What do you think?
Rate this book
A Horse's Tail
A Horse's Tail is a book written by Mark Twain. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, A Horse's Tail is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Mark Twain is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and beautifully produced, A Horse's Tail would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.
53 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1907
53 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Mark Twain
8,883 books18.7k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 18, 2021
I must admit, I’m simply not a fan of war stories and letters. This didn’t have a whole lot to do with the horse besides him passing along what he had heard. I actually had more fun reading the sheet music lines than reading the story, it brought back my childhood piano playing. Perhaps I should take that hobby back up!
June 21, 2018
I haven't read much Twain as an adult, and not too many of his short pieces in my youth, other than those assigned to us in school. I certainly had never heard of this one, which I noticed at Gutenberg and added to a challenge list of books about animals.
Twain starts by having Soldier Boy (the horse) speaking. I am Buffalo Bill's horse. From that you would expect a story of rough and ready Army Scout type of adventures told from the horse's perspective. This is not what happens, though.
The story is almost more about young Cathy, nine years old and being sent to live with her uncle the General of a cavalry post. While there, she charms everyone from soldiers to animals. I kept thinking of Kipling's story about Wee Willie Winkie, set in India. It was made into a movie starring Shirley Temple. Even though they did not look the same, I could not keep myself from picturing Shirley whenever Cathy was out and about.
Just about the time I was wondering if we were ever going to hear from or even about the horse again, he does show up, having a conversation with a Mexican horse who has arrived at the fort. He takes part in a few adventures with Shirley...I mean Cathy...and becomes her horse because of one of those adventures. But when the General retires and takes Cathy to Spain life changes for everyone.
There are some funny bits here, and others that will make you get all teary, especially the ending (I was expecting part of what happened but the rest was a punch in the gut). There is also a puzzling chapter where two men are riding along, one from Spain originally and the other born American. They are talking about bullfighting and the Spaniard describes the first one he ever saw. Being Spaniard, he does not see it as cruel, it is tradition. The American listens and thinks it would all be great fun, that not even burning people (read the 'n' word) is anywhere near as much fun. So what does Twain mean to say by this? I would like to think he meant how can any one country rant about the cruelty in another when there are even more cruel and horrible things happening within their own borders.
Here are Mongrel and Sage-Brush, the two horses who were carrying the Spaniard and the American and listened to the conversation. They are more concerned about the desciription of the bullfight, but I must say I have to agree with their conclusion:
“Sage-Brush, you have been listening?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it strange?”
“Well, no, Mongrel, I don’t know that it is.”
“Why don’t you?”
“I’ve seen a good many human beings in my time. They are created as they are; they cannot help it. They are only brutal because that is their make; brutes would be brutal if it was their make.”
“To me, Sage-Brush, man is most strange and unaccountable. Why should he treat dumb animals that way when they are not doing any harm?”
“Man is not always like that, Mongrel; he is kind enough when he is not excited by religion.”
“Is the bull-fight a religious service?”
“I think so. I have heard so. It is held on Sunday.”
(A reflective pause, lasting some moments.) Then:
“When we die, Sage-Brush, do we go to heaven and dwell with man?”
“My father thought not. He believed we do not have to go there unless we deserve it."
Twain starts by having Soldier Boy (the horse) speaking. I am Buffalo Bill's horse. From that you would expect a story of rough and ready Army Scout type of adventures told from the horse's perspective. This is not what happens, though.
The story is almost more about young Cathy, nine years old and being sent to live with her uncle the General of a cavalry post. While there, she charms everyone from soldiers to animals. I kept thinking of Kipling's story about Wee Willie Winkie, set in India. It was made into a movie starring Shirley Temple. Even though they did not look the same, I could not keep myself from picturing Shirley whenever Cathy was out and about.
Just about the time I was wondering if we were ever going to hear from or even about the horse again, he does show up, having a conversation with a Mexican horse who has arrived at the fort. He takes part in a few adventures with Shirley...I mean Cathy...and becomes her horse because of one of those adventures. But when the General retires and takes Cathy to Spain life changes for everyone.
There are some funny bits here, and others that will make you get all teary, especially the ending (I was expecting part of what happened but the rest was a punch in the gut). There is also a puzzling chapter where two men are riding along, one from Spain originally and the other born American. They are talking about bullfighting and the Spaniard describes the first one he ever saw. Being Spaniard, he does not see it as cruel, it is tradition. The American listens and thinks it would all be great fun, that not even burning people (read the 'n' word) is anywhere near as much fun. So what does Twain mean to say by this? I would like to think he meant how can any one country rant about the cruelty in another when there are even more cruel and horrible things happening within their own borders.
Here are Mongrel and Sage-Brush, the two horses who were carrying the Spaniard and the American and listened to the conversation. They are more concerned about the desciription of the bullfight, but I must say I have to agree with their conclusion:
“Sage-Brush, you have been listening?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it strange?”
“Well, no, Mongrel, I don’t know that it is.”
“Why don’t you?”
“I’ve seen a good many human beings in my time. They are created as they are; they cannot help it. They are only brutal because that is their make; brutes would be brutal if it was their make.”
“To me, Sage-Brush, man is most strange and unaccountable. Why should he treat dumb animals that way when they are not doing any harm?”
“Man is not always like that, Mongrel; he is kind enough when he is not excited by religion.”
“Is the bull-fight a religious service?”
“I think so. I have heard so. It is held on Sunday.”
(A reflective pause, lasting some moments.) Then:
“When we die, Sage-Brush, do we go to heaven and dwell with man?”
“My father thought not. He believed we do not have to go there unless we deserve it."
July 28, 2016
I do normally enjoy the writing of Mark Twain and find it a welcome change from my usual psychological thrillers that I tend to read. But on this occasion I was disappointed, I had previously enjoyed 'The Dog's tale' and was hoping for something very similar but from a horses perspective but I found this short story on the whole a total let down.
The book starts promising with the narrative from 'Soldier Boy' who was Buffalo Bill's horse and is amusing but this changes to a tale of Soldier Boy's relationship with Cathy.
There are much better books by Mark Twain and I would suggest avoiding this one.
The book starts promising with the narrative from 'Soldier Boy' who was Buffalo Bill's horse and is amusing but this changes to a tale of Soldier Boy's relationship with Cathy.
There are much better books by Mark Twain and I would suggest avoiding this one.
September 15, 2017
We were perfectly charmed in the beginning, loving Twain's wit and humor, but it felt like a bait and switch at the end. A horse story became a girl story, which became a treatise on the cruelties of bullfighting. We thought we were getting a story about it Buffalo Bill! And it was NOT a happy ending. We all felt sick. I think that is what Twain intended, but the story didn't feel at all like a story. Rather, it seemed like a drunken, ironic rant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2021
Non il mio Twain preferito. Gli ultimi tre capitoli finali fanno la differenza in un racconto che altrimenti risulta molto sconnesso e a tratti "fastidioso" per questo motivo.
February 1, 2023
catherine is just like me
July 22, 2019
Ah, the beauty of bull fighting.
August 20, 2011
I usually find Mark Twain both funny and to the point, but this tale wanders and is a bit confusing when it jumps around between the viewpoints of different horses and of people. There is a description of a bull fight towards the end that made my stomach clench in horror. Twain is so subtle that it is sometimes difficult to tell whether he is writing in approval or disapproval of the events he describes. This is a case in point. If I hadn't read Around the Equator and portions of his autobiography, I wouldn't have been able to tell that he meant his reader's stomach to clench in horror. I found the rest of the tale to be depressing in the extreme, which also was probably Twain's intent. I did wonder if he fashioned the little girl in this tale after his own daughter who died so young and for whom he mourned for years. I read somewhere that he used her as a guide for his Saint Joan, which I still think is the finest thing Twain has written.
October 16, 2013
This story is a big contrast to Mark Twain's A Dog's Tale. Although both books have similar titles they do not share the same style. A Horse's Tale is not always narrated from the horse's point of view and I would have preferred this short story more if it had been narrated by Soldier Boy (the main horse character)
I thought the last chapter was really the storey Twain wanted to tell and the last chapter felt disunited from the rest if the story.
I thought it was interesting how Twain switched between narratives. For example the horse started the narration with a first person (horse ? ) perspective, then humans would narrate, then letters would narrate past events often to characters that are not involved in the stories events and finally animals would narrate to other animals regarding dialogue the first animal overheard amongst humans. Although these types of narration were interesting I don't think I appreciated them.
I thought the last chapter was really the storey Twain wanted to tell and the last chapter felt disunited from the rest if the story.
I thought it was interesting how Twain switched between narratives. For example the horse started the narration with a first person (horse ? ) perspective, then humans would narrate, then letters would narrate past events often to characters that are not involved in the stories events and finally animals would narrate to other animals regarding dialogue the first animal overheard amongst humans. Although these types of narration were interesting I don't think I appreciated them.
January 9, 2013
This starts of with an unusual perspective on his rider and life in general - it's a book written in the some places from the horse's point of view, with a wide range of comments from the horse, both funny and historical. And Mark Twain (Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer) is as entertaining as ever on life in early 19th century America. Other parts of the book take the form of letters (from human characters). Be warned, though, the whole thrust of the book is to make a serious point about cruelty to animals - and it does this very graphically through the story. [spoiler alert - some heart-breaking scenes in the second half]. The thing is, the point about cruelty to animals did need to be made more forcefully in Mark Twain's day. These days, as a writer on horses in film, I prefer a lighter look at the role of the horse.
November 16, 2018
Çok eski bir baskı olduğu için bulunabilir mi emin değilim ama güzel bir öykü derlemesiydi. Belki farklı ve ayrı basımları olabileceğinden içindeki öyküleri tek tek yazıyorum.
Beyaz Fil
Ölüm Zarı
Geç Kalan Pasaport
Misis Williams ve Yıldırım
Eskimo Kızının Romanı
Garip Bir Rüya
Alonzo Fitz Clarence ile Rosannah Ethelton’un Aşkları
Bir Yargılama
Bir Ortaçağ Romanı İfşa Edilen Sır
Yaşıyor mu? Öldü mü?
Kapitol Venüsü’nün Hikayesi
Bir Atın Hikayesi
Öyküleri genel olarak çok beğendim. Kafanızı dağıtacak, güldürecek, düşündürecek ve ne zaman bittiğini anlamayacaksınız. Beyaz Fil isimli öykü trajikomikti, güzel başladı dedim kendi kendime. Ölüm Zarı biraz daha masumane ve düşündürücüydü. Geç kalan pasaport heyecanlı bir öyküydü ama Misis Williams ve Yıldırım gerçekten çok komikti ve çok da güzel bir konuya parmak basmıştı. En çok eğlendiğim öykülerden birisiydi. Yaşıyor mu? Öldü mü? adlı öykü ise toplumun belli bir konudaki ve benzer konulardaki düşünce yapısına güzel bir değinme olmuş.
Mark Twain’i her zaman sevmişimdir. Özellikle Tom Sawyer’in kalbimdeki yeri bambaşkadır. Eğer kendisine aşinaysanız ve öykü okumayı seviyorsanız kesinlikle bu öykülerini okumanız gerektiğini düşünüyorum. Garip bir rüyanın anlatımı ve düşündürücülüğü çok hoşuma gitti. Öykülerin içeriğine dair bir şey paylaşmak istemiyorum çünkü çok da uzun değiller. Ne desem büyüsünü kaçırmış olurum.
Kitaba adını veren öykü ise çok güzeldi. Güzeller güzeli, sevimli mi sevimli Catherine’nin hikayesini bir çok kişiden sırasıyla okuyorsunuz. Özellikle Asker Delikanlı diye çağrılan atın kendi kendine düşündüğü kısımlar çok güzeldi. Hikayenin sonu ise oldukça etkileyiciydi.
Bütün öyküler üzerine düşündüğünüzde bir takım şeyler öğrenebilir, birçok şeyi de fark edebilirsiniz. Sadece bu açıdan bile okunmaya değer hepsi.
Beyaz Fil
Ölüm Zarı
Geç Kalan Pasaport
Misis Williams ve Yıldırım
Eskimo Kızının Romanı
Garip Bir Rüya
Alonzo Fitz Clarence ile Rosannah Ethelton’un Aşkları
Bir Yargılama
Bir Ortaçağ Romanı İfşa Edilen Sır
Yaşıyor mu? Öldü mü?
