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Blind Your Ponies Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,400 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Sam Pickett never expected to settle in this dried-up shell of a town on the western edge of the world. He’s come here to hide from the violence and madness that have shattered his life, but what he finds is what he least expects. It seems that every inhabitant of this forgotten outpost has a story, a reason for taking a detour to this place—or a reason for staying. As the coach of the hapless high school basketball team, Sam can’t help but be moved by the bravery he witnesses in the everyday lives of people—including his own young players—bearing their sorrows and broken dreams. How do they carry on, believing in a future that seems to be based on the flimsiest of promises? Drawing on the strength of the boys on the team, sharing the hope they display despite insurmountable odds, Sam finally begins to see a future worth living. Author Stanley Gordon West has filled the town of Willow Creek with characters so vividly cast that they become as real as relatives, and their stories—so full of humor and passion, loss and determination—illuminate a path into the human heart.
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"I have to say that I enjoyed this despite the fact that I 'm not really into basketball. There's something very compelling about the writing and character development. West makes you care about his people even though you sometimes have to suspend your disbelief in this underdog story."
— Rachel (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Selected for the February 2011 Indie Next List
Blind Your Ponies Listener Reviews
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" Willow Creek, Montana - small town - basketball team has a 0-93 record. Sam Pickett is coach and together the team and town helpers bring the team to a winning record. Lots of basketball (which I like) - not great literature - but overall interesting and a sweet read with a happy ending - "
— Nancy, 2/14/2014 -
" Fabulous book about a small town in Montana. A lot about basketball, which shouldn't be interesting (to me), but the story is great! "
— Debra, 2/8/2014 -
" More like 3.5 stars...A good book about "broken" people who all come together through a small town in Montana. There were some pretty steamy scenes that I had to skim through. I would be very particular to whom I recommended this book. "
— Meagan, 2/5/2014 -
" Really good book...it makes you think about what the personal demons people are carrying around and what it means to be happy. "
— Lisa, 2/4/2014 -
" This is one of my all time favorites. Meant to be reread many times! "
— Dana, 2/3/2014 -
" one of the best books I've read lately. Highly recommend it! "
— Madelynn, 1/29/2014 -
" Just finished-started this morning. Still weepy. "
— Abby, 1/22/2014 -
" The writing in this was not that great. Many spelling errors, and fairly cheesy. But it drew me in and I finished it. "
— Stacy, 1/19/2014 -
" The characters are complex. We all know someone in this book. THe story is beautifully real. It still makes me smile. "
— Julie, 1/19/2014 -
" This is one of those beautifully written books that you don't want to finish. I was so invested in the characters by the end that I could have sworn they were real. As a bonus, written by a Mac alum! "
— Susie, 1/5/2014 -
" A little slow moving at times. It took me a while to get through the book. The characters were well developed and there were enough twists with the characters to keep the otherwise predictable plot moving and interesting. "
— Holly, 1/2/2014 -
" It was a good book especially if you live in Montana "
— Carol, 12/30/2013 -
" Terrific book - lots of interesting characters, and thoughtful situations. "
— Kresti, 12/20/2013 -
" It's titled Blind Your Ponies! My favorite Stanley Gordon West book. A must read. "
— Amanda, 12/12/2013 -
" If I had 3.5 stars, I'd give this that. Detail is excruciating, becomes too much. Some of the deeper meaning and team mantras are lost in cheesiness. However, characters are great and I'm a sucker for a sports story. I'd recommend it to fans of such books. "
— Nicki, 12/11/2013 -
" Good story about an underdog basketball team against daunting odds. "
— Linda, 12/8/2013 -
" I think this is one of the best books I have ever read. Vivid, captivating and if you've ever been to Montana - oh so real. "
— Anna, 10/18/2013 -
" This was an easy read and left me feeling pretty good about being a small town basketball fan. An excellent read for relaxing days! "
— Debbie, 12/28/2012 -
" A cute coming of age story about a small town and their high school basketball team. There were definitely some cheesy moments, but I liked the overall message this book taught. "
— Sandra, 12/3/2012 -
" Great Montana novel! Wonderful characters. "
— Bernadette, 10/16/2012 -
" Yep, I have to say I loved this book. I don't know if it is because it is a hoosier type nobody expected the team to win kind of book cuz I love sports or if it is something else but it made me feel better after having read it so I would highly reccomend it to others! "
— Marcia, 9/19/2012 -
" I like the book. It was kind of a sweet story, fairly predictable but a sweet story. A few nice surprises, but in general it was pretty long. "
— Lynnek, 7/12/2012 -
" Good fiction book about a Montana high school basketball coach & his 94 loss streak & his team's quest to break it. "
— Jodi, 4/3/2012 -
" Quite a story about a small Montana highschool Class C basketball team. Also a love story between teachers both of whom have somewhat tragic pasts. One truly wants the outcome to be what it is, but it is still hard to believe. "
— Jcurmudge, 11/19/2011 -
" Got this as a Kindle $2.99 book. I can say it was worth that much, but would have been pretty ticked if I'd paid $10 for it. Cute story with the predictable arc, but the entire thing felt like the author wrote it with the expectation that it would just be made into a movie. "
— Ben, 10/20/2011 -
" Such a good book. Thanks Rochelle for lending it to me. "
— Penny, 4/17/2011
About Stanley Gordon West
Stanley Gordon West has made a name for himself by selling his books single-handedly from bookstore to bookstore, in the process gathering a large and devoted audience. His novel, Amos: To Ride a Dead Horse, became a made-for-TV movie starring Kirk Douglas. He lives in Minnesota.
About Traber Burns
Traber Burns worked for thirty-five years in regional theater, including the New York, Oregon, and Alabama Shakespeare festivals. He also spent five years in Los Angeles appearing in many television productions and commercials, including Lost, Close to Home, Without a Trace, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, Cold Case, Gilmore Girls, and others.