Black Beauty (Illustrated by Robert L. Dickey) by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty (Illustrated by Robert L. Dickey) by Anna Sewell

First published in 1877, Black Beauty is Anna Sewell's classic tale of a horse living in 19th century England. Having been injured in early childhood, Anna Sewell would have difficulty walking for most of her life. As such she had to rely on horse-drawn carriages to get around. It was this experience that inspired her love of horses. Black Beauty is a fictional autobiography told from the perspective of the horse. This use of an anthropomorphic protagonist was ground-breaking for its time. The novel follows the story of a young colt through his life, from his early carefree days with his mother on an English farm, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, and ultimately to his happy retirement in the countryside. Black Beauty's experiences are one of both cruelty and kindness as he passes from master to master. The novel masterfully explores the relation between men and animals and strives to impress upon the reader that all animals should be treated with kindness and compassion. An instant bestseller ever since its original publication, Black Beauty has inspired millions of readers with its endearing story and compassionate plea for the ethical treatment of animals. Thus edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and is illustrated by Robert L. Dickey.

Anna Sewell was a lovely and kind woman whose passion for horses and wish to see them treated better led to the most famous animal story of the nineteenth century. She was raised in a strict Quaker family in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where she learned the value of self-reliance, moral responsibility, and 'sensitive care for the Creations of God.' She was up with a tremendous passion for animals and abhorred any kind of brutality towards them. She seemed to have a natural affinity with horses, and her mastery of riding in 'Black Beauty' was the result of a lifetime of practice. Anna received her education at home from her mother, who, in addition to instilling in her a sense of responsibility and faith, also surrounded her with music, painting, and poetry--she was an outstanding ballad writer herself--and Anna quickly established herself as a good pianist and artist.

Anna, who already had a severe bone illness, had a fall when she was fourteen, which rendered her an invalid for the rest of her life. She couldn't get around on her own by her mid-thirties and had to rely on a pony cart to get around. She never used a whip on her own horses, and one of her goals with Black Beauty was to 'induce gentleness, sympathy, and an knowledge of horse treatment.' Anna began composing Black Beauty in 1871 when confined to her chamber due to illness, but she abandoned the project until 1876.

Fearing she wouldn't survive long enough to see the book published, she toiled away at it despite her worsening health. Anna was ecstatic when she saw her work in print in November 1877, thanks to her mother's efforts. She died five months later and was laid to rest near Old Catton, Norfolk, in the family plot. Anna did not live to see the impact her 'small book' has had on the millions of individuals who have read it around the world.

It has been translated into a number of languages, and various attempts to film it have been made. Black Beauty has had a significant impact on how animals are treated, just as Anna wanted.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781420952681
ISBN 10	1420952684
Title	Black Beauty (Illustrated by Robert L. Dickey)
Author	Anna Sewell
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Digireads.com
Year published	2016-02-18
Number of pages	122
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable