© 2006 J. Edward Chamberlin
288 pages
How do I love thee, O horse? Let me
count the ways. J. Edward Chamberlin’s Horse begins with one lonely native
American mare separated from her tribe recounting, from long memory, the many
centuries that horses and humans have traveled together. Even after moving to
more conventional historical narrative, the book remains highly storied,
drawing much from art and poetry and never far removed from recollections of
Blackfoot, Greek, Chinese, or other horse-related mythology. In terms of history, war and sports
predominate, with the scant mention made to an actual workhorse appearing and vanishing in the last chapter
like the twinkling of a star. The
history itself sits under the shadow of mythology; the author's claim that chariots were used
more to taxi infantry to the battle than as weapons themselves is illustrated
with nothing more than The Illiad,
and he manages to put the cart before the horse (ho, ho) by referring to
Islamic expansion as a reaction to the Crusades. Say again? There’s
useful information here – on the evolution of
different breeds, saddles, riding
styles – but it’s altogether very general. It’s a loving tribute to creatures that
inspire awe and have been at the center of human history for thousands of
years, but shouldn’ t be approached for too much substantial history.
Why does it seem that man's best friend, next to his dog, is his horse?
ReplyDeleteI think horses win as far as civilized man goes -- they're our transportation, farmhands, millers, etc. Dogs may have been more useful prior to farming -- I'm looking forward to reading "The Invaders" next year to dig into that question!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to try: How the Dog became the Dog - From Wolves to our Best Friends by Mark Derr. It looks like exactly what you're after. Haven't read it (yet) so can't vouch for it though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation! The reviews seem mixed, but if I can find a local copy I may go for it.
ReplyDelete