Kapitol Venüsü’nün Hikayesi
Bir Atın Hikayesi
Öyküleri genel olarak çok beğendim. Kafanızı dağıtacak, güldürecek, düşündürecek ve ne zaman bittiğini anlamayacaksınız. Beyaz Fil isimli öykü trajikomikti, güzel başladı dedim kendi kendime. Ölüm Zarı biraz daha masumane ve düşündürücüydü. Geç kalan pasaport heyecanlı bir öyküydü ama Misis Williams ve Yıldırım gerçekten çok komikti ve çok da güzel bir konuya parmak basmıştı. En çok eğlendiğim öykülerden birisiydi. Yaşıyor mu? Öldü mü? adlı öykü ise toplumun belli bir konudaki ve benzer konulardaki düşünce yapısına güzel bir değinme olmuş.
Mark Twain’i her zaman sevmişimdir. Özellikle Tom Sawyer’in kalbimdeki yeri bambaşkadır. Eğer kendisine aşinaysanız ve öykü okumayı seviyorsanız kesinlikle bu öykülerini okumanız gerektiğini düşünüyorum. Garip bir rüyanın anlatımı ve düşündürücülüğü çok hoşuma gitti. Öykülerin içeriğine dair bir şey paylaşmak istemiyorum çünkü çok da uzun değiller. Ne desem büyüsünü kaçırmış olurum.
Kitaba adını veren öykü ise çok güzeldi. Güzeller güzeli, sevimli mi sevimli Catherine’nin hikayesini bir çok kişiden sırasıyla okuyorsunuz. Özellikle Asker Delikanlı diye çağrılan atın kendi kendine düşündüğü kısımlar çok güzeldi. Hikayenin sonu ise oldukça etkileyiciydi.
Bütün öyküler üzerine düşündüğünüzde bir takım şeyler öğrenebilir, birçok şeyi de fark edebilirsiniz. Sadece bu açıdan bile okunmaya değer hepsi.
February 2, 2018
Beautifully written and touching, insightful and true. Sentimental without reserve or pretense. Twain.
June 23, 2022
We do a little romanticizing of the frontier
July 6, 2019
Jag är upprörd
April 1, 2023
A Horse's Tale is a surprisingly effective story of love and loss written during a time when Twain was experiencing several personal tragedies. The seriousness and lack of humor might surprise readers who aren't familiar with his 20th century works, but it's certainly worth a read if you are looking to expand past Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It's a shame that so many reviews are just "eww a horse's perspective" or "eww a war story." There are actually several narrators in this story both of the human and animal variety and it's only a war story in the periphery. The shifting narrators does make story a bit disjointed, but as a whole it is a powerful tale of the change one person can make in the lives of others. Mark Twain has always been one of our great humanist writers, and although this story is called "A Horse's Tale" it's one of his most human works. Recommended.
January 11, 2014
I am not sure what I was expecting from this story but the ending surprised me. There was some nice social commentary in the book and I enjoyed the repartee between the animals. I would highly recommend this book as a nice change of pace to what you would expect a Mark Twain story to be. Excellent read.
November 1, 2025
Το "A Horse’s Tale" είναι μια λιγότερο γνωστή νουβέλα του Mark Twain, που δημοσιεύτηκε το 1907. Παρά τον ελαφρώς παιχνιδιάρικο τίτλο, την αφήγηση μέσα από την οπτική του αλόγου, το μυθιστόρημα είναι καμουφλαρισμένο υπό το μανδύα του παιδικού αναγνώσματος, αλλά το έργο είναι πολύ πιο σκοτεινό και πικρό.
Η ιστορία αφηγείται στην αρχή από την οπτική του αλόγου του Buffalo Bill. Ο Twain χρησιμοποιεί αυτή την ανθρωπομορφική αφήγηση για να κάνει σχόλια πάνω στην ανθρώπινη βία, τον πόλεμο και τη σκληρότητα προς τα ζώα.
Κεντρική φιγούρα είναι η Catherine, ένα μικρό κορίτσι με τρυφερό χαρακτήρα, που συνδέεται στενά με το άλογο. Η σχέση τους είναι γεμάτη στοργή, μέχρι που η ιστορία παίρνει μια τραγική στροφή — με φόντο τον στρατό και τη βαρβαρότητα των «ψυχαγωγικών» βασανιστηρίων των ζώων, όπως οι ταυρομαχίες.
Η κορύφωση του έργου είναι συγκλονιστική και απολύτως αντι-ρομαντική· ο Twain ρίχνει στο πρόσωπο του αναγνώστη την ωμή πραγματικότητα της ανθρώπινης βαρβαρότητας.
Παρότι ο Twain είναι γνωστός για τον σαρκασμό του, εδώ ο τόνος είναι πιο πικρός και οργισμένος. Το βιβλίο είναι στην ουσία ένα φιλοζωικό και αντιπολεμικό μανιφέστο, καμουφλαρισμένο σαν παιδικό παραμύθι.
Ο Twain επιτίθεται στην απώλεια της αθωότητας, τόσο των παιδιών όσο και των κοινωνιών που συνηθίζουν στη βία.
Κριτικάρει την υποκρισία της «πολιτισμένης» κοινωνίας, που ψυχαγωγείται με αίμα.
Το άλογο λειτουργεί ως καθρέφτης της ανθρώπινης ηθικής – ευγενές, πιστό, αλλά προδομένο από τον «κύριό» του, τον άνθρωπο.
Η γραφή του είναι ειρωνική και τρυφερή, αλλά η τελική γεύση είναι σκληρή και μελαγχολική.
Όχι από τα πιο “εύπεπτα” έργα του Twain. Αν οι περιπέτειες του Tom Sawyer είναι ένα τραγούδι παιδικής αθωότητας, τότε το A Horse’s Tale είναι το ρέκβιεμ της.
Η ιστορία αφηγείται στην αρχή από την οπτική του αλόγου του Buffalo Bill. Ο Twain χρησιμοποιεί αυτή την ανθρωπομορφική αφήγηση για να κάνει σχόλια πάνω στην ανθρώπινη βία, τον πόλεμο και τη σκληρότητα προς τα ζώα.
Κεντρική φιγούρα είναι η Catherine, ένα μικρό κορίτσι με τρυφερό χαρακτήρα, που συνδέεται στενά με το άλογο. Η σχέση τους είναι γεμάτη στοργή, μέχρι που η ιστορία παίρνει μια τραγική στροφή — με φόντο τον στρατό και τη βαρβαρότητα των «ψυχαγωγικών» βασανιστηρίων των ζώων, όπως οι ταυρομαχίες.
Η κορύφωση του έργου είναι συγκλονιστική και απολύτως αντι-ρομαντική· ο Twain ρίχνει στο πρόσωπο του αναγνώστη την ωμή πραγματικότητα της ανθρώπινης βαρβαρότητας.
Παρότι ο Twain είναι γνωστός για τον σαρκασμό του, εδώ ο τόνος είναι πιο πικρός και οργισμένος. Το βιβλίο είναι στην ουσία ένα φιλοζωικό και αντιπολεμικό μανιφέστο, καμουφλαρισμένο σαν παιδικό παραμύθι.
Ο Twain επιτίθεται στην απώλεια της αθωότητας, τόσο των παιδιών όσο και των κοινωνιών που συνηθίζουν στη βία.
Κριτικάρει την υποκρισία της «πολιτισμένης» κοινωνίας, που ψυχαγωγείται με αίμα.
Το άλογο λειτουργεί ως καθρέφτης της ανθρώπινης ηθικής – ευγενές, πιστό, αλλά προδομένο από τον «κύριό» του, τον άνθρωπο.
Η γραφή του είναι ειρωνική και τρυφερή, αλλά η τελική γεύση είναι σκληρή και μελαγχολική.
Όχι από τα πιο “εύπεπτα” έργα του Twain. Αν οι περιπέτειες του Tom Sawyer είναι ένα τραγούδι παιδικής αθωότητας, τότε το A Horse’s Tale είναι το ρέκβιεμ της.
May 21, 2025
Among the lesser-known works of Twain, A Horse's Tale mixes an epistolary by a military officer at a remote outpost with dialogues between animals of the post (principally the protagonist, a horse called Soldier Boy.) The principal subject of the epistolary is a precocious girl who lives at the outpost and who is adored by all as the one soft, sweet creature in a world of warfighting men and their animals. The conversations between animals offer the most amusing portion of this book, largely for the fun being poked at humanity's expense.
In its best moments, this novella is intensely touching or hilarious. However, it does suffer from inconsistency of pacing and tone.
If you enjoy Mark Twain's humor and storytelling, this novella is well worth reading. If you're primarily a reader of present-day genre / commercial fiction, it probably won't be your thing.
In its best moments, this novella is intensely touching or hilarious. However, it does suffer from inconsistency of pacing and tone.
If you enjoy Mark Twain's humor and storytelling, this novella is well worth reading. If you're primarily a reader of present-day genre / commercial fiction, it probably won't be your thing.
November 11, 2021
This was my favorite Mark Twain book I have ever read. It’s also my least favorite animal and human friendship bond story I have ever read! I guess I am just not a Mark Twain fan. For all his hype, he bores me to tears. His writing style borderline annoys me.
Then there is this story and at times I think to myself, “This is actually pretty good!” Then quickly I think, “Ok Twain. Let’s keep moving!” Unfortunately as with pretty much all of Twain’s work, I find myself asking, “What was the point of that book? Why did I push through for that?!”
Then there is this story and at times I think to myself, “This is actually pretty good!” Then quickly I think, “Ok Twain. Let’s keep moving!” Unfortunately as with pretty much all of Twain’s work, I find myself asking, “What was the point of that book? Why did I push through for that?!”
August 9, 2025
I must admit that I feel disappointed with the book. It is a very small story and the style sometimes is very confusing, especially when there's dialogue and it's hard understanding who is talking or when is talking.
Even though I'm disappointed, I recognize that the message of the book is very important, the brutality of bullfighting (a tradition that I despise even though common in my country of Portugal), and it is written in a way that a child could understand, which is very important if we wantto stop this brutality.
Even though I'm disappointed, I recognize that the message of the book is very important, the brutality of bullfighting (a tradition that I despise even though common in my country of Portugal), and it is written in a way that a child could understand, which is very important if we wantto stop this brutality.
February 5, 2017
Was a delightful read about a spunky, lovable girl. I was thoroughly enjoying it...and then it had such an abrupt, dark end that was completely out of tenor with the rest of the book. I've thought a lot about Twain's intentions presenting it this way, and I'm not sure what I've concluded. Whiplash realism? Happiness and joy are fleeting? The innocence of childhood is a fragile thing that can easily be killed? Too many options...none of them pleasant. :-/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2018
A pleasant inoffensive little tale with some great moments of humor until the extremely stark change of tone in the last two chapters. I guess it served the purpose of really hammering home the message Twain wanted but in a literary sense it didn't really work.
June 22, 2020
Very short and clever. The story is about Buffalo Bill's horse named Soldier Boy and how he falls in love with a little girl at one of the forts on the frontier. Very quick ready, very entertaining. I cannot help but think that Mark Twain had fun writing this.
April 3, 2025
Silly
While this will hold interest for some, I found myself wishing it would end. Twain had good ideas for books, but this was not one of them. It seemed silly to me, the story forced, and I gave it the old geave-ho at 87% complete. Sorry, Sam!
While this will hold interest for some, I found myself wishing it would end. Twain had good ideas for books, but this was not one of them. It seemed silly to me, the story forced, and I gave it the old geave-ho at 87% complete. Sorry, Sam!
February 19, 2018
It was fun and entertaining. I was a bit shocked by the ending but I do not regret having listened to it.
April 10, 2018
As short as it is, it made me laugh and cry. Mark Twain certainly can make it believable that animals really do have the personalities we attribute to them
July 21, 2018
Genius!
August 10, 2019
After the first couple of chapters, the seeming inanity gave way to a pretty good story. :)
July 23, 2020
Had I known this was a story about Buffalo Bill's horse, I likely wouldn't have selected it.
February 5, 2021
I found myself, near the end of this book, wondering if I was reading Hemingway...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews