by Geraldine Brooks, 2024, Penguin Books

This is an interesting and well-written novel about a thoroughbred horse called Lexington who lived in the middle of the nineteenth century. Brooks based the book on a the horse that was declared the world’s champion and who eventually sired 575 fouls, many of which went on to win racing victories of their own.

The book bounced back and forth between the story of the horse in the 1850’s, the painting of the horse that was acquired by a gallery owner in New York in the 1950’s, and the discovery in 2019 of the painting on a curb by a neighbor who was researching equestrian paintings. The book blends the anatomy of horses, the history of thoroughbred racing, equestrian painting, racism and civil rights, and the impact of the Civil War. This is quite a collection of information.

The only issue I had with the book is that I am not quite sure that the information and subjects she covered were of great interest to me. It was an enjoyable read, but after reading the book, I don’t think it will have any lasting impact on me. That’s too bad, because Brooks put a lot of effort and research into writing it.