Publisher Description
The story of noble Black Beauty is one of the most popular children's books of all time. In this sensitive children's adaptation, Beauty movingly describes the friends, people and places - good and bad - that he encounters in the course of his dramatic life as he is passed from master to master. Anna Sewell wrote her book in the late 19th century as an attempt to improve the conditions of the working horse. It remains a unique document of a time when horses were the main means of transport and a heartfelt message against cruelty to animals. While primarily teaching about animal rights, it also looks at how to treat people with kindness, sympathy, and respect. In this audiobook, a beautiful soundscape transports readers to the heart of each scene. Beauty's narrative is complemented by hundreds of facts about cab horses and carriage horses in town and country and the practicalities of their treatment and ill-treatment. This powerful audiobook and its fascinating context can be enjoyed and understood by a new generation of animal lovers. Narrated by the formidable Juliet Stevenson, who has over read 140 audiobooks, she brings the characters of Black Beauty to life. © 1887; 1997 Anna Sewell; Caryn Jenner © 2000 DK Audio
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About Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell (1820–1878) was born in England. A knee injury at fourteen left her disabled, but she rode and drove horses very well. She began learning about horses early in life, spending many hours driving her father to and from the station from which he commuted to work. Her dependence on horse-drawn transportation fostered her respect of horses. She wrote her one book, Black Beauty, in her fifties, and it was published in 1877 just five months before she died. Although it is now considered a children’s classic, she originally wrote it for those who worked with horses. She said “a special aim [was] to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses.” The book has had a tremendous impact in creating a new wave of humane thinking towards animals.
About Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Stevenson is a narrator who is recipient of the AudioFile Golden Voice Award. She has won the prestigious Audie Award and numerous Earphones Awards for her narrations. She is a British actress on stage and screen and notably a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has also appeared in popular films such as Bend It Like Beckham and Mona Lisa Smile. She was honored as a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. She received further recognition when she was nominated for several BAFTA Awards, and she earned an Olivier Award for her role in Death and the Maiden.