What do you think?
Rate this book
A Girl and Five Brave Horses
This autobiography is the true story of Sonora Webster Carver who dove with horses from 40' towers in the 1920s. Dr. W.F. Carver, who ran the show, had previously started "The Wild West" shows with his friends, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok. (The movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken is loosely based on her life.)
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
218 people are currently reading
2686 people want to read
About the author
Sonora Carver
4 books10 followersSonora Carver was an American entertainer, most notable as one of the first female horse divers. Carver answered an ad placed by "Doc" William Frank Carver in 1923 for a diving girl and soon earned a place in circus history.
Her job was to mount a running horse as it reached the top of a forty-foot (sometimes sixty-foot) tower and sail down along the animal's back as it plunged into a deep pool of water directly below. Sonora was a sensation and soon became the lead diving girl for Doc Carver's act as they traveled the country.
In 1931 Sonora was blinded, a retinal detachment, due to hitting the water off-balance with her eyes open while diving her horse, Red Lips, on New Jersey's Steel Pier, the act's permanent home since 1929. After her accident, Sonora continued to dive horses until 1942.
Her job was to mount a running horse as it reached the top of a forty-foot (sometimes sixty-foot) tower and sail down along the animal's back as it plunged into a deep pool of water directly below. Sonora was a sensation and soon became the lead diving girl for Doc Carver's act as they traveled the country.
In 1931 Sonora was blinded, a retinal detachment, due to hitting the water off-balance with her eyes open while diving her horse, Red Lips, on New Jersey's Steel Pier, the act's permanent home since 1929. After her accident, Sonora continued to dive horses until 1942.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
February 25, 2009
I wouldn't say this is the best written book I've come across, but I enjoyed the story and always enjoy watching the movie Wild Hearts Can't be Broken, which was based on this story, so I couldn't help but be a bit generous in giving it four stars. Between the book and the movie I felt satisfied with the story, but neither feels quite sufficient on their own. I felt almost like I was reading a journal or sitting in the same room as the author and being told snippets of events in her life. I liked the little stories that offered better glimpses and insights into the nature of the horses and the diving show and more about the author's life and what she endured when she lost her sight. I do wish she had delved more into her relationship with Al and told more about her family life (ie: her dad). I'd love to actually see footage to better see how the dives were carried out, as well as interviews with the author. It's amazing to read all that she went through to be a diving girl and how she maintained a positive attitude after her ordeal with getting hurt. Note: This book is out of print (I don't know why they didn't rerelease it when the movie was made), but I got a copy through interlibrary loan.
November 15, 2010
I like to read biographies about other people’s lives and I love horses (as well as all animals) so I enjoyed this book very much. I found Sonora Carver’s passion for life, passion for horses and her strength and determination to overcome her handicap of being blinded as a young woman most admirable. Her passion for horses and diving and living life were so strong that she continued to horse dive even after losing her sight. A good and easy read and I give this book a "thumbs-up".
February 23, 2025
What an incredible life, story, her attitude towards her accident, the love she had for her job, and those beautifully brave horses!
July 19, 2025
The story itself was great, but the book was very poorly written - spelling errors, no emotion, lacking descriptions of trips, events, etc. If you want to hear Sonora's story about horse diving, watch the movie "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" instead.
July 22, 2016
3.5 stars. Sonora Webster Carver led a fascinating life. The book is good, but I like the movie better. Maybe because the movie has a touch of romance, while the book hardly mentions Sonora and Al's relationship. The movie definitely took liberties, but I love it.
April 11, 2021
Wild hearts cant be broken was one of my favorite movies growing up. this is the true story of Sonora Carver, a blind horse diver. I loved seeing the true story behind her life. This book made me laugh, almost cry, and smile a lot. There are a few historical people mentioned as well.
December 15, 2025
I've owned this book for some 30 years, but I didn't read the whole thing through until now. I loved the Disney movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, though I always wondered about the safety of the horses. Then I read a galley of a new historical fiction book based on Sonora Carver's life (Sonora by Jeni L. Walsh) and I realized I needed to finally pick up the autobiography I'd owned since I was a teen.
