The best books for those who are crazy over horses (and dogs and anything with four legs)

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I grew up in the heart of a big city (Pittsburgh, PA), I have always loved animals. I had dogs, I had cats, I had turtles. There was a horse that pulled a wagon through our streets and he always stopped so I could feed him sugar. I still remember the way his breath felt on the palm of my hand. My parents would drive me to a park where I could rent a horse and ride. I’m old now and I’d have to be lowered onto a horse by a crane, but sometimes I think it would be great if that were to happen.


I wrote...

A Horse To Die For

By Carolyn Banks,

Book cover of A Horse To Die For

What is my book about?

A Horse to Die For is part of the Robin Vaughan Equestrian Series. Like the other books in the series, It’s a comic novel as well as a mystery. It takes place around Christmas and starts when Robin’s best friend, Lola, gets a horse for Christmas. He’s a rehab, Lola tells her, because he charges when he’s out in the pasture. Lola doesn’t mention that one of the people the horse charged was killed. Robin thinks the horse is familiar. Furthermore, he reminds Robin of a horse that is dead. Worse, the horse died while Robin was horse-sitting. This calls Robin to track the evil-doers down.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Dead Cert

Carolyn Banks Why did I love this book?

This is the first book by Dick Francis that I ever read. I knew it was based on an incident that happened to him when he was riding in a steeplechase. I was dying to get to the accident and scared, knowing what was going to happen and when. Whew!

By Dick Francis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dead Cert as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dick Francis, the bestselling master of mystery and suspense, takes you into the thrilling world of horse racing.

Steeplechaser Alan York knows well the dangers of the sport. But when his best friend and rival Bill Davidson takes a fall in the middle of a race and doesn’t get up again, Alan discovers it was no accident. Someone rigged a tripwire to take down the running horse.

The more Alan investigates, the more he suspects that there is more to the plot than just murderous horseplay. But even as he approaches the finish line to this mysterious race, those responsible…


Book cover of All Creatures Great and Small

Carolyn Banks Why did I love this book?

All Creatures Great and Small is a sweet book that at the same time can make you laugh out loud. His prose is understated and he’s able to make fun of himself. Herriot’s encounters with all sorts of animals are unique and heartwarming, and that spreads to include his dealings with humans as well.

I’ve always loved animals and, clearly, James Herriot does too. And I’ve always loved things British, and this book is so very so.

By James Herriot,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked All Creatures Great and Small as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

A tie-in to the PBS Masterpiece series and Christmas special, available on streaming and home video.

All Creatures Great and Small is first volume in the multimillion copy bestselling series. Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.

For fifty years, generations of readers have flocked to Herriot's marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike…


Book cover of Heads Up - Heels Down

Carolyn Banks Why did I love this book?

Heads Up - Heels Down is beautifully written by C. W. Anderson and beautifully illustrated with pencil drawings by Paul Brown. I remember some of his lines and I read this book first when I was 13! Buy an old hunter, he says, and if there’s a fence between you and open country, “he will solve the problem nicely.”

By C.W. Anderson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heads Up - Heels Down as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Traveller

Carolyn Banks Why did I love this book?

This novel is told from the point of view of Traveller, Robert E. Lee’s horse. That may sound hokey, but it’s a powerful book that reveals the horrors of the Civil War. It brought me to tears at the end, when Traveller is mystified by goings-on that we, the readers, realize what Traveler cannot know—that Robert E. Lee has died.

By Richard Adams,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Traveller as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This ironic, revisionist view of the Civil War is seen through the eyes of Robert E. Lee's horse, Traveller. Told in a series of monologues directed at a tomcat, his story depicts battles, retreats and casualties. But Traveller's idealization of his rider does not allow him to recognize or even understand defeat. Richard Adams has written "Watership Down", "Shardik", "The Plague Dogs", "The Girl in a Swing" and "Maia".


Book cover of The Art of Racing in the Rain

Carolyn Banks Why did I love this book?

The Art of Racing in the Rain is told by Enzo, an old and much-loved dog. If you don’t weep reading this book, you don’t have a heart. Along with the man-and-dog story is the owner’s fight for the custody of his daughter. And you’ll love the ending, which I won’t spoil for you.

By Garth Stein,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked The Art of Racing in the Rain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Soon to be a major motion picture, this heart-warming and inspirational tale follows Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo realizes that racing is a metaphor: that by applying the techniques a driver would apply on…


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Medical Hostages

By Shawn Jennings,

Book cover of Medical Hostages

Shawn Jennings Author Of Locked In Locked Out: Surviving a Brainstem Stroke

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

The five recommended nonfiction books on my list profoundly affected my life in my time of need. I struggled when a minor accident led to a brainstem stroke and being locked in at 45. How would I find happiness now? How can I go on? These five books gave me the strength to work hard, accept what couldn’t be improved, and be grateful for each day of good health. I hope the recommended books will help you prepare for the day your life will change...and it will.

Shawn's book list on accepting and moving on from a tragedy

What is my book about?

Duke, the leader of a bike gang, is in custody for murder. He plans an escape by feigning illness and hospitalization. But an unexpected turn of events results in two gang members and Duke holding a medical floor of patients hostage. Patients will die if the police don't meet their demands within hours.
The drama follows Duke and Drs. Mindy Fletch, director of the Intensive Care Unit, and Craig Russell, a family medicine resident, in this tense hostage stand-off.

Will the bikers find freedom? Will hostages die? Can Mindy and Craig survive and prevent deaths? In times of stress, people often discover new directions and strengths.

Medical Hostages

By Shawn Jennings,

What is this book about?

Duke, the leader of a bike gang, is in custody for murder. He plans an escape by feigning illness and hospitalization. But an unexpected turn of events results in two gang members and Duke holding a medical floor of patients hostage.


Patients will die if the police don't meet their demands within hours.


The drama follows Duke and Drs. Mindy Fletch, director of the Intensive Care Unit; and Craig Russell, a family medicine resident; in this tense hostage stand-off.


Will the bikers find freedom? Will hostages die? Can Mindy and Craig survive and prevent deaths?


In times of stress, people…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Robert E. Lee, horse racing, and presidential biography?

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