Synopses & Reviews
A breakout novel from the author of
The Jump-Off Creek, the heartwarming story of a determined young woman with a gift for gentling wild horses
In the winter of 1917, when a young woman shows up at his doorstep looking for work breaking horses, George Bliss hires her on. Many of his regular hands are off fighting the war, and he glimpses, beneath her showy rodeo garb, a shy but feisty girl with a serious knowledge of horses.
So begins the irresistible tale of nineteen-year-old Martha Lessen, a female horse whisperer trying to make a go of it in a man's world. At the time, it was thought that the only way to break a horse was to buck the wild out of him, but when the ranchers in this remote county of Eastern Oregon witness Martha talking in sweet tones to horses believed beyond repair and getting miraculous results she earns a place of respect in the community. Along the way, she helps a family save their horses when their wagon slides into a ravine; she gentles a horse for a dying man a last gift to his young son; she clashes with a hired hand who is abusing horses in unspeakable ways; and gradually, she comes to feel enveloped by a sense of belonging and family she's never had before.
With the elegant sweetness of Plainsong and a pitch-perfect sense of western life reminiscent of Annie Dillard, The Hearts of Horses is a remarkable story about the connections between and among people and animals and how they touch one another in the most unexpected and profound ways.
Review
"A shining example of Molly Gloss' gifts." Amy Bloom, A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You
Review
"Gloss has...a permanent place on the shelf of American literature [featuring] smart, independent women." Kent Haruf, author of Plainsong
Review
"Gloss...offers an acutely observed, often lyrical portrayal that mirrors ourown era and, title notwithstanding, has as much to say about people as about horses." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[A] delightfully down-home, matter-of-fact voice." Booklsit
Review
"Gloss' intimacy with the landscape and ranch life is conveyed beautifully in particulars and small observations." Los Angeles Times
Review
"Gloss stitches together not so much a plot, more an assembly of parallel tales connected by unceasing labor and then by the additional demands of the war." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"It's an Oregon of the mind Gloss takes her readers to, one that evanesces with her narrator's imaginary breath." Seattle Times
Synopsis
An elegant, heartwarming story about the profound connections between people and animals
In the winter of 1917, nineteen-year-old Martha Lessen saddles her horses and heads for a remote county in eastern Oregon, looking for work “gentling” wild horses. She chances on a rancher, George Bliss, who is willing to hire her on. Many of his regular hands are off fighting the war, and he glimpses, beneath her showy rodeo garb, a shy but strong-willed girl with a serious knowledge of horses. So begins the irresistible tale of a young but determined woman trying to make a go of it in a mans world. Over the course of several long, hard winter months, many of the townsfolk witness Martha talking in low, sweet tones to horses believed beyond repair—getting miraculous, almost immediate results. It's with this gift that she earns their respect, and a chance to make herself a home.
About the Author
Molly Gloss is the author of The Dazzle of the Day, a New York Times Notable Book, and The Jump-Off Creek, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. She teaches writing and literature of the American West at Portland State University and lives in Portland, Oregon. Wild Life, her third novel, is the winner of the James Tiptree Award for literary fantasy.