What do you think?
Rate this book
Horses I'Ve Known
ANNOTATION: Fourteen short stories capture the quirky and peculiar behavior of horses, both good and ornery. You'll meet buckers, tricksters, and trusted partners: Bearcat is not just a plain crazy hardheaded bucker...but a wise, coolheaded cross between a whirlwind and a ton of brick, Joker is full of old nick and plenty of snorts, and Little Eagle is the seeing eye for a blind cowboy. First published in 1940, Horses I've Known contains some of Will James' most acclaimed short stories.
237 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Will James
117 books40 followersWill James, artist and writer of the American West, was born Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault. It was during his creative years everyone grew to know him as Will James. During the next several years, he drifted, worked at several jobs, was briefly jailed for cattle rustling, served in the army, and began selling his sketches and in 1922 sold his first writing, Bucking Horse Riders. The sale of several books followed.
An artist and author of books about the American west and, in particular, horses, Will James wrote the 1926 book "Smoky the Cowhorse". It was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1927, and remains in print to this day. Several movie adaptations of the story have been created, including a 1933 version that included Will James himself as the narrator.
His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930. He also wrote Home Ranch (1935) and he wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
In 1991, Will James was named a member of the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.
An artist and author of books about the American west and, in particular, horses, Will James wrote the 1926 book "Smoky the Cowhorse". It was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1927, and remains in print to this day. Several movie adaptations of the story have been created, including a 1933 version that included Will James himself as the narrator.
His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930. He also wrote Home Ranch (1935) and he wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
In 1991, Will James was named a member of the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 18, 2021
Nov 17, noon ~~ Review asap.
Nov 18, noon ~~ This is a 2004 reprint of a 1940 Will James title. There are fourteen wonderful stories about horses that made life a little more interesting for the narrator.
I loved the book and the cowboy writing style. Made me feel like I was sitting in the barn swapping stories that usually start "I remember the time....." and go on to describe snorty horses, unexpected spills, weird accidents and any other unusual adventure our beloved horses have given us over the years.
This is why it has taken me a little while to get a review written. I start off to tell about the stories, the horses such as Bearcat, Clubfoot and Chapo or that team of lovely unnamed blacks he borrowed for what turned out to be a roller coaster of a wagon ride trying to get two girls to a party.
And instead of that I have in my mind the horses I have known: Cheyenne, Hector, Lazy A, Eddie, Blue, Mule, Pajarito, BJ, Patton, Boogie, Brownie, Peggy, Sue, Floyd, Buster. On and on into the night.
So I will rein in my memories and simply repeat that I loved the stories and the horses in this book. I also appreciated the attitude Will James had towards horses. Yes, the cowboys and range riders were rough and tough in those days, but James seemed to understand Horse Mind too. He wanted to figure them out, to make them good working partners. Sometimes that was not possible, but he always tried, and never lost his admiration for horses in general. That shows up in every page of the book.
And now, excuse me, but I have to go back to my memory herd and visit with Saddle, Bingo, Bullet, Snot, Larry, Dennis and Harry. To name a few.
Nov 18, noon ~~ This is a 2004 reprint of a 1940 Will James title. There are fourteen wonderful stories about horses that made life a little more interesting for the narrator.
I loved the book and the cowboy writing style. Made me feel like I was sitting in the barn swapping stories that usually start "I remember the time....." and go on to describe snorty horses, unexpected spills, weird accidents and any other unusual adventure our beloved horses have given us over the years.
This is why it has taken me a little while to get a review written. I start off to tell about the stories, the horses such as Bearcat, Clubfoot and Chapo or that team of lovely unnamed blacks he borrowed for what turned out to be a roller coaster of a wagon ride trying to get two girls to a party.
And instead of that I have in my mind the horses I have known: Cheyenne, Hector, Lazy A, Eddie, Blue, Mule, Pajarito, BJ, Patton, Boogie, Brownie, Peggy, Sue, Floyd, Buster. On and on into the night.
So I will rein in my memories and simply repeat that I loved the stories and the horses in this book. I also appreciated the attitude Will James had towards horses. Yes, the cowboys and range riders were rough and tough in those days, but James seemed to understand Horse Mind too. He wanted to figure them out, to make them good working partners. Sometimes that was not possible, but he always tried, and never lost his admiration for horses in general. That shows up in every page of the book.
And now, excuse me, but I have to go back to my memory herd and visit with Saddle, Bingo, Bullet, Snot, Larry, Dennis and Harry. To name a few.
August 6, 2010
Will James was an amazing author and illustrator who left us much too soon (at the age of 50). His stories about horses are well seasoned with the life of a cowboy in the words, sentence structure and the sense of humour.
He talks about the traits of the horses so clearly you can almost see them in your mind's eye. He fesses up to the times he found himself on foot - a terrible thing for a cowboy and although he doesn't exactly say he was bucked off a time or two, that's what happened.
Interesting and enjoyable reading.
He talks about the traits of the horses so clearly you can almost see them in your mind's eye. He fesses up to the times he found himself on foot - a terrible thing for a cowboy and although he doesn't exactly say he was bucked off a time or two, that's what happened.
Interesting and enjoyable reading.
August 27, 2021
Interesting recital of fascinating weird horses. Enjoyable and different.
July 16, 2015
Thank you, Will James, for preserving the cowboy spirit for us. James' stories take us back to the old west and give us a taste of what it was like to live life in the rough. His appreciation for a good piece of horseflesh helps the reader understand just what makes a cowboy tick.
December 12, 2018
I have only ever had a taste of Will James in all my years of reading every book about horses I could get my hands on. James is one of those classic western authors that can be shelved right along side Louis L'amour. Of course the one thing that sets them apart is James' obsession with horses. This book was certainly a lament to the lost ways of the old west. Riding was a way of life, and horsemanship then was very different from how it is now. I love how he even mentions "the poorer riders would try to break them without hardly a buck. Working them on the ground with all kinds of contraptions and rope..." I had to laugh at that. Yes, the riding skills of today certainly wouldn't be up to snuff then. I now must own every single Will James book that there is! Five out of five stars to Horses I've Known.
Read
September 4, 2016I used to have a hardback library edition (sans dust jacket) but sadly I cannot remember much about the book, except for "The Seeing Eye", the horse ridden by a blind cowboy. This is one of those books I hope to replace someday --- although I'd like to get a copy with a dust jacket.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews