Books with author Enid Bagnold

"Put on your not-to-be-missed list." — The New YorkerHer mother calls it "a breathtaking piece of folly," but fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown is determined: every night she prays to be the best rider in England, and every day she trains to win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. No woman has ever competed in the race, let alone won it. Velvet is skinny and frail, and her mount is a rough country horse that she won in a raffle. But she whispers her hopes and dreams into his ear, and the horse flies over fences at her command.Generations of readers of all ages have thrilled to the tale of Velvet's grit and determination and its inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream. A richly atmospheric portrait of rural life between the World Wars, National Velvet was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club in the United States and the Book Society in England upon its 1935 debut. It also served as the basis for the popular movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. This charming new edition features the original drawings by Laurion Jones, the author's thirteen-year-old daughter."The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." — The New York Times"Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." — Time"This book deserves a top place on your shelf." — Christian Science Monitor

"The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." — The New York Times"Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." — Time"Put on your not-to-be-missed list." — The New YorkerA butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! Let me be the best rider in England!" The answer to 14-year-old Velvet Brown's plea materializes in the form of an unwanted piebald, raffled off in a village lottery, who turns out to be adept at jumping fences — exactly the sort of horse that could win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National.Richly atmospheric of rural life in England between the World Wars, National Velvet has enchanted generations of readers since its 1935 debut. The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream.

Excerpt: ...gives me pleasure because I am strong. In life nothing is too small to please. Once during the evening the eldest Sister said to me: "I am worried about your throat. Is it no better?" And from the pang of pleasure and gratitude that went through me I have learnt the value of such remarks. In every bed there is some one whose throat is at least more sore than mine. Though I am not one of those fierce V.A.D.'s who scoff at sore throats and look for wounds, yet I didn't know it was so easy to give pleasure. The strange, disarming ways of men and women! I stood in the bunk to-night beside the youngest Sister, and she looked up suddenly with her absent stare and said, "You're not so nice as you used to be!" I was dumbfounded. Had I been "nice"? And now different. What a maddening sentence, for I felt she Pg 76 was going to refuse me any spoken explanation. But one should not listen to what people say, only to what they mean, and she was one of those persons whose minds one must read for oneself, since her words so often deformed her thoughts. The familiarity and equality of her tone seemed to come from some mood removed from the hospital, where her mistrustful mind was hovering about a trouble personal to herself. She did not mean "You are not so nice." but "You don't like me so much." She was so young, it was all so new to her, she wanted so to be "liked"! But there was this question of her authority. How was she to live among her fellows? Can one afford to disdain them? Can one steer happily with indifference? Must one, to be "liked," bend one's spirit to theirs? And, most disturbing question of all, is to be "liked" the final standard? Whether to wear, or not to wear, a mask towards one's world? For there is so much that is not ripe to show

"The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." — The New York Times"Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." — Time"Put on your not-to-be-missed list." — The New YorkerA butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! Let me be the best rider in England!" The answer to 14-year-old Velvet Brown's plea materializes in the form of an unwanted piebald, raffled off in a village lottery, who turns out to be adept at jumping fences — exactly the sort of horse that could win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National.Richly atmospheric of rural life in England between the World Wars, National Velvet has enchanted generations of readers since its 1935 debut. The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream.

"Put on your not-to-be-missed list." — The New YorkerHer mother calls it "a breathtaking piece of folly," but fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown is determined: every night she prays to be the best rider in England, and every day she trains to win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. No woman has ever competed in the race, let alone won it. Velvet is skinny and frail, and her mount is a rough country horse that she won in a raffle. But she whispers her hopes and dreams into his ear, and the horse flies over fences at her command.Generations of readers of all ages have thrilled to the tale of Velvet's grit and determination and its inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream. A richly atmospheric portrait of rural life between the World Wars, National Velvet was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club in the United States and the Book Society in England upon its 1935 debut. It also served as the basis for the popular movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. This charming new edition features the original drawings by Laurion Jones, the author's thirteen-year-old daughter."The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." — The New York Times"Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." — Time"This book deserves a top place on your shelf." — Christian Science Monitor

One of the most popular horse stories ever written. Velvet Brown, a girl whose passion in life was horses. When she won a notorious and unwanted piebald in a village lottery, Velvet began to dream. And, since the breathless imagination of youth sees no obstacles as insuperable, Velvet's thoughts turned to the greatest race in the world-the Grand National. Edition features illustrations by Paul Brown, famous for his drawings and paintings of horses.

"The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." — The New York Times "Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." — Time "Put on your not-to-be-missed list." — The New Yorker A butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! Let me be the best rider in England!" The answer to fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown's plea materializes in the form of an unwanted piebald, raffled off in a village lottery, who turns out to be adept at jumping fences—exactly the sort of horse that could win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. Richly atmospheric of rural English life between the World Wars, National Velvet has enchanted generations of readers since its 1935 debut. The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream.

The timeless story of spirited Velvet Brown and her beloved horse has thrilled generations of readers. And now the republication of this classic story in a fresh, up-to-date package will charm confirmed fans while captivating new ones. Fourteen-year-old Velvet is determined to turn her untamed horse into a champion and personally ride him to victory in the world's greatest steeplechase, the Grand National.