HORSE

“A racehorse is a mirror, and a man sees his own reflection there.”
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In 1850s Kentucky, a foal is born under the care of his young Black groom who will sacrifice anything - his family, his freedom - to remain with this extraordinary horse. In present day Washington DC, an art historian finds a discarded painting of a horse, setting in motion events that will unlock the mystery of its subject. This tender and beautiful historical novel documents the story of a racehorse whose story is like no other, and the humans who form a deep connection to him both during and after his lifetime.
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Weaving together art, race, greed and science, Horse is both captivating and enlightening. Told seamlessly from multiple perspectives and a dual timeline, I enjoyed learning more about this period in history and found myself surprisingly attached to this special horse. Particularly poignant were the parallels between present day Theo, a young, erudite Black art historian, and 19th century Jarrett, who cares for the horse more than any other human in the world, even himself. It was disheartening and eye opening to see how alienated they both feel in worlds to which they could never completely belong, and how very little overt racism and micro-aggressions have changed in the past 175 years. Perhaps we all need to look to animals as our models in faith, integrity, trust and hope.
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Kentucky offers plenty of Derby-inspired fare, all paired with a shot of bourbon or a chilled mint julep. But in a stroke of true kismet, a recipe for KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE coincidentally landed in my inbox a few days ago from @nytcooking - how perfect!! This rich bundt has a hint of bourbon which replaces the original vanilla, and a boozy buttery crust at the bottom. I’ll link in stories so you can have some southern sweetness to accompany this terrific story.
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In the past year, I’ve read about an intellectually curious dog, a witty octopus, and a remarkable racehorse. What is your favorite book featuring an extra-special animal?