Título: The Horse: A Novel
Autor: Willy Vlautin
Sinopse: “Willy Vlautin writes about people overlooked by society and overlooked by literature. In The Horse, he tells the story of a tenderhearted man who has a steady talent and a crushing addiction. It is both a work of extraordinary compassion and a really great novel." — Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Lake
“A moving tale of suffering and redemption, The Horse portrays the immense gravity of what it takes to be human in tough times, and the elusive grace that might just be grasped from music, animals, and memory.” — Geraldine Brooks
Award-winning author Willy Vlautin explores loneliness, art, regret, and hard-won empathy in this poignant novel—his most personal to date—that captures the life of a journeyman musician unable to escape the tragedies of his past.
Al Ward lives on an isolated mining claim in the high desert of central Nevada fifty miles from the nearest town. A grizzled man in his sixties, he survives on canned soup, instant coffee, and memories of his ex-wife, friends and family he’s lost, and his life as a touring musician. Hampered by insomnia, bouts of anxiety, and a chronic lethargy that keeps him from moving back to town, Al finds himself teetering on the edge of madness and running out of reasons to go on—until a horse arrives on his doorstep: nameless, blind, and utterly helpless.
Al hopes the horse will vanish as mysteriously as he appeared. Yet the animal remains, leaving him in a conundrum. Is the animal real, or a phantom conjured from imagination? As Al contemplates the horse’s existence—and what, if anything, he can do—his thoughts are interspersed with memories, from the moment his mother’s part-time boyfriend gifts him a 1959 butterscotch blonde Telecaster, to the day his travels begin. He joins various bands—all who perform his songs once they discover his talent–playing casinos, truck stops, clubs, and bars. He falls in love, and finds pockets of companionship and minor success along the way. Never close to stardom or financial success, he continues as a journeyman for decades until alcoholism and a heartbreaking tragedy lead him to the solitude of the barren Nevada desert.
A poignant meditation on addiction, heartbreak, and the reality of life on the road in smalltime bands, The Horse is a beautiful, haunting tale from an author working at the height of his powers.
Contexto da obra
Como livro em inglês, esta obra costuma ganhar também uma camada própria de interesse editorial e linguístico. “The Horse: A Novel”, de Willy Vlautin, publicado pela editora Harper, em 2024 e com 208 páginas, integra a categoria Livros em Inglês. Por isso, o interesse da obra tende a se ampliar quando o leitor considera também a relação com a língua em que ela circula.
Editora: Harper
Páginas: 208
Ano: 2024
Edição:
Linguagem: en
ISBN: 0063346575
ISBN13: 9780063346574
Sobre a editora
Os livros da editora Harper revelam um catálogo marcado por narrativas que transitam entre o suspense policial ambientado em cenários áridos do sudoeste americano e histórias pessoais intensas, muitas vezes com personagens enfrentando dilemas internos profundos. A leitura frequentemente traz uma tensão crescente, seja em investigações criminais ou em dramas humanos, com um tom que varia do sombrio ao reflexivo. Há também espaço para obras que exploram a complexidade das emoções humanas, como romances que abordam relacionamentos difíceis e jornadas de autoconhecimento. O material sugere uma preferência por tramas que combinam ritmo envolvente com personagens bem delineados, capazes de prender o leitor tanto pelo enredo quanto pela profundidade psicológica.
