ostler Cori Samuel
00:05:39
Play 16 16 - The Fire Cori Samuel
00:08:02
Play 17 17 - John Manly's Talk Cori Samuel
00:07:00
Play 18 18 - Going for the Doctor Cori Samuel
00:07:34
Play 19 19 - Only Ignorance Cori Samuel
00:04:27
Play 20 20 - Joe Green Cori Samuel
00:05:28
Play 21 21 - The Parting Cori Samuel
00:05:27
Play 22 22 - Earlshall Cori Samuel
00:07:25
Play 23 23 - A Strike for Liberty Cori Samuel
00:06:26
Play 24 24 - The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse Cori Samuel
00:11:50
Play 25 25 - Reuben Smith Cori Samuel
00:06:59
Play 26 26 - How it Ended Cori Samuel
00:05:24
Play 27 27 - Ruined and Going Downhill Cori Samuel
00:05:18
Play 28 28 - A Job Horse and His Drivers Cori Samuel
00:06:37
Play 29 29 - Cockneys Cori Samuel
00:11:56
Play 30 30 - A Thief Cori Samuel
00:04:59
Play 31 31 - A Humbug Cori Samuel
00:05:38
Play 32 32 - A Horse Fair Cori Samuel
00:07:13
Play 33 33 - A London Cab Horse Cori Samuel
00:07:48
Play 34 34 - An Old War Horse Cori Samuel
00:10:05
Play 35 35 - Jerry Barker Cori Samuel
00:10:54
Play 36 36 - The Sunday Cab Cori Samuel
00:08:28
Play 37 37 - The Golden Rule Cori Samuel
00:06:28
Play 38 38 - Dolly and a Real Gentleman Cori Samuel
00:07:43
Play 39 39 - Seedy Sam Cori Samuel
00:06:41
Play 40 40 - Poor Ginger Cori Samuel
00:04:32
Play 41 41 - The Butcher Cori Samuel
00:05:34
Play 42 42 - The Election Cori Samuel
00:03:25
Play 43 43 - A Friend in Need Cori Samuel
00:07:45
Play 44 44 - Old Captain and His Successor Cori Samuel
00:08:04
Play 45 45 - Jerry's New Year Cori Samuel
00:10:53
Play 46 46 - Jakes and the Lady Cori Samuel
00:06:58
Play 47 47 - Hard Times Cori Samuel
00:08:18
Play 48 48 - Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie Cori Samuel
00:07:18
Play 49 49 - My Last Home Cori Samuel
00:06:39