Black Beauty (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Christmas Specials SeriesBy Anna Sewell
Length7h 38m
About this audiobook
Anna Sewell's Black Beauty is a pioneering animal autobiography that follows the life of a well-bred horse through comfort, hardship, neglect, and humane care in Victorian England. Narrated in the first person with lucid simplicity and moral urgency, the novel transforms the horse's experience into a critique of cruelty, class indifference, and urban commercial pressures. Its episodic structure, sentimental realism, and reformist purpose place it within the broader nineteenth-century literature of social conscience. Sewell, born in 1820 into a devout Quaker family, was shaped by traditions of compassion, ethical discipline, and concern for the vulnerable. A childhood injury left her with limited mobility, making her dependent on horse-drawn transport and unusually attentive to the treatment of working animals. Written during years of ill health and published shortly before her death in 1878, Black Beauty reflects both personal observation and a deliberate campaign for humane reform. This book is recommended to readers interested in Victorian literature, animal ethics, and the history of social reform. Its emotional power remains undiminished, offering a moving narrative that invites sympathy while demanding moral responsibility.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.1 (226)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon, StoryGraph, LibraryThing
GenreChildren's Literature
Length7 hrs 38 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 8, 2019
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Little Lord Fauntleroy (Annotated)
2619 Only Ignorance
2Introduction
2720 Joe Green
3Synopsis
2821 The Parting
4Historical Context
29Part II
5Author Biography
3022 Earlshall
Show all chaptersShow less
6Black Beauty
3123 A Strike for Liberty
7Part I
3224 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse
801 My Early Home
3325 Reuben Smith
902 The Hunt
3426 How it Ended
1003 My Breaking In
3527 Ruined and Going Downhill
1104 Birtwick Park
3628 A Job Horse and His Drivers
1205 A Fair Start
3729 Cockneys
1306 Liberty
3830 A Thief
1407 Ginger
3931 A Humbug
1508 Ginger's Story Continued
40Part III
1609 Merrylegs
4132 A Horse Fair
1710 A Talk in the Orchard
4233 A London Cab Horse
1811 Plain Speaking
4334 An Old War Horse
1912 A Stormy Day
4435 Jerry Barker
2013 The Devil's Trade Mark
4536 The Sunday Cab
2114 James Howard
4637 The Golden Rule
2215 The Old Hostler
4738 Dolly and a Real Gentleman
2316 The Fire
4839 Seedy Sam
2417 John Manly's Talk
4940 Poor Ginger
2518 Going for the Doctor
5041 The Butcher
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