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Post by susanb on May 30, 2017 1:52:07 GMT 1
You were clear, Claire, re the setup, although I didn't know the reasoning behind it. Bummer....last year I was able to recommend Pamela and the Blue Mare to tintin only because I had a copy to send.....the cheapest copy of the book online at the time was several hundred dollars. I was going to recommend Summer at Horseshoe Ranch this year, but I have only one copy, and there are no copies at all for sale anywhere right now.
Ah well, on to Plan B. I'll recommend The Sweet Running Filly by Pat Johnson and Barbara van Tuyl. There are several copies on abebooks located in the UK, so it shouldn't be hard to source and isn't expensive (and is a wonderful book!)
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Post by ginslinger on May 30, 2017 2:21:59 GMT 1
I doubt that this will be popular given that the only references I found here to the author were somewhat negative bordering on the unpleasant but given that there is so little I have read that might be new to others, so my recommendation is Claire Balding's The Racehorse that wouldn't gallop, which I read a couple of days ago. It is new out in paperback and was £3.80 ish off Amazon. It is more of a children's book with a horse theme than a pony book perhaps however I enjoyed it but then I do like Claire Balding, even if she is on everything.
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Post by brumby on May 30, 2017 3:10:38 GMT 1
Susan wroteI have looked at this book before Susan and am interested, have you read the whole series ( I love a good series)? As I may feel the need to get them all!!!!
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Post by susanb on May 30, 2017 11:22:45 GMT 1
Hi Brumby, yes, I have read the whole series, I've got the boxed set. All are definitely worth grabbing, but the first is, in my opinion, the best of them. I haven't seen the newer editions in person, fingers crossed they haven't changed any text (I can't imagine they would)
btw, Claire, I looked at your page for the series, and there is a bit of misinformation...the boxed set does have all the books, it does NOT omit The Sweet Running Filly
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Post by kunuma1 on May 30, 2017 16:04:36 GMT 1
Some very interesting books, films etc mentioned but I'm confused (not unusual for me)Claire you will have to spell it out for me as I need telling what to do (I was the sort of student who didn't do homework unless made to!!) If I need to recommend a book I'd actually recommend Led By the Grey, with the proviso that I was both enchanted and very upset by it!It is based on a real and very traumatising event, but I found myself thinking that that was one of the reasons the book needed to be read - if you see what I mean!
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Post by garej on May 30, 2017 18:16:34 GMT 1
Not sure how popular this choice will be as there's not many copies around but I thought some people may already have it and a couple of reasonably priced copies are available on eBay. The milkman's cob - June Mary Groves
Anyway I'm going to reread it as part of the Reading challenge.I have it and I can't remember any of the story so it's a contender for me.
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Post by susanb on May 30, 2017 20:04:10 GMT 1
For what it's worth, kunuma, Led by the Grey was tintin's recommendation to me last year, and it was my "star read", my favorite of all the books I read for the challenge...I'd say go for it!
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Post by kunuma1 on May 31, 2017 14:44:27 GMT 1
For what it's worth, kunuma, Led by the Grey was tintin's recommendation to me last year, and it was my "star read", my favorite of all the books I read for the challenge...I'd say go for it! Thanks susanb, yes - that's my recommendation then - although if it was one of last year's I'm rather behind the times with it and perhaps should find one that we haven't had before. I tied myself in knots trying to explain that it was both a fun read and an upsetting one without giving the story away!!
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Post by susanb on May 31, 2017 20:57:28 GMT 1
It wasn't a group read, Kunuma, last year Claire partnered people up and each gave a recommendation only to their partner, and tintin recommended that one to me. I did rave a bit about it, so others might have picked it up since then, but I'm sure not everyone!
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Post by Claire on Jun 2, 2017 23:42:56 GMT 1
Some good recommendations here. I do have a copy of The Sweet Running Filly if anyone wants to borrow it. Thanks for the heads up about the boxed set Susan. I'll re-check the web-page. Perhaps there were more than one boxed set? Or I could just have made a boo-boo - it's not unheard of! Lol.
I was thinking about recommending Led by the Grey but Kunuma got there first so I'll have to try and think of something else. I agree with Kunuma it is a fun read but there is a serious element to it.
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Post by susanb on Jun 3, 2017 13:52:49 GMT 1
I don't think there was ever more than one boxed set of the Bonnie books, Claire, and in any case there never would have been one that didn't include the first title! It's possible you were given incorrect info from someone who had a broken set and didn't realize it? That might happen, especially if the box is a little squashed...it happened to me once with a slipcased set of the Green Knowe books.
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Post by garej on Jun 5, 2017 1:00:33 GMT 1
Ok I have my preliminary reading list which is:-
Katy's Pony Summer - Victoria Eveleigh (new book) The Milkman's Cob - June Groves (recommendation) A Stable For Jill - Ruby Ferguson (Fidra books edition) Felix the Railway Cat (if we are allowed non fiction and non equine books otherwise I will discount it)
Plus 1 other depending on the categories as we don't know them yet.
Like last year I am going to only do 5 initially as I managed to do it last year.
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 5, 2017 4:33:24 GMT 1
For my recommendation, I checked abebooks and there are inexpensive copies of this one in the US and UK. This is the first of a modern series, with all the attributes that implies -- quick reading, not very long, etc. But I really enjoyed this series for the little bits of characterization given the twins and the other characters and the strong sense of place in the US southwest (think Western/cowboys).
The Mystery Stallion by Sharon Siamon.
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Post by susanb on Jun 6, 2017 17:03:33 GMT 1
I've got a list in mind, but holding off till all recommendations are in (Claire, tintin?) and categories for books/film set....can't believe start is only two weeks away!
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Post by Claire on Jun 6, 2017 22:22:14 GMT 1
I have 2 recommendations. Both are light hearted and fun reads and can be found both in and outside of the UK fairly easily/cheaply:
Who Sir Me Sir by K. M. Peyton. This is a school story with some pony content in which a group of scruffy no-hopers have to compete in a tetrathlon against the local posh school. It's very funny with some great characters.
Cross Country Pony by Patricia Leitch. Fun easy reading pony/animal story about kids setting up an animal holiday home - the cantankerous Harold is a great pony character.
I'm going to re-read both these myself in the Challenge. So if anyone would like to join me that would be great!
I can lend copies of these to anyone in the UK. (With postage costs so high it will probably be cheaper to buy your own copy if you are in the USA/Australia).
I'm still pondering the film choice. It's quite hard as we have covered most of the popular films already in the PMBL Film Club. I hope to have made up my mind and have the dedicated thread set up in the next couple of days.
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Post by susanb on Jun 7, 2017 1:00:00 GMT 1
Sigh...I'd love a re-read of Cross Country Pony, Harold is one of my all time favorite characters. Sadly, the dislocated elbow is taking a stinkin' long time to heal, so I'll probably go with as many kindle titles as I can (gah....my fabulous hardcovers languishing on the shelves!).
Re the film, there are still lots we haven't done that should be easy to source...all the Dick Francis ones, for instance...if they're easy here, they've got to be easy in the UK.
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Post by garej on Jun 10, 2017 0:34:59 GMT 1
Are we still starting on the 21st of June Claire? I am itching to start!
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Post by Claire on Jun 11, 2017 16:35:40 GMT 1
Hi all, I'm going to start it on 25th June as I want to give 2 weeks for everyone to pick their books and get everything ready. I'm a bit behind due to being ridiculously busy the last few days helping out a friend with a business crisis.
Regarding the film I'd narrowed it to 2 choices: Odds Against by Dick Francis/TV Show The Racing Game & The Black Stallion by Walter Farley/Film of same name. The Black Stallion is really easy (and low cost) to find anywhere, both book and film, as is the Dick Francis book. Not sure about the TV show outside of the UK, but it's easy to find in the UK and cheap on Amazon. Susan - I assume it's easy to get hold of in the USA as you recommended it, though I could only find an expensive one on Amazon.com? Could we have a 'show of hands' on which book/film combo you'd prefer folks or alternatively we could have both available and people could choose which one to do - or indeed do the two of them if desired.
I'm setting up the official thread tonight, and as soon as we have decided which to do, I will set up the film/book combo in the film club section as I think it will be easier to discuss them separately.
Thanks again for all the suggestions and ideas. And if you haven't already sent in your book recommendations (Tintin, Darkhorse - and anyone else who wants to take part in the challenge but who hasn't posted here yet) please can you do so - post here or PM me.
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Post by susanb on Jun 11, 2017 17:08:22 GMT 1
It looks like The Racing Game is out of print in the US, but there are cheap copies on ebay www.ebay.com/itm/Dick-Francis-The-Racing-Game-DVD-2008-/192188589426?hash=item2cbf552572:m:mqjuxIl4KSBPjZWOkCP89iAI've already got it....Rally, if you don't have one, snap it up! It was a good production, Dick Francis actually dedicated the second Sid Halley book, Whip Hand, to Mike Gwilym who played Halley in the series. I'm torn as to which to do....on the basis of content, I love the book Odds Against and would enjoy a re-read....but on the other hand, Black Stallion is available as an ebook, and Odds Against isn't* . On another hand (oops, that's three), Racing Game, in spite of being a tv series, I found much better than the Black Stallion.....sigh.....I'll go with whatever the group decides Re our picks, Claire, could you let us know what suggested categories are, so we can finalize lists/source books? *The ebook situation for Francis in the us is a bit tricky: in the UK, he worked with one publisher (Michael Joseph) throughout his career, but in the US he had no less than 3...Dead Cert was published by Holt, his second book through Whip Hand by Harper, and after that it was Putnam. Only the Putnam titles are available as ebooks; presumably they haven't sorted the digital rights to the earlier books with the original publishers.
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Post by Claire on Jun 11, 2017 18:23:51 GMT 1
Haha Susan yeah I had similar problems trying to pick which film to do. I really fancy the Dick Francis one as I have never seen it and it sounds a lot better than the Ian McShane film adaptations were. Also Sid Halley is my favourite Francis character. BUT I also like the Black Stallion and haven't read the books for ages. And an adult crime novel may not be everyone's cup of tea. So hopefully the PMBLs will help decide. I am working on the official thread as we speak and will have it posted shortly. EDIT - The official Challenge thread is now up and running - see link below: ponybooks.proboards.com/thread/2389/summer-reading-challenge-official-thread
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Post by garej on Jun 11, 2017 23:39:55 GMT 1
I am not bothered which book and film combination we do. I haven't seen the Dick Francis one and it's been about 20 years since I have seen the Black Stallion film so I can hardly remember it. Though saying that I do have it on the sky box in my parents house so I can watch it there so it saves me buying the film. So either one is just as easy since I will have to buy the book unless I can borrow one.
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 12, 2017 1:03:23 GMT 1
I've seen both The Racing Game and the Ian McShane ones and would enjoy a Dick Francis on my list, but I don't feel hugely strongly about that. I haven't read a Black Stallion in years either so that would be just fine, too.
Like Claire, I'm kind of taken with my own recommendation, and I am going to put the whole Sharon Siamon Wild Horse Creek series I suggested on my list -- 6 titles.
I am debating between Ponies on the Heather and A Pony for Two -- any recommendations about which one I should pick???
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 12, 2017 1:04:56 GMT 1
^ Hugely strongly? Where did I come up with that???
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Post by susanb on Jun 12, 2017 2:34:56 GMT 1
Rally, I'd say they're both nice, but I'd go for Ponies on the Heather over Pony For Two. I just realized I actually don't have the Black Stallion movie....cheap enough to rent or buy though
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Post by Claire on Jun 14, 2017 22:09:59 GMT 1
We'll just to throw another spanner in the works I prefer A Pony for Two lol. I do actually have The Black Stallion film so that's slightly easier for me. I can probably make a copy of it - for back up purposes of course!
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 15, 2017 2:06:41 GMT 1
Ok, I'll pick - NEITHER hahaha. Seriously, I am starting to think my list is plenty full already, especially with the book-movie combo, and I was already going to add Prince Among Ponies, so I'll only add that one. Thanks though~
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Post by darkhorse on Jun 15, 2017 15:16:28 GMT 1
Sorry I'm a bit late to the discussion!
My book recommendation is The Winged Colt of Casa Mia by Betsy Byars. I've recently read it and I really enjoyed it. It's an easy short, quite light-hearted read and it's good if you want to try something a bit out of the ordinary. I think it was originally published in the USA so I would assume it's easy to find there and also here in the UK.
Both the film/book options sound good. I do have an old video of The Black Stallion so I would have a slight pereferance to doing that one, but I'm happy to go with either.
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Post by susanb on Jun 15, 2017 19:58:57 GMT 1
Mmmmm....the more I think of it, the more I lean to Odds Against for the film/book combo...I'm remembering the Black Stallion now...they hired a kid who could ride, but not talk. I'm sure that appealed to the horse, but to an audience? Not so much
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Post by brumby on Jun 16, 2017 4:58:11 GMT 1
I'm planning on joining the reading challenge. Non fiction proving a bit tricky was going to get For the love of horses - Kelly Wