Black Beauty - Anna Sewell

Black Beauty, a novel by Anna Sewell, is a timeless classic that has captured the hearts of readers for over a century. The novel tells the story of a horse named Black Beauty and his various owners, revealing the cruelties and kindnesses that horses face at the hands of humans. Sewell's writing is both poignant and powerful, transporting readers to a different time and place with vivid descriptions of the English countryside and the daily life of horses. Her portrayal of Black Beauty's experiences, from his carefree days as a foal to his cruel treatment at the hands of negligent owners, is heart-wrenching and emotional. One of the most impressive aspects of Black Beauty is Sewell's commitment to animal welfare. She uses the novel as a platform to raise awareness about the mistreatment of horses during the Victorian era, and her advocacy for animal rights is evident throughout the book. The story encourages empathy and compassion towards animals and encourages readers to take action to improve their welfare. Overall, Black Beauty is a powerful and moving novel that is not to be missed. It is a testament to the enduring power of literature to create social change and inspire empathy and kindness toward all living creatures.

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This is the must buy book. The story in very inspiration. The quality of the pages is fine. This is the must buy book

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I love animals more than humans may be that's the reason why I like this book most.

The writer Anne Sewell wrote this book in a very simple language. The story of the book revolves around a talking black horse who was telling it's own biography of how it remains loyal to its masters although some of them were very cruel to treat him. It tells every stage of a horse life from its childhood to its training as a mature horse.

Read the book to see how black beauty enjoys the many kindness and survives the terrible mistreatment, Although this book is sad, I don't think you will find it sad to read. Black Beauty is a very understanding and forgiving horse and it does all end happily ever .

And as Shakespeare said "ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL ".

This book also encourages better treatment of animals at the hands of otherwise cruel masters. Not only does this book teach us animal welfare, it also tells how to deal with people with sympathy, respect and kindness

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I purchased this from amazon.in for my 8 years son. Before making him to read this I read it myself. I am not a book lover but while read this book I develop interest in reading the books . Author Anna Sewell wrote this book in very simple language. The story of the books revolves around a talking black horse who was telling its own biography of how it remain loyal to its masters although some of them very cruel to treat him. It tells every stage of a horse life from its childhood to its training as a mature horse. My kids also liked the story.

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This book is an autobiography from the point of view of the titular horse named as Black Beauty. This book was published by the author named Anna Sewell in the year 1877. This book comes under the genre of children's literature.

The first part of the book reveals with Beauty's birth in a meadow, his time spent as a foal with his mother and the advice she gives him to behave well to be treated well. Then after he was sold to the Squire Gordon who is a horse lover by nature and cares very well for his animals.

Beauty spends the better part of three years here and makes friends with the other horses, namely Ginger, Oliver and Merrylegs.

This idyllic part ends with the beginning of the second part where Beauty is sold along with Ginger. The life is harder there and the painful bearing rein is used on the horses. A riding accident causes his knees to be ruined and he is sold as a job horse to a new master who cannot take the trouble of rearing a horse and sells him again.

Then, Beauty is sold to a hardworking cab driver called Jerry. On the mid time he meets his friend Ginger who is miserable due to the harsh treatment meted out her and subsequently he watches her corpse being carted away a few months later.

After a long time Jerry falls ills and sold Beauty again. The horse then passes from one master to another, most of whom overwork and mistreat him. At last he is sold to the Blomefileld family for whom his old groom Joe Green is working.

Green recognizes Beauty and he lives out his last days in peace and happiness.

The result of this book is the author had a great interaction with horses and understood them well. The language is extremely simple and the point of view is very consistent for its time. The human characters are explored more distantly than the other horses, as it befits the perspective of the horse.

This book has just an unusual charm in it and it is very touchy something which is unforgettable.

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Today I am going to share my review about the story BLACK BEAUTY.

I bought this book in debate competition in school.I really enjoyed reading this book.

Anna sewell had written this book in her life time.this story puts the entire life of speechless animal.It is an imaginary auto bio graphy of a horse named black beauty.

Anna sewell are brimming with cherishing compassion for the wonderful creature.

This story was set in an nineteenth century england, during the period when practically everybody came into successive contact with steeds.

this book is the best selling book written by Anna sewell.

this book was liked by all animal activist.

After reading this book all can able to understand about the animal condition.

this story tells about kindness and sympathy.

this book gives us lesson about to be kind to the animals and to understand their pain and problems.

This book should be read who loves animal and habit of reading.I suggest all to buy this book.It is really good.

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I revisited this classic horse story not knowing what to expect, really . I have found that I can't really trust my childhood memories. In this case, however, the years made no difference. The odd thing I noticed while reading this book was how completely I'd internalized the messages regarding animals and how one should treat them. I know that I must have read this 20 or 30 times. It is a wonderful book.

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Anna Sewell wrote just one book in her lifetime.But she has put the entire life of a speechless animal in such a way that you feel happy when Black Beauty-the protagonist horse is treated well and at pleces you weep when it describes its pain.

It is an imaginary autobiography of a horse named Black Beauty.The storey starts when Beauty is at its first home with his mother.He is then sold to Squire Gorddon who is a very nice man.There he is cared greatly by its coachman John Manly.His bad days begin when Beauty's owners are forced by worse situations to sell him.Beauty goes to various places and encounters various kinds of people.He goes for cab work where he is badly exploited.He is reined tighlty, does not get proper food, has to work on all days of the week with no rest.His health falls .He has to face all types of atrocities.But finally, Beauty's problemd end when he reaches Mrs.Blomefield's home where Joe Green from Squire Gordons house is his groom.At last Beauty's troubles are over and he lived happily ever after.

This story is a must read or all animal lovers ond people who love reading.

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A horse is a horse obviously unless obviously the stallion is Black Beauty. Creature cherishing kids have been given to Black Beauty consistently, and doubtlessly will proceed through the following. In spite of the fact that Anna Sewell's fantastic paints an unmistakable picture of turn-of-the-century London, its message is all inclusive and ageless: creatures will serve people well in the event that they are treated with thought and generosity.

Black Beauty recounts the tale of the horse's own particular long and shifted life, from a well-conceived foal in a lovely glade to an exquisite carriage horse for a courteous fellow to an agonizingly exhausted taxicab horse.

Anna Sewall's words are brimming with cherishing compassion for these wonderful creatures. The story was set in nineteenth century England, during a period when practically everybody came into successive contact with steeds. I trust that her story created no less than a couple individuals to treat them with more prominent graciousness.

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Black Beauty is an autobiography of a horse who unfolds many stories .

I got this book as a prize in a debate competition in my school . I enjoyed reading this book .

Now my son has this book in his syllabus and he also likes this story too much .

This book was a Best seller of its time .Its written by Anna Sewell .

It was like by animal activist and after reading this book people starting understanding animals condition .

The main character in this story is Darkie - a black horse, so the story is named as Black Beauty .

Darkie narrates his story starting from his days as a colt in an English farm with his mother, then pulling cabs in London where he tastes the cruelity of humans, then his retirement days in a country where is taken proper care by his masters.

Each chapter tells about an incident in Darkie's life containing a lesson on kindness and sympathy.

So this book gives us a lesson to be kind with animals and to understand their pain and problems .

This book is one of its kind which teaches us to be kind to animals and to understand that they are also living things like us, they have emotions, feelings and pain .We should not use animals only to serve us but we should take care of them and treat them nicely.

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Black Beauty is a fictional autobiography. The protagonist is a horse who unfolds many stories. The stories relate to cruel torture and kind attitude. This book was written in the last years of the author, Anna Sewell, when she was confined to her house.

This book was an immediate bestseller and Anne Sewell lived just enough to witness this feat. This book also encouraged better treatment of animals at the hands of otherwise cruel masters. This book was written for people who work with horses, but it pretty became a children novel. Not only does this book teach animal welfare, it also tells how to deal with people with sympathy, respect and kindness.

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This book about horses is one of the finest books ever read by me. it told me about the animal I loved the most .he horses treated badly in starting serve everyone the same therefore became stern.i have loved horsess ever since I was young. I never knew about the treatments given to them so I loved riding them, but by reading this book changes my opinion. I try my very best to ride them properly & with care as to not hurt them. I hate those people who treat them badly.

On hearing my sister say that this book was on horses made me read it. according to the age of the autor, ANNA SEWEL, she has written the book very well. her style of writing books is totaly different from the other autors whose books are about animals.i have never seen such a horse as described in the book about BLACK BEAUTY. this book is the best book I ever read, its story is interasting & I love it.

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I still remember my birthday in the year 2001 when I was turning seven years old. My parents gifted this book as a birthday present. It was one of the books like ‘Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ that I loved to read again and again when I got time because I never got bored. The book ‘Black Beauty’ was written by Anna Sewell in 1877.

A story told by a horse, in his own words. It is a story of how he was treated with affection and respect when he was a young and healthy horse, but how he fell into illness and despair as he was passed from one set of careless hands to the next. As a very young foal, the beautiful Black Beauty received some very sound advice from his mother.

This piece of advice lays down the plan for the book. Black Beauty does indeed pass through the hands of all kinds of men - good, cruel and foolish.

At his first place, the local squire's hall, Black Beauty meets other horses who all have stories to tell about men and the ways they treat their animals. Black Beauty is very happy with Squire Gordon, but the household is eventually closed down when the squire goes to live abroad and all the horses are sold on. Squire Gordon makes every effort to find Black Beauty a good place, and indeed, does so, but no amount of effort can guard a horse from stupidity.

He is ridden carelessly by a drunk servant one night and falls because he has a broken shoe. The drunkard is killed, but Black Beauty is not blamed for that. They know it was the rider's fault. Nevertheless, Black Beauty now has scarred knees from his fall and is no longer fit to be in a gentleman's stables.

It is the beginning of the downward spiral for Black Beauty. No longer fit to be a gentleman's horse, he is sold on, to work for his living. Black Beauty is proud and happy to work for a good master, but cannot work well if he is not cared for properly.

Read the book to see how Black Beauty enjoys the many kindnesses and survives the terrible mistreatments. Although this book is sad, I don't think you will find it too sad to read. Black Beauty is a very understanding and forgiving horse and it does all end happily ever after. And as Shakespeare said “Alls well that ends well”

His story shows that even horses have feelings too, sometimes knowing more than we realize and that, well treated any animal will remain our true and loyal friends forever. This book is almost a collection of short stories, as each chapter relates a different episode in the life of Black Beauty and other horses who he meets along the way. A good book to choose if, perhaps, you prefer to read in short sessions.

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Human beings seldom think of animals- their feelings, joys & comforts. They assume that animals have been created for the sole purpose of serving their human masters. This kind of blinkered vision is the reason behind the unending cruelty to animals. People keep dogs chained for hours, force freedom loving birds to flap uncomfortably in tiny cages, overload their cattle & donkeys & whip horses mercilessly; the list is unending.

But fortunately for animals, there are a few hums ( including me)who think of them & speak up against their plight at the hands of other humans.

One of the first defenders of animals was Anna Sewell who wished to write a book ''to induce kindness, sympathy & an understanding treatment of horses'' & so Black Beauty was written. Anna was so ill that she was confined to bed, writing only a few lines at a time. Often her mother had to transcribe her faint scrawls into fair copy. the book was published in 1877 & Anna died a few months later.

Black Beauty is based on a horse named Bessie, owned by Anna's brother. Her own pony, whom she loved very much, was the inspiration behind Merrylegs.

Black Beauty is the story of a horse narrated by the horse himself. This horse Beauty is fortunate enough to be born on the farm of a kind farmer. Beauty is well looked after & trained during his youth. Later he's sold to Mr.Gordon, where he's loved & looked after by the kind groom. Beauty is able to repay the love & kindness of his mistress & master by doing his best when the doctor had to be fetched in a hurry. But soon Beauty has to prepare for a change- He is sold to his master's friend. In his new place Beauty has the first taste of the cruel bearing reins. Beauty is injured in an accident & as a result is sold to a man who rents out horses( much as people rent out cars today). This is a truly miserable time for Beauty- rented out by the day, he is forced to endure the ignorance of the drivers. The conditions in the stable are also unsatisfactory. Luckily release comes when Beauty is sold to a kind gentleman. But here the grooms neglect Beauty & inadequate food & bad hygiene ruin his health.

Beauty is sold to a kind & loving London cab driver but after three years of the hard work, he is sold. A corn dealer buys him & in a short while, Beauty collapses under the weight of the overloaded cart. This time when Beauty is sold, luck is in his favour & a kind man buys him. Under the care & attention the man lavishes on him, Beauty is soon his old self. He is handed over to the care of some ladies who are so pleased with Beauty's gentle nature that they keep him, promising never to sell him. Beauty finally finds a home that promises good food, love & proper attention.

Black Beauty is narrated from the point of view of horses. Anna Sewell uses this strategy very effectively & humans are made aware of the animal's attitudes & ideas. Ginger, another horse, tells Beauty how she was badly treated when she was young, as a result of which she distrusts men. Beauty himself witnesses the death of a horse in a hunting accident. The horses cannot understand hunting as a sport nor can they understand war. The reflections of the horses on war, help man realise the utter futility of war. Beauty passes through the hands of several masters & realises that if man showed some kindness to animals, they would willingly do his bidding.

Man however chooses to use his superior power to tame animals. Black Beauty did not earn the author much money but it made a deep impact on people. It was the first book to use animals to tell a story & it forced humans to reconsider their behaviour to animals. The bearing- rein went out of fashion & a group of people , whose concern was animal welfare, had their say. Reading the book is both an interesting experience. At the same time the few good animal lovers you meet, will restore your faith in humans.

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Black Beauty is a book for all---regardless of age, caste, sex, nationality, religion, occupation (and so on). Many a times, people say that this book is for those who love animals or for those who love horses. I am not an animal lover in the sense I don’t like to keep pets at home (no dogs, no cats). I am allergic. Nor do I cuddle them (blame it on my allergy). But I am not cruel to animals and cruelty to animals annoys me!

The Author

Anna Sewell had injured her knee as a child and struggled with her health for the rest of her life. Anna was a great lover of horses. She wrote Black Beauty with hopes of changing the public's attitude about the cruel practices inflicted on horses (in those times). When she wrote this story, Anna was bedridden. Unfortunately Anna did not live to see the success of her work. At Ann’s funeral, her mother stopped the funeral procession to ask several carriages to remove their bearing reins.

The book

I first read this book long back (while in school), and recently read it with my daughter (who loves cats and dogs and loves to cuddle them as well). In this book, the hero of the story, the horse named Black Beauty tells you the story of his life. There are explanations about the pains and agonies the horses have to go through---most of them because of carelessness!

Some of the points that I liked are:

Mother’s advice: In the starting of the book, Black Beauty’s mother advices him about how to behave “You have been well-bred and well-born; your father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two years at the New market races; your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or bite. I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.''

Doesn't this remind us of our mothers? :)

About kindness : Horses earn for kindness and appreciate it as well. Black Beauty says about one (of his various masters): Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging, and kind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were all fond of him.

New terms: You learn new terms, like breaking in. Breaking in means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle, and to carry on a person on his back and to go quietly, just the way they wish.

Horses hate: Wearing iron shoes (which they don’t mind later). The stiff heavy collar, just on the neck. The bridle, with great side-pieces. Blinkers, that did not allow them to see on either side, but only straight in front. Crupper, a small saddle with a nasty stiff strap that went right under the tail.

Probably, what the horse hate the most is to be harnessed. In one place, the mistress wanted the horses to be harnessed as it was a fashion statement. Without a harness, the horse can put the head forward and take the carriage up with a will, but with the harness on, the horse has to pull with the carriage with the head up and that takes up all the spirit out of the horse, and strains their and legs.

Ignorance. Black beauty tells an incident where in he had to ride in the night for a long time to get a doctor for his misteress. Since the Doctor's horse was not available, he rode Black Beauty who was already tired. Back to the stable, Black Beauty was sweating badly. The stable boy, rubbed Black Beauty’s legs and chest, but he did not put my warm cloth on him (as he was hot and sweating). Then he gave Black Beauty a pail-ful of cold water to drink and some hay and corn to eat. Soon Black Beauty began to shake and tremble, and turned deadly cold. Fortunately, later the groom came to check on Black beauty and gave him warm water to drink and put on some warm cloth on him.

The book contains so many such incidents which makes it an interesting read. Black beauty tells of his desires and wishes which makes you feel as though a human being is narrating the story! It is also interesting to know what a horse feels about the human beings!

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The book makes you go through the life of a horse and the ups and downs that it has to face in day-to-day life. It is truly a book for those who have a liking for horses.

The author is a young girl who wrote the book while she was sick. Her mother wrote down portions when she was too weak and could not hold a pen. The book was published many years after it was complete(don't remember the exact figure).

The stroy revolves around a jet black coloured horse Black Beauty with a star-mark on the forehead. The horse makes many new friends in the journey of life and changes many masters. At the end of the story, the horse returns to the same master whom he had seen as a young boy. Looking at the conditions through which Blackie goes, he promises to take good care of the creature.

The overall story is heart-touching, but has been stressed too much. Too long indeed. But good considering the age of the author and the conditions in which she had to write the book. Truly a book for horse lovers.

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Black Beauty is a very good book especially for people who love horses. I love anything dealing with horses so naturally that's why I read this book. Ms. Sewell takes you into the depths of a horses hard life. To a master with a cold mind till a life spent grazing in the feilds. This book shows a horses dreams, ambitions things that one would never think of. It shows the pain, the agony in a fellow horse's life. This book is a great book. It made me think beyond the box where horses are just like humans, have human desires and wishes. This is definitely a good book for anyone.

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