This is a fantastic read that stands up well, even though it came out in 1961. Sonora's voice is bold, strong, and witty. Her love for the horses comes through, as does her fondness for her Al. The issue of safety and the willingness of the horses is clarified, though I must say I am still very glad that diving horse acts are no longer allowed. Walsh's new book actually does a nice job of fleshing out Sonora's story, and it is certainly way more accurate that the Disney movie, which is outright cringe-worthy in contrast with reality. I don't give away details about the ending for both the books and the movie, but I will say that Carver's approach to disability is very relevant today (and again, much better than the cliche Disney take from 1991).
In all, a very insightful read about a mostly-forgotten piece of history.
This is a fantastic read that stands up well, even though it came out in 1961. Sonora's voice is bold, strong, and witty. Her love for the horses comes through, as does her fondness for her Al. The issue of safety and the willingness of the horses is clarified, though I must say I am still very glad that diving horse acts are no longer allowed. Walsh's new book actually does a nice job of fleshing out Sonora's story, and it is certainly way more accurate that the Disney movie, which is outright cringe-worthy in contrast with reality. I don't give away details about the ending for both the books and the movie, but I will say that Carver's approach to disability is very relevant today (and again, much better than the cliche Disney take from 1991).
In all, a very insightful read about a mostly-forgotten piece of history.
January 23, 2022
"I told myself I would rather have an intelligent brain, capable of greater mental vision behind eyes that were sightless, than a stupid brain behind eyes that could see."
.
Wow. This story is so much different than the childhood Disney movie I loved. I loved this book! Sonora Carver's story has so much more to say - some TV studio needs to pick this up for a mini series or something so we can have the full story on film. Sonora's drive & determination to continue living her passions long after she became blind is truly an inspiration. Book reads very much like you were sitting in a room with some one sharing their personal stories with you.
.
I'd you enjoyed the movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, enjoy stories about show businesses life & show business people and oddball history as seen through the lens of the folks who lived it. This is a GREAT easy, fast read. Definitely will be staying in my collection as a favorite.
.
Wow. This story is so much different than the childhood Disney movie I loved. I loved this book! Sonora Carver's story has so much more to say - some TV studio needs to pick this up for a mini series or something so we can have the full story on film. Sonora's drive & determination to continue living her passions long after she became blind is truly an inspiration. Book reads very much like you were sitting in a room with some one sharing their personal stories with you.
.
I'd you enjoyed the movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, enjoy stories about show businesses life & show business people and oddball history as seen through the lens of the folks who lived it. This is a GREAT easy, fast read. Definitely will be staying in my collection as a favorite.
March 17, 2023
I had seen the movie “Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken” years ago and found out that it was a partially true story. The movie is loosely based on Sonora Webster Carver’s life and her career as a horse diver in the 1920’s. She was an amazing lady with a real zest for life. I enjoyed reading about her life.
March 25, 2020
"True courage is what it takes to make yourself do something you’re afraid to do.
This book is a biography written in a straightforward style that doesn't really resemble current biographies but is somehow more readable despite, or perhaps, because of it.
I picked this up because I loved the Disney movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken as a girl and I discovered that the movie was based on this book. The movie is fairly similar to the book but the book, of course, offers a lot more details than the movie was capable of offering.
One of the most touching things, was Sonora's relationship with the horses and her deep appreciation for them and their personalities. Here was a person who was respectful of her profession at a time when animals were often thought of only as vehicles for profit.
I admired Sonora's drive but especially her determination after her accident. She could have used this as an excuse to retire from society and let others aid and assist her but the strength of will she had heretofore always demonstrated was one that she continued to have for the rest of her life. What an uplifting and inspiring story and a strong role model for girls!
This book is a biography written in a straightforward style that doesn't really resemble current biographies but is somehow more readable despite, or perhaps, because of it.
I picked this up because I loved the Disney movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken as a girl and I discovered that the movie was based on this book. The movie is fairly similar to the book but the book, of course, offers a lot more details than the movie was capable of offering.
One of the most touching things, was Sonora's relationship with the horses and her deep appreciation for them and their personalities. Here was a person who was respectful of her profession at a time when animals were often thought of only as vehicles for profit.
I admired Sonora's drive but especially her determination after her accident. She could have used this as an excuse to retire from society and let others aid and assist her but the strength of will she had heretofore always demonstrated was one that she continued to have for the rest of her life. What an uplifting and inspiring story and a strong role model for girls!
July 14, 2021
A Girl and Five Brave Horses was inspirational, fun, unpredictable, and endearing all within its short 200 pages. I have never read an autobiography that forced me to read as quickly as I could but also made me never want to end.
Sonora was not a dumb and helpless teenager as the Disney movie wanted us to believe. Nor was she simply there at the right time to be hired as a diving girl, soon fall in love, and then go blind. She was actually already 19 years old when her mother begged her to watch the act, and after some haggling, she gave in and found a dream she didn’t know she had. This book is strictly about the horses, her experience diving across two decades, and the aftermath of losing her sight. There is very little insight into who her family was, her relationship with Al, or what she thought of the world outside of those horses. For me, that doesn’t matter because her story is unlike any I’ve ever read before. Every story she shared had a significance in its telling, rather than just for the sake of telling, and that I can appreciate.
This book was easy to read and uncomplicated (my favorite kind of book).
Sonora was not a dumb and helpless teenager as the Disney movie wanted us to believe. Nor was she simply there at the right time to be hired as a diving girl, soon fall in love, and then go blind. She was actually already 19 years old when her mother begged her to watch the act, and after some haggling, she gave in and found a dream she didn’t know she had. This book is strictly about the horses, her experience diving across two decades, and the aftermath of losing her sight. There is very little insight into who her family was, her relationship with Al, or what she thought of the world outside of those horses. For me, that doesn’t matter because her story is unlike any I’ve ever read before. Every story she shared had a significance in its telling, rather than just for the sake of telling, and that I can appreciate.
This book was easy to read and uncomplicated (my favorite kind of book).
May 6, 2011
As is often the case, it was a movie that brought this story to my attention: Wild Hearts Can't be Broken, starring Gabrielle Anwar. It is based (albeit loosely) on this autobiography, and has always been a favorite film since childhood. The true story was very different in many ways, and is a very enjoyable read. Sonora Carver had an amazing life, and she told it very well.
July 26, 2014
I love love loved this book!
What an amazing story! What an amazing woman! This is the type of book young women should be reading... I'm a sucker for true stories of bravery and courage. Especially when seemingly insurmountable obstacles are over come. So refreshing to read about a woman who accomplished so much without compromising who she was...
What an amazing story! What an amazing woman! This is the type of book young women should be reading... I'm a sucker for true stories of bravery and courage. Especially when seemingly insurmountable obstacles are over come. So refreshing to read about a woman who accomplished so much without compromising who she was...
November 17, 2009
This was a great book. Sonora had to deal with some life altering challenges, and it was great to see how she overcame them and lived her dreams.
August 8, 2019
The true story that inspired Disney's Wild Hearts Can't be Broken
I've never seen the movie, but I knew the plot. I just never realized it to be based on an autobiography. Obviously I had to dive right in.
The story is an unconventional one - I mean, horse diving! It's inspirational, if tragic. The reader gets to know the main cast of people involved, but also the horses, their personalities and their quirks, the act of horse diving itself, the training, the risks... it's all there. But overall the book was lacking something. I've read much better memoirs.
3.5*
As for the movie, I've seen clips and I can already tell that it's not worth the time. Read the book instead. Disney can't get their facts straight. Sonora Carver saw it with her sister and was disappointed:
I've never seen the movie, but I knew the plot. I just never realized it to be based on an autobiography. Obviously I had to dive right in.
The story is an unconventional one - I mean, horse diving! It's inspirational, if tragic. The reader gets to know the main cast of people involved, but also the horses, their personalities and their quirks, the act of horse diving itself, the training, the risks... it's all there. But overall the book was lacking something. I've read much better memoirs.
3.5*
As for the movie, I've seen clips and I can already tell that it's not worth the time. Read the book instead. Disney can't get their facts straight. Sonora Carver saw it with her sister and was disappointed:
''They weren't so truthful about the facts in that movie, either,'' [Arnette] remembers. ''My sister was so disappointed in it. I remember her turning to me in the theater after we saw it, and her saying, 'the only thing true in it was that I rode diving horses, I went blind and I continued to ride for another 11 years.' ''
January 1, 2026
4.5 (rounded up)
I grew up watching the movie "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" which is based on this story of Sonora Webster. I am sure the nostalgia associated with this story played into my enjoyment of it and the rating I gave it. I truly enjoyed the story of her life and experiences as a horse diving girl in 1930s circuses.
I wish she would have shared more about her marriage and relationship with her husband, Al. And also shared more about her growing up and family life.
Sonora's resilience and determination following her accident are striking. She embraced her altered life and moved forward with deep determination. Very compelling!
"Although I was over the wall, there was a wilderness beyond it, one totally unknown to me, and I would have to remind myself constantly that the manner in which I traveled through this wilderness depended a great deal on my attitude."
I grew up watching the movie "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" which is based on this story of Sonora Webster. I am sure the nostalgia associated with this story played into my enjoyment of it and the rating I gave it. I truly enjoyed the story of her life and experiences as a horse diving girl in 1930s circuses.
I wish she would have shared more about her marriage and relationship with her husband, Al. And also shared more about her growing up and family life.
Sonora's resilience and determination following her accident are striking. She embraced her altered life and moved forward with deep determination. Very compelling!
"Although I was over the wall, there was a wilderness beyond it, one totally unknown to me, and I would have to remind myself constantly that the manner in which I traveled through this wilderness depended a great deal on my attitude."
May 23, 2022
It could have been compelling, but it wasn’t written well. It was a basic recounting with hardly any emotion conveyed. And the romance was pretty much the worst—not that I wasn’t rooting for their relationship, just that it was the least romantically described love scene I’ve ever read, and the whole of it was shoved into a couple of paragraphs. So that was disappointing. I read from a mild curiosity, and it ended up being kind of interesting, but good story telling could have really elevated it.
I also feel like there could be some harmful stereotypes about disability and not wanting to “be a burden” / never asking for help. And Dr. Carter was mega controlling.
I’ve heard the movie is really good, so maybe one of those rare “movie is better than the book” scenarios?
I also feel like there could be some harmful stereotypes about disability and not wanting to “be a burden” / never asking for help. And Dr. Carter was mega controlling.
I’ve heard the movie is really good, so maybe one of those rare “movie is better than the book” scenarios?
February 21, 2019
The Disney movie "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" is one of my favorites. I am a sucker for a good clean love story. And a true one is even better! I picked up this book to learn more about Sonora Carver's experience and her relationship with Al. What I got was not what I expected. There was barely any mention of her courtship and marriage to Al. Even still, this was an amazing book to read. The author has a gift for relating events because I couldn't put it down! I soaked up the far more exciting and fascinating story behind the movie and the history of the horse diving show and how Sonora faced a life without sight after a diving injury. I felt like I was sitting right there with Sonora on her porch listening to her share these incredible experiences.
September 17, 2022
I grew up watching the Disney movie "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken," and always loved it. Though that movie is only loosely based on the true story. A Girl and Five Brave Horses was so insightful and interesting. It is an autobiography as told by an amazing woman. I am very much surprised that more people haven't read this book.
July 1, 2024
Wow, what a great little book. It was an easy read, but I loved every bit of it. It felt like grandma telling me stories about the past sitting eagerly waiting for the next part. I love Sonora's personality which is evident through the whole book as she describes her youth until the present (It was published 1961). The added photos were a treasure to the story. I loved the movie growing up as a kid so this was a no brainer to pick up. It's obvious the movie took some poetic license with the story, but that spunky, courageous personality was spot on. A must read, highly recommend!
September 23, 2024
This is an amazing story. Diving horseback is fascinating and hard to believe that is even possible. Sonora’s determination and courage to continue living a full life and even continue diving, after losing her eyesight is incredibly inspiring.
“It seems to me that everyone has to make adjustments to life, that we all have our limitations, but that if we are wise we do not make other people miserable by concentrating on these limitations. One of the fundamental responsibilities of every human being in his relationship with others is to create happiness, not destroy it. We also have responsibilities toward ourselves. The prime one is not to make ourselves miserable by dwelling on something we can do nothing about.”
“It seems to me that everyone has to make adjustments to life, that we all have our limitations, but that if we are wise we do not make other people miserable by concentrating on these limitations. One of the fundamental responsibilities of every human being in his relationship with others is to create happiness, not destroy it. We also have responsibilities toward ourselves. The prime one is not to make ourselves miserable by dwelling on something we can do nothing about.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2021
A quick, fascinating read, showcasing the county fair ‘show business’ acts of the 20’s and 30’s, and telling the story of an amazing woman.
October 17, 2021
Överraskande bra biografi!
November 30, 2024
Not especially well written but her story is fascinating.
December 12, 2024
Interesting read. A little slow at times, kinda drug on. Fascinating to learn how horse diving all went down. Encouraging story.
September 22, 2025
If you’re a fan of the 90s film “wild hearts can’t be broken” this is a must read. I love a good autobiography and this one did not disappoint.
March 30, 2020
Sonora Carver was an awesome and inspiring woman. She's the definition of bravery.
August 1, 2024
What an amazing story - as a lifetime fan girl of Sonora Webster, I’m glad I was finally to hear her story straight from her.
March 24, 2017
3.5*s
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken was one of my favorite movies as a child. When I realized it was based off a real woman's memoir, no matter how loose the portrayal, I was fascinated! The story-and life-of Sonora Carver is far and away worth a full 5 stars, but the publication had many garamattical and typographical errors that made it a bit frustrating at parts (often the word 'life' would be replaced with 'We' in the Kindle version? So odd). BUT I'm sure it would be next to impossible to track down this book in print, even in secondhand shops, so it was still well worth the read.
I also found the treatment prescribed by the ophthalmologist very interesting, as I used to work for an optometrist and have basic knowledge of the anatomy of the eye and retinal detachments. The Disney movie obviously didn't go into detail with this, so I appreciated Sonora's candor.
I did find some of the descriptions of the other performers' acts somewhat tedious and clumsy at times; often I would find myself skimming through those sections because I just couldn't connect to them.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable and quick read for anyone interested in horses (me) or even for those who are fascinated by circus or fair acts (you'd probably get more out of those sections than I did).
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken was one of my favorite movies as a child. When I realized it was based off a real woman's memoir, no matter how loose the portrayal, I was fascinated! The story-and life-of Sonora Carver is far and away worth a full 5 stars, but the publication had many garamattical and typographical errors that made it a bit frustrating at parts (often the word 'life' would be replaced with 'We' in the Kindle version? So odd). BUT I'm sure it would be next to impossible to track down this book in print, even in secondhand shops, so it was still well worth the read.
I also found the treatment prescribed by the ophthalmologist very interesting, as I used to work for an optometrist and have basic knowledge of the anatomy of the eye and retinal detachments. The Disney movie obviously didn't go into detail with this, so I appreciated Sonora's candor.
I did find some of the descriptions of the other performers' acts somewhat tedious and clumsy at times; often I would find myself skimming through those sections because I just couldn't connect to them.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable and quick read for anyone interested in horses (me) or even for those who are fascinated by circus or fair acts (you'd probably get more out of those sections than I did).
May 9, 2017
I loved the movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, so I decided that I needed to read Sonora's autobiography and learn more about her life and the amazing horse-diving act.
This book really does deliver. Sonora goes into a lot of detail about Dr. Carver's horse-diving show, the animals in it, and the amusement park industry of the 1920s. She really does paint a vivid picture of how things were done.
The book doesn't exactly follow the movie. Sonora's movie depiction is of a down-on-her-luck runaway who fights tooth-and-nail to become the show's star, and the real Sonora wasn't quite that bad off. Also, the movie places a lot of emphasize on the romance between her and Al, and in real life, with Al being 20 years older than her, the romance is downplayed tremendously (although I get the impression that Al was a romantic and Sonora wasn't).
The accident which renders Sonora blind occurs a little more than halfway through the book, and a lot of detail is spent on this, which I appreciated. The movie shows Sonora more or less quickly going blind and having to accept her fate, but the book reveals that much more happened. It also goes into great detail about how Sonora adapted to her disability and finally overcame it.
This book really does deliver. Sonora goes into a lot of detail about Dr. Carver's horse-diving show, the animals in it, and the amusement park industry of the 1920s. She really does paint a vivid picture of how things were done.
The book doesn't exactly follow the movie. Sonora's movie depiction is of a down-on-her-luck runaway who fights tooth-and-nail to become the show's star, and the real Sonora wasn't quite that bad off. Also, the movie places a lot of emphasize on the romance between her and Al, and in real life, with Al being 20 years older than her, the romance is downplayed tremendously (although I get the impression that Al was a romantic and Sonora wasn't).
The accident which renders Sonora blind occurs a little more than halfway through the book, and a lot of detail is spent on this, which I appreciated. The movie shows Sonora more or less quickly going blind and having to accept her fate, but the book reveals that much more happened. It also goes into great detail about how Sonora adapted to her disability and finally overcame it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews