Half Broke Horses
A True-Life Novel
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Half Broke Horses
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Narrated by:
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Jeannette Walls
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Written by:
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Jeannette Walls
About this listen
2010 Audie Award Finalist for Narration by the Author
Jeannette Walls's memoir The Glass Castle was "nothing short of spectacular" ( Entertainment Weekly). Now, in Half Broke Horses, she brings us the story of her grandmother, told in a first-person voice that is authentic, irresistible, and triumphant.
"Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did." So begins the story of Lily Casey Smith, Jeannette Walls's no nonsense, resourceful, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. By age six, Lily was helping her father break horses. At 15, she left home to teach in a frontier town - riding 500 miles on her pony, alone, to get to her job. She learned to drive a car ("I loved cars even more than I loved horses. They didn't need to be fed if they weren't working, and they didn't leave big piles of manure all over the place") and fly a plane. And, with her husband Jim, she ran a vast ranch in Arizona. She raised two children, one of whom is Jeannette's memorable mother, Rosemary Smith Walls, unforgettably portrayed in The Glass Castle.
Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds -- against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn't fit the mold. Rosemary Smith Walls always told Jeannette that she was like her grandmother, and in this true-life novel, Jeannette Walls channels that kindred spirit.
Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa or Beryl Markham's West with the Night. Destined to become a classic, it will transfix audiences everywhere.
©2009 Jeanette Walls (P)2009 Simon & SchusterYou may also enjoy...
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Why we think it’s a great listen: There’s no gentle way to put this – Frank McCourt’s performance of Angela’s Ashes is just better than the Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Frank McCourt shares his sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking story of growing up poor, Irish, and Catholic in the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela's Ashes.
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At a time when Vancouver Island was still an extremely remote and sparsely populated backwater, a young widow packed her five children into a 25-foot boat dubbed The Caprice and set off on an adventure. Summer after summer the brave young mother, who became known as "Capi," would set sail and explore the rugged coastline for months with her young crew. Although the hazards the family faced were numerous-tides, fog, storms, rapids, cougars, and even grizzlies-Capi brought them through it all.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Exquisite treasure
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Written by: M. Wylie Blanchet
-
The Glass Castle
- A Memoir
- Written by: Jeannette Walls
- Narrated by: Jeannette Walls
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 543
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 466
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 467
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination. Rose Mary painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family; she called herself an "excitement addict."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What an amazing story of resilience & ...
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-06-05
Written by: Jeannette Walls
-
The Silver Star
- A Novel
- Written by: Jeannette Walls
- Narrated by: Jeannette Walls
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
It is 1970. "Bean" Holladay is 12 and her sister, Liz, is 15 when their artistic mother, Charlotte, a woman who flees every place she’s ever lived at the first sign of trouble," takes off to find herself." She leaves her girls enough money for food to last a month or two. But when Bean gets home from school one day and sees a police car outside the house, she and Liz board a bus from California to Virginia, where their widowed Uncle Tinsley lives in the decaying antebellum mansion that’s been in the family for generations.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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loved the story
- By Becky on 2022-07-29
Written by: Jeannette Walls
-
Hang the Moon
- A Novel
- Written by: Jeannette Walls
- Narrated by: Jeannette Walls
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 22
Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father’s daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother’s son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Overall 4/5
- By MDEBNAM on 2024-01-29
Written by: Jeannette Walls
-
Angela's Ashes
- Written by: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction
- Narrated by: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction
- Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 243
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 208
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 208
Why we think it’s a great listen: There’s no gentle way to put this – Frank McCourt’s performance of Angela’s Ashes is just better than the Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Frank McCourt shares his sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking story of growing up poor, Irish, and Catholic in the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela's Ashes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Superb!
- By Anonymous User on 2020-07-31
Written by: Frank McCourt, and others
-
Wild Horses on the Salt
- Written by: Anne Montgomery
- Narrated by: Patricia Shade
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
A woman flees an abusive husband and finds hope in the wilds of the Arizona desert. Rebecca Quinn escapes her controlling husband and, with nowhere else to go, hops the red-eye to Arizona. There, Gaby Strand - her aunt’s college roommate - gives her shelter at the Salt River Inn, a 1930’s guesthouse located in the wildly beautiful Tonto National Forest. Becca struggles with post-traumatic stress, but is enthralled by the splendor and fragility of the Sonoran Desert.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting look at wild horses and domestic abuse
- By Vitriolic on 2023-03-11
Written by: Anne Montgomery
-
The Curve of Time
- Written by: M. Wylie Blanchet
- Narrated by: Heather Henderson
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
At a time when Vancouver Island was still an extremely remote and sparsely populated backwater, a young widow packed her five children into a 25-foot boat dubbed The Caprice and set off on an adventure. Summer after summer the brave young mother, who became known as "Capi," would set sail and explore the rugged coastline for months with her young crew. Although the hazards the family faced were numerous-tides, fog, storms, rapids, cougars, and even grizzlies-Capi brought them through it all.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Exquisite treasure
- By Vincent Argiro on 2021-10-15
Written by: M. Wylie Blanchet
What the critics say
What listeners say about Half Broke Horses
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Heidi
- 2021-12-21
Half Broke Horses
I throughly enjoyed listening to this book it was was entertaining and hard to put down! I recommend reading this book after the Glass Castle!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rachel
- 2023-05-17
Absolutely loved this story
Wish I’d read this first and then read The Glass Castle. It helps make so much sense of who Rosemary is as a person and why she made those seemingly bizarre life choices. Loved Lily and her tough attitude to life. An inspiration for sure.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-03-16
loved it
Truly entertaining and laugh out loud funny! Enjoyed it more than the Glass Castle which says a lot.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jayne
- 2023-01-28
Wonderful transporting narration!
Jeannette managed to capture a time, and geography, and all the characters so vividly through the eyes of her grandma. What a wonderful, entertaining journey her story takes us on. Lily is perfectly rendered and the reader can see her fully formed and hear her authentic voice! Loved this book!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margaret Gibb
- 2018-09-13
Like when the author narrates😁
This book feels very true to life and includes many unique adventures.
Jeannette does not try to pretty things up.
#audible1
The characters ring true and are very memorable.
I would recommend reading this (her second book) before The Glass Castle (her first book) because the timeline is then chronological.
I enjoyed the setting because I have traveled in the area.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ghost
- 2020-02-12
loved it
if you enjoyed the glass castle then you will absolutely love this! an amazing author!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-03-11
Excellent story
Loved this. Almost more than the glass castle! Finished in 2 days:) easy listening and well narrated
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra
- 2019-12-03
Captivating Portrait of a Brave Woman
I love reading about historical times and events through the eyes of a woman... Lilly was tough, courageous, tender, wise and resilient. Her story was especially poignant read in the voice of her granddaughter.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christina
- 2020-05-04
listened to it ALL in one go
A life story told from the prespective of an unapologetic, brazen, tough as nails, cattle woman.
An excellent listen to follow up her other book, "The Glass Castle"
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-01-13
LOVE love loved it!
What a great book an adventure about days gone by and about a very unique woman. i want more.
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