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Shoot the Horses First
***Winner of the Shorts Award for Americana Fiction***
Through a historian’s lens and folkloric storytelling, the pieces in SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST revel in the nuances, brutality, mythology, and tiny victories of our historical past. A launderer takes us inside the linens of the richest families in early Baltimore. A child on the Orphan Train has his teeth inspected like a horse. Civil War soldiers experience PTSD. While one woman lands on an island of the Wampanoag tribe, a woman 200 years later finds Apache in a harsh frontier. Children survive yellow fever, the desert heat, and mistaken identities; men survive severed fingers, untested medicines, and wives with obsessive compulsive disorders. Frederick Douglass’ grandson plays violin at the World’s Fair on Colored American Day, a woman with disabilities is kept hidden away like she doesn’t exist, and a botanist is denied her place in a science journal because she is female. Themes of place, war, mental illness, identity, disability, feminism, and unyielding optimism throughout harrowing desperation resurface in this collection of stories that takes us back to time immemorial, yet feels so close, and all too familiar.
PRAISE
“I’m astonished by the historical breadth in this collection of stories and by the sensibility that unites them. It’s a thrill to be dropped, so vividly, into such a wide variety of settings and periods—and even more of a thrill to discover the strong new voice of Leah Angstman. Read it!”
—Ethan Rutherford, author of FARTHEST SOUTH and THE PERIPATETIC COFFIN AND OTHER STORIES
“In SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST, Leah Angstman blasts readers from the Twitterfied nowscape into the manifest past—to an America connected by the burgeoning railroad and shattered by civil war. As inventive and complex as the era itself, these sixteen fictions of nineteenth-century friction contain surprises on every page. Whether it’s an impromptu snowball fight on a battlefield during a ceasefire or a wayward orphan finding hope at the end of the line, Angstman astonishes us with complicated characters and crystal-clear prose. She is the literary heir to Shelby Foote, Willa Cather, and E. L. Doctorow. Get off the internet and read this book!”
—Ryan Ridge, author of NEW BAD NEWS, HUNTERS & GAMBLERS, AMERICAN HOMES, SECOND ACTS IN AMERICAN LIVES, WEIRD WEEKS, and OX
“Rudyard Kipling said, ‘If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.’ Nothing demonstrates the wisdom of that better than SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST by Leah Angstman. This is an immersive, expansive, and unforgettable collection of fictional histories. Drawn from various points in America’s past and clearly well researched, these stories are harrowing and hopeful by turns. All through, there are unexpected kindnesses and betrayals and acts of heroism and transformation. Characters so deeply wrought they seem to leap off the page. Soaring and vast and lyrical, this book is a must-read.”
—Kathy Fish, author of TOGETHER WE CAN BURY IT, RIFT, and WILD LIFE
“Angstman’s work is a joy to read. These characters see their worlds in the way that we see ours: naturally, and independent of the vastness of time in which life eventually situates itself in memory. Each one of these stories breathes troubling, beautiful life into the history that inspires it. The exhaustive research that must have gone into this collection lives in an easy harmony with the stories it undergirds, and it’s Angstman’s chief achievement here to strike that balance with poise and grace. Fear, love, heartache, and wonderment: it’s all right here, between both worlds.”
—Schuler Benson, author of THE POOR MAN’S GUIDE TO AN AFFORDABLE, PAINLESS SUICIDE
“SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST puts the ‘story’ in history. With scholarly rigor and the soul of a bard, Leah Angstman weaves tales of defiance and resilience that bring the past to life and show us what endures.”
—Jennifer Wortman, author of THIS. THIS. THIS. IS. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Through a historian’s lens and folkloric storytelling, the pieces in SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST revel in the nuances, brutality, mythology, and tiny victories of our historical past. A launderer takes us inside the linens of the richest families in early Baltimore. A child on the Orphan Train has his teeth inspected like a horse. Civil War soldiers experience PTSD. While one woman lands on an island of the Wampanoag tribe, a woman 200 years later finds Apache in a harsh frontier. Children survive yellow fever, the desert heat, and mistaken identities; men survive severed fingers, untested medicines, and wives with obsessive compulsive disorders. Frederick Douglass’ grandson plays violin at the World’s Fair on Colored American Day, a woman with disabilities is kept hidden away like she doesn’t exist, and a botanist is denied her place in a science journal because she is female. Themes of place, war, mental illness, identity, disability, feminism, and unyielding optimism throughout harrowing desperation resurface in this collection of stories that takes us back to time immemorial, yet feels so close, and all too familiar.
PRAISE
“I’m astonished by the historical breadth in this collection of stories and by the sensibility that unites them. It’s a thrill to be dropped, so vividly, into such a wide variety of settings and periods—and even more of a thrill to discover the strong new voice of Leah Angstman. Read it!”
—Ethan Rutherford, author of FARTHEST SOUTH and THE PERIPATETIC COFFIN AND OTHER STORIES
“In SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST, Leah Angstman blasts readers from the Twitterfied nowscape into the manifest past—to an America connected by the burgeoning railroad and shattered by civil war. As inventive and complex as the era itself, these sixteen fictions of nineteenth-century friction contain surprises on every page. Whether it’s an impromptu snowball fight on a battlefield during a ceasefire or a wayward orphan finding hope at the end of the line, Angstman astonishes us with complicated characters and crystal-clear prose. She is the literary heir to Shelby Foote, Willa Cather, and E. L. Doctorow. Get off the internet and read this book!”
—Ryan Ridge, author of NEW BAD NEWS, HUNTERS & GAMBLERS, AMERICAN HOMES, SECOND ACTS IN AMERICAN LIVES, WEIRD WEEKS, and OX
“Rudyard Kipling said, ‘If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.’ Nothing demonstrates the wisdom of that better than SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST by Leah Angstman. This is an immersive, expansive, and unforgettable collection of fictional histories. Drawn from various points in America’s past and clearly well researched, these stories are harrowing and hopeful by turns. All through, there are unexpected kindnesses and betrayals and acts of heroism and transformation. Characters so deeply wrought they seem to leap off the page. Soaring and vast and lyrical, this book is a must-read.”
—Kathy Fish, author of TOGETHER WE CAN BURY IT, RIFT, and WILD LIFE
“Angstman’s work is a joy to read. These characters see their worlds in the way that we see ours: naturally, and independent of the vastness of time in which life eventually situates itself in memory. Each one of these stories breathes troubling, beautiful life into the history that inspires it. The exhaustive research that must have gone into this collection lives in an easy harmony with the stories it undergirds, and it’s Angstman’s chief achievement here to strike that balance with poise and grace. Fear, love, heartache, and wonderment: it’s all right here, between both worlds.”
—Schuler Benson, author of THE POOR MAN’S GUIDE TO AN AFFORDABLE, PAINLESS SUICIDE
“SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST puts the ‘story’ in history. With scholarly rigor and the soul of a bard, Leah Angstman weaves tales of defiance and resilience that bring the past to life and show us what endures.”
—Jennifer Wortman, author of THIS. THIS. THIS. IS. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
238 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2023
4 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Leah Angstman
18 books151 followersLeah Angstman is a researcher, transplanted Michigander living in Boulder, and executive editor of Alternating Current Press and The Coil magazine. She is the author of OUT FRONT THE FOLLOWING SEA (Regal House, 2022), SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST (Kernpunkt Press, 2023), and FALCON IN THE DIVE (Regal House, 2024), and her writing can be found in Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Nashville Review, and elsewhere. You can find her at leahangstman.com and on social media as @leahangstman.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 31, 2024
Time Passages
With an impressive collection of short stories, “Shoot the Horses First” rivers through history, ferrying the lives of characters into our concern. The research of historian Leah Angstman infuses these accounts with rich detail– not heavy-handed trivia– but portraits of scenarios that strike authentic notes.
In “Orphan Train” we see nineteenth century youths nabbed and auctioned off for child labor and other unimaginable abuses. In “Every Time It Snows,” the wife of a Civil War veteran fights to keep her husband from mentally losing his grasp to wartime memories. In “Casting Grand Titans,” the world of a female botanist is broken down into scientific specifics, yet our focus is in the drama of her struggle for recognition.
My favorite passage is “A Lifetime of Fishes,” about Grace, a young woman rescued and nursed to health by Wampanoag tribesmen. She is given the opportunity to stay with these people, people who have displayed only love. She must choose between this and a return to her home. It dawns on her that “to find a home is an endless search.” Along the way we see the trinkets, the clothing, and the authentic goods of everyday life. This mosaic serves to conjure the illustrations in our imagination.
There are sixteen stories in this collection, some only a page or two long, and each one leaves interest in what might happen after. A beautiful book of histories without the dust.
Thank you to Leah Angstman for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Lori at TNBBC for connecting me to this work in the first place.
With an impressive collection of short stories, “Shoot the Horses First” rivers through history, ferrying the lives of characters into our concern. The research of historian Leah Angstman infuses these accounts with rich detail– not heavy-handed trivia– but portraits of scenarios that strike authentic notes.
In “Orphan Train” we see nineteenth century youths nabbed and auctioned off for child labor and other unimaginable abuses. In “Every Time It Snows,” the wife of a Civil War veteran fights to keep her husband from mentally losing his grasp to wartime memories. In “Casting Grand Titans,” the world of a female botanist is broken down into scientific specifics, yet our focus is in the drama of her struggle for recognition.
My favorite passage is “A Lifetime of Fishes,” about Grace, a young woman rescued and nursed to health by Wampanoag tribesmen. She is given the opportunity to stay with these people, people who have displayed only love. She must choose between this and a return to her home. It dawns on her that “to find a home is an endless search.” Along the way we see the trinkets, the clothing, and the authentic goods of everyday life. This mosaic serves to conjure the illustrations in our imagination.
There are sixteen stories in this collection, some only a page or two long, and each one leaves interest in what might happen after. A beautiful book of histories without the dust.
Thank you to Leah Angstman for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Lori at TNBBC for connecting me to this work in the first place.
October 10, 2022
Having read Out Front the Following Sea by Leah Angstman which I loved so much (and highly recommend) I was excited to be offered an arc of Shoot the Horses First, a collection of short stories of historical fiction, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I was drawn over and over again to pick this up despite a very hectic and busy last three weeks. Usually I can read a book every couple of days, but with being so busy I’ve had neither the time, energy or inclination to read. The only exception has been Shoot the Horses First. These short stories were perfect. Some stories were no more than a couple of pages which fit very well for my chaotic life right now and it filled the reading void as I could read something short but still felt like a full rounded out story. My favourite of them all was the novella, Casting Grand Titans, about a female botanist who is trying to teach a university course while doing research but is held back by the rampant sexism that does not value her contributions. I loved the characters in this story and could have gone on reading about them. But the shorter stories shine in their way because the author is able to take the brevity of the pages and subvert the story enough so that while reading, one thing seems true, only to discover in fact it was something completely different. I quite enjoyed the way she played with the structure and character in a way that was startling and would take the story in an unexpected and more interesting direction. I find that despite the setting and time for which the stories are written, they have meaning and relevance for todays world. So, it’s one of the very few short stories collections that not only did I finish (sometimes I just don’t ) but that I found consistently solid storytelling. I think at this point, I’d pretty much read anything this woman writes.
October 24, 2022
Every now and then you come across a book that is so good that any words that you are able to string together are never going to do the book justice. Shoot the Horses First is one of those books, a collection of historical short stories that are impeccably researched (99% sure if you had a time machine, you’d meet Angstman sat somewhere taking notes) and are a massive joy to read. They do have one fault though…each story is over way too soon dammit!
By far my favourites in this collection were the longer stories, Casting Grand Titans follows a trailblazing woman as she battles against the male institution of science, even though she has a degree and proven herself, being a woman means she can’t be taken seriously, or even be paid a proper wage…and all this whilst carrying out heroic activities. A Lifetime of fishes follows another strong independent woman involved in a shipwreck and rescued by an Indian, the detail and care by Angstman here following Indian traditions and using their language, when possible, reminded me so much of her last book Out Front The Following Sea. Finally, The Light Ages; or, Holes in the Heart was so moving I almost cried at the end, it follows a young woman kept in hiding from a domineering mother and a young man who tries to share her and her music with the world, the writing was stunning here, and I could almost hear the music…even over my neighbours having a shout at each other.
At the end of the book are some historical notes and these are well worth a read, you’ll be surprised that you have learnt some facts from reading this book and there is the fantastic news that some of these short stories were inspired by upcoming books…I can’t wait to give those a read. As you can probably guess Angstman is one of my favourite authors and this is the perfect book for those to also become hooked on her work. A fan of historical fiction? Then grab yourself a copy of Shoot the Horses First.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
By far my favourites in this collection were the longer stories, Casting Grand Titans follows a trailblazing woman as she battles against the male institution of science, even though she has a degree and proven herself, being a woman means she can’t be taken seriously, or even be paid a proper wage…and all this whilst carrying out heroic activities. A Lifetime of fishes follows another strong independent woman involved in a shipwreck and rescued by an Indian, the detail and care by Angstman here following Indian traditions and using their language, when possible, reminded me so much of her last book Out Front The Following Sea. Finally, The Light Ages; or, Holes in the Heart was so moving I almost cried at the end, it follows a young woman kept in hiding from a domineering mother and a young man who tries to share her and her music with the world, the writing was stunning here, and I could almost hear the music…even over my neighbours having a shout at each other.
At the end of the book are some historical notes and these are well worth a read, you’ll be surprised that you have learnt some facts from reading this book and there is the fantastic news that some of these short stories were inspired by upcoming books…I can’t wait to give those a read. As you can probably guess Angstman is one of my favourite authors and this is the perfect book for those to also become hooked on her work. A fan of historical fiction? Then grab yourself a copy of Shoot the Horses First.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
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July 10, 2022Thrilled to be pairing back up with Leah Angstman this year to help promote her stunning debut historical short story collection. We'll be kicking publicity off in August. Don't be shy, if you want to review the book for us or interview Leah hit me up here with a DM!
January 19, 2023
Shoot The Horses First by Leah Angstman Review
‘Reading Leah Angstman’s work is like going back in time, a time when I knew that I am in good hands and the book will guide me through anything.’
I wish I could have ten more books from her. Or let’s just be greedy for a second and imagine that every time when I finish a book another one appears and I would have a never-ending supply of gold letters and heartfelt stories worth enough to be alive for. It might sound like I am overreacting and probably I am but I was so thirsty for these kinds of stories and the way she writes just resonates with something deep inside my soul that I thought I lost a long time ago. That part of me was alive the most when I was writing. Back then.
Shoot The Horses First is a collection of historical short stories situated in America approximately in the late 1800s. It contains 16 stories varying in length from 2- 52 pages. The book is beautifully illustrated inside and it has a page for the table of contents, huge thanks to whoever made it happen. It also has historical notes at the end which you definitely have to read because it makes the whole book more amazing. And it also features a glossary of Wôpanâak terms; one of the main reasons I have fallen in love with her work. As a language enthusiast, it brings me joy to see a language as beautiful as the Wôpanâak bloom in front of so many people (including me) who might have lived their life not knowing anything about it.
If I look at the stories as a whole I just have to admit I loved all of them. Like listening to an album where all of the songs are just as good as the one before. Even though not many people listen to an album from start to finish anymore. But just like a writer has their favourite stories I did have mine also.
Corner to Corner, End to End was the perfect opening for this collection, it was only 2 pages but I could see a whole movie lying in front of me. It was about a launderer who is walking from house to house to do the laundry of rich families with an interesting twist in the end.
There is Orphan Train which is one of those stories that you read with an aching heart, especially when you know that it is all based on real life when kids on these trains were inspected like a horse to see if they were fit and healthy enough to work or to get adopted which would most of the case led to probably you guessed it: work or something worse.
Casting Grand Titans is my second favourite story from the collection. Agatha Acton, a botanist working and doing extensive research in a university faces the prejudice of her time; Women in STEM do not exist or more precisely; could not exist. She and her work are denied and constantly belittled by men who can not think any other way.
I loved her character so much she felt like someone I could look up to and it made me feel less alone in my own field. I don’t want to say a lot about these short stories because they have amazing twists not just in their storytelling but in their character development as well, so just trust me on this when I say: Yes, yes and yes not just for the strong female characters but for the male ones as well. It was so refreshing to read male leading characters who were not giving me an allergic reaction to life when I read them. She built up a beautiful contrast by putting male characters of absolute stupidity, disrespect and disgust beside the ones I mentioned above.
In A Lifetime of fishes, a woman gets washed up on the land of the Wampanoag tribe in a damaged rowing boat with a serious leg injury. The men of the tribe could have chosen to leave her to succumb to the inevitable but instead one of them chose to help her. And this is how Grace Hewitt’s long self-exploration journey starts. Leaving your home for a new one leaving your old body for a new one. It’s a hard and confusing transition and anyone who ever left their home country to live somewhere else could relate to this feeling of not quite belonging anymore anywhere. There is a lot to learn about the Wampanoag tribe as well and I truly enjoyed every crumb of information about their culture and their traditions. It also features romance but the soft kind, the caring kind where the woman is being treated and nourished with an almost parental love like if she was a bird who broke her wings.
There are also the short little sparks which could season your reading plate like; In Name Only where an outcast girl finds a man who marries her without taking advantage of her body. A heartfelt, uplifting story of solidarity and empathy. It restores your faith in humanity even if it’s only a fictional story.
In Yellow Flowers, we face the cruel times of yellow fever in 1793 through the eyes of a girl called Anna who lost her family to the disease. In The Blood is a grotesque story about a doctor who is trying to invent a way how blood transfusion works in order to save the lives of people who’d lost a significant amount of blood. When the reader joins him in his story he is using a dog as his donor.
The one story that won my heart from the very first page is
The Light Ages; Or, Holes In The Heart. It starts with Meriwether Capp who is studying to be a doctor and playing baseball in his free time with his friends, accidentally crashes a window. The window belongs to Julie Fischer who even though seemed to be present at the time, according to her family; does not exist. If this did not pique your interest enough the rest of the story definitely will. A beautifully crafted story about life, passion, creativity, hope, love and freedom. This was my favourite story, my number one out of all of the other ones, not just because I relate to Julie in a certain way ( having presumably almost the same condition as her in the book) but because of the way their passion; hers and Meriwether’s was portrayed. Their passion to play and making music to create something eternal which not only stands as a statement against the very meaning of death of the inevitable fear of never existing but feeds the soul to ascend to a higher level of being. To find peace and balance within yourself and truly love what matters the most. Exceptionally written and I probably will re-read it anytime when I feel low and need some light in my troubled mind.
There are many many more stories and my short review does not give justice to Shoot The Horses First, but this is an excellent book from an amazing author who has definitely became one of my favourite writers of all time. I end up running in circles every time when I try to collect my thoughts about her writing; I wish I had more from her. Please Leah Angstman, never stop writing.
‘Reading Leah Angstman’s work is like going back in time, a time when I knew that I am in good hands and the book will guide me through anything.’
I wish I could have ten more books from her. Or let’s just be greedy for a second and imagine that every time when I finish a book another one appears and I would have a never-ending supply of gold letters and heartfelt stories worth enough to be alive for. It might sound like I am overreacting and probably I am but I was so thirsty for these kinds of stories and the way she writes just resonates with something deep inside my soul that I thought I lost a long time ago. That part of me was alive the most when I was writing. Back then.
Shoot The Horses First is a collection of historical short stories situated in America approximately in the late 1800s. It contains 16 stories varying in length from 2- 52 pages. The book is beautifully illustrated inside and it has a page for the table of contents, huge thanks to whoever made it happen. It also has historical notes at the end which you definitely have to read because it makes the whole book more amazing. And it also features a glossary of Wôpanâak terms; one of the main reasons I have fallen in love with her work. As a language enthusiast, it brings me joy to see a language as beautiful as the Wôpanâak bloom in front of so many people (including me) who might have lived their life not knowing anything about it.
If I look at the stories as a whole I just have to admit I loved all of them. Like listening to an album where all of the songs are just as good as the one before. Even though not many people listen to an album from start to finish anymore. But just like a writer has their favourite stories I did have mine also.
Corner to Corner, End to End was the perfect opening for this collection, it was only 2 pages but I could see a whole movie lying in front of me. It was about a launderer who is walking from house to house to do the laundry of rich families with an interesting twist in the end.
There is Orphan Train which is one of those stories that you read with an aching heart, especially when you know that it is all based on real life when kids on these trains were inspected like a horse to see if they were fit and healthy enough to work or to get adopted which would most of the case led to probably you guessed it: work or something worse.
Casting Grand Titans is my second favourite story from the collection. Agatha Acton, a botanist working and doing extensive research in a university faces the prejudice of her time; Women in STEM do not exist or more precisely; could not exist. She and her work are denied and constantly belittled by men who can not think any other way.
I loved her character so much she felt like someone I could look up to and it made me feel less alone in my own field. I don’t want to say a lot about these short stories because they have amazing twists not just in their storytelling but in their character development as well, so just trust me on this when I say: Yes, yes and yes not just for the strong female characters but for the male ones as well. It was so refreshing to read male leading characters who were not giving me an allergic reaction to life when I read them. She built up a beautiful contrast by putting male characters of absolute stupidity, disrespect and disgust beside the ones I mentioned above.
In A Lifetime of fishes, a woman gets washed up on the land of the Wampanoag tribe in a damaged rowing boat with a serious leg injury. The men of the tribe could have chosen to leave her to succumb to the inevitable but instead one of them chose to help her. And this is how Grace Hewitt’s long self-exploration journey starts. Leaving your home for a new one leaving your old body for a new one. It’s a hard and confusing transition and anyone who ever left their home country to live somewhere else could relate to this feeling of not quite belonging anymore anywhere. There is a lot to learn about the Wampanoag tribe as well and I truly enjoyed every crumb of information about their culture and their traditions. It also features romance but the soft kind, the caring kind where the woman is being treated and nourished with an almost parental love like if she was a bird who broke her wings.
There are also the short little sparks which could season your reading plate like; In Name Only where an outcast girl finds a man who marries her without taking advantage of her body. A heartfelt, uplifting story of solidarity and empathy. It restores your faith in humanity even if it’s only a fictional story.
In Yellow Flowers, we face the cruel times of yellow fever in 1793 through the eyes of a girl called Anna who lost her family to the disease. In The Blood is a grotesque story about a doctor who is trying to invent a way how blood transfusion works in order to save the lives of people who’d lost a significant amount of blood. When the reader joins him in his story he is using a dog as his donor.
The one story that won my heart from the very first page is
The Light Ages; Or, Holes In The Heart. It starts with Meriwether Capp who is studying to be a doctor and playing baseball in his free time with his friends, accidentally crashes a window. The window belongs to Julie Fischer who even though seemed to be present at the time, according to her family; does not exist. If this did not pique your interest enough the rest of the story definitely will. A beautifully crafted story about life, passion, creativity, hope, love and freedom. This was my favourite story, my number one out of all of the other ones, not just because I relate to Julie in a certain way ( having presumably almost the same condition as her in the book) but because of the way their passion; hers and Meriwether’s was portrayed. Their passion to play and making music to create something eternal which not only stands as a statement against the very meaning of death of the inevitable fear of never existing but feeds the soul to ascend to a higher level of being. To find peace and balance within yourself and truly love what matters the most. Exceptionally written and I probably will re-read it anytime when I feel low and need some light in my troubled mind.
There are many many more stories and my short review does not give justice to Shoot The Horses First, but this is an excellent book from an amazing author who has definitely became one of my favourite writers of all time. I end up running in circles every time when I try to collect my thoughts about her writing; I wish I had more from her. Please Leah Angstman, never stop writing.
July 25, 2022
It's possible that, as the author, I'm a smidge biased, but I love this collection, and it contains a novella that is my favorite thing I've ever written. I'd love for you to meet these characters! (And the book *did* win the Shorts Award for Americana Fiction, so it was liked by at least one other person besides my mom!)
January 10, 2023
Thanks to The Next Best Book Club for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!
Leah Angstman's debut novel was my first read of 2022 and now her short story collection is my first read of 2023. I like this pattern! A wonderful collection of short stories covering a variety of topics and times in American history. I was especially impressed with how Angstman features disabled characters with so much respect in her work!
Read the full review for each of the stories on my blog!
Leah Angstman's debut novel was my first read of 2022 and now her short story collection is my first read of 2023. I like this pattern! A wonderful collection of short stories covering a variety of topics and times in American history. I was especially impressed with how Angstman features disabled characters with so much respect in her work!
Read the full review for each of the stories on my blog!
February 6, 2023
Full review forthcoming! But my micro review is that this collection of historical fiction had everything I loved about Angstman's first novel: precise historical detail deftly woven into the narrative, strong women characters, and plots that kept the stories moving. The mix of long and flash stories worked well to provide overall pacing for the book, though I tended to favor the longer stories because Angstman's world building and character development are so good that I don't want the stories to end.
December 31, 2023
“Shoot the Horses First” is the first collection of short stories from award-winning author Leah Angstman, and it does not disappoint! This collection, aptly called histories, guides the reader through a tremendous breadth of American history, legend, and atmosphere. In addition to the diverse collection of histories, Angstman includes several pages of historical notes and a glossary of Wôpanâak terms used in the story “A Lifetime of Fishes.” These additions enrich the histories even more, appealing to history buffs and casual readers alike.
As with any short story collection, some stories are bound to stand out to readers more than others. For me personally, “Casting Grand Titans,” “A Lifetime of Fishes,” and “The Desert Jewel” captured my heart and imagination. Angstman has a true talent for developing complicated and lovable characters. Agatha of “Casting Grand Titans” and Grace of “A Lifetime of Fishes” are two women with similar motivations and desires for freedom, but radically different ways of achieving them and dealing with the men and world around them. Seeing similar themes with fresh presentation kept this collection original.
“The Desert Jewel” provides a compelling male lead in Mitchell Castor. This story is simultaneously bittersweet and heartwarming, allowing our imperfect lead to find his own meaning in life after heartbreak. I also found stories that made me laugh out loud, like “One Night, When the Breath of August Blew Hotter” and some that made me despair, like “Yellow Flowers.”
Angstman’s collection is a varied set of histories, serving as quick glimpses into America’s past. They’re stories I wish we had read in all my US History classes because of the life they give to events and times I’ve only learned dry facts about, and mostly forgotten. It is a collection that gives life to historical fiction, a genre I usually don’t read much of.
This collection would be a wonderful read for anyone passionate about women-centric historical tales, historical fiction, and the rich history of America. If you’re hesitant to read historical fiction, this collection is a great place to start. It’s a perfect slice of Americana!
As with any short story collection, some stories are bound to stand out to readers more than others. For me personally, “Casting Grand Titans,” “A Lifetime of Fishes,” and “The Desert Jewel” captured my heart and imagination. Angstman has a true talent for developing complicated and lovable characters. Agatha of “Casting Grand Titans” and Grace of “A Lifetime of Fishes” are two women with similar motivations and desires for freedom, but radically different ways of achieving them and dealing with the men and world around them. Seeing similar themes with fresh presentation kept this collection original.
“The Desert Jewel” provides a compelling male lead in Mitchell Castor. This story is simultaneously bittersweet and heartwarming, allowing our imperfect lead to find his own meaning in life after heartbreak. I also found stories that made me laugh out loud, like “One Night, When the Breath of August Blew Hotter” and some that made me despair, like “Yellow Flowers.”
Angstman’s collection is a varied set of histories, serving as quick glimpses into America’s past. They’re stories I wish we had read in all my US History classes because of the life they give to events and times I’ve only learned dry facts about, and mostly forgotten. It is a collection that gives life to historical fiction, a genre I usually don’t read much of.
This collection would be a wonderful read for anyone passionate about women-centric historical tales, historical fiction, and the rich history of America. If you’re hesitant to read historical fiction, this collection is a great place to start. It’s a perfect slice of Americana!
January 25, 2024
Been meaning to read this since I was given this as a gift, but you know how life gets ;)
This is a collection of short stories that do not really tie into each other so you can read these individually which I appreciated. Normally with anthologies, I break down each short story. I am not going to do that. 1) There are 16 of them. 2) Some are soooo short. Maybe a page or two while others are pages and pages. 3) I am lazy and tired.
Honestly, this was a nice collection of stories. We got to see different time periods and different types of characters. Some stories are feel-good. Some deeper. Some sad. Some...confusing. A nice variety overall.
There are a couple that really, really stuck with me. I would LOVE to read more.
Like 'The Orphan Train'....I NEED MORE! WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT POOR KID?!
'Casting Grand Titans'....WHAT! OMG. I have hopes and thoughts, but what does she decide???? I understand why she was upset BUT it was that time. I truly think he did what he thought was best. Ugh. This could be a full novel for shizzle.
'In Name Only'.....this was good. I wanted to cry and cheer and scream. So many feels.
'A Lifetime of Fishes'.....another one that should be a full-length novel. Probably my favorite of this whole collection.
'The Desert Jewel'....this one surprised me. It started off meh but then TWIST and I ended up loving it. Can't blame him.
Now, it did take me forever to get through this. Not because it was bad...it was all on me. I wanted to take my time with this guy. Some of these stories were super impactful so I wanted to take my time like this was a dry wine. Slow and steady.
In the end, I highly recommend this. It was really good. Some stories were better than others, but there wasn't one I didn't like. 4 stars from me.
This is a collection of short stories that do not really tie into each other so you can read these individually which I appreciated. Normally with anthologies, I break down each short story. I am not going to do that. 1) There are 16 of them. 2) Some are soooo short. Maybe a page or two while others are pages and pages. 3) I am lazy and tired.
Honestly, this was a nice collection of stories. We got to see different time periods and different types of characters. Some stories are feel-good. Some deeper. Some sad. Some...confusing. A nice variety overall.
There are a couple that really, really stuck with me. I would LOVE to read more.
Like 'The Orphan Train'....I NEED MORE! WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT POOR KID?!
'Casting Grand Titans'....WHAT! OMG. I have hopes and thoughts, but what does she decide???? I understand why she was upset BUT it was that time. I truly think he did what he thought was best. Ugh. This could be a full novel for shizzle.
'In Name Only'.....this was good. I wanted to cry and cheer and scream. So many feels.
'A Lifetime of Fishes'.....another one that should be a full-length novel. Probably my favorite of this whole collection.
'The Desert Jewel'....this one surprised me. It started off meh but then TWIST and I ended up loving it. Can't blame him.
Now, it did take me forever to get through this. Not because it was bad...it was all on me. I wanted to take my time with this guy. Some of these stories were super impactful so I wanted to take my time like this was a dry wine. Slow and steady.
In the end, I highly recommend this. It was really good. Some stories were better than others, but there wasn't one I didn't like. 4 stars from me.
November 3, 2022
Leah Angstman's short story collection Shoot the Horses First is intelligent, unique and moving. The stories were often quite short but the impact was still huge. These short stories were perfect.
I loved the novella, Casting Grand Titans, which centered on a female botanist who is teaching at a university but experiencing injustice based on her gender. The sexism she dealt with was relatable to me -- and probably to all women. Her work isn't valued. This story is one that I will think about and return to often.
And, although most of the stories are rooted in history they still felt timely and relevant today.
I loved the novella, Casting Grand Titans, which centered on a female botanist who is teaching at a university but experiencing injustice based on her gender. The sexism she dealt with was relatable to me -- and probably to all women. Her work isn't valued. This story is one that I will think about and return to often.
And, although most of the stories are rooted in history they still felt timely and relevant today.
January 22, 2023
I enjoyed these quick historical reads. This is a nice book to have on the coffee table to read a story or two when you don't have a lot of time or just want a few moments to escape every day life. I would love if some of these stories were turned into actual novels. It was also a great mix of different stories. War, Indians, orphans, World's Fair and more. It was a mix in that each story was different and gave you a bit of something you had not maybe known or heard of. This is a nice in between novel when you need a break from a full length story or just want to learn a few tidbits of history. Thank you to HFVBT for the invite, and to the author and publisher for the free book.
April 24, 2023
Once again, Leah Angstman has written a book that gives plenty of detail and makes a reader feel they are learning history without sacrificing story and character and humor. I will read everything she writes.
July 12, 2023
🐎REVIEW🐎: Shoot the Horses First by Leah Angstman
April is Poetry month, but @MrD_Reads kindly allowed those of us who are not fans of poetry to read a collection of short stories instead. Shoot the Horses First has been on my shelf for a while and I'm glad the #MrDReads2023 prompt for April pushed me to finally read this collection!
I'm a fan of historical fiction and this book literally takes you through the ages of America. From the perspective of a unique launderer washing the linens of the richest families in Baltimore to a child on the Orphan Train, Civil War soldiers who experience PTSD, a woman with disabilities is hidden away like she doesn't exist, and Frederick Douglass's grandson plays violin at the World's Fair on Colored American Day just to name a few.
These stories range in length from just a couple of pages to much lengthier stories, but no matter the length, there is such a profound story being told. The emotions and powerful stories being told will stay with you for a long time after you finish. Some of my favorite stories from this collection are The Desert Jewel, Corner to Corner, End to End, and Every Time It Snows.
I've been in a bit of a reading slump this month so I'm finishing this challenge just under the wire! Thank you to @leahangstman and @kernpunktpress for my #gifted copy in exchange for a review. This book is a true work of art and there is a story that will resonate with everyone.
April is Poetry month, but @MrD_Reads kindly allowed those of us who are not fans of poetry to read a collection of short stories instead. Shoot the Horses First has been on my shelf for a while and I'm glad the #MrDReads2023 prompt for April pushed me to finally read this collection!
I'm a fan of historical fiction and this book literally takes you through the ages of America. From the perspective of a unique launderer washing the linens of the richest families in Baltimore to a child on the Orphan Train, Civil War soldiers who experience PTSD, a woman with disabilities is hidden away like she doesn't exist, and Frederick Douglass's grandson plays violin at the World's Fair on Colored American Day just to name a few.
These stories range in length from just a couple of pages to much lengthier stories, but no matter the length, there is such a profound story being told. The emotions and powerful stories being told will stay with you for a long time after you finish. Some of my favorite stories from this collection are The Desert Jewel, Corner to Corner, End to End, and Every Time It Snows.
I've been in a bit of a reading slump this month so I'm finishing this challenge just under the wire! Thank you to @leahangstman and @kernpunktpress for my #gifted copy in exchange for a review. This book is a true work of art and there is a story that will resonate with everyone.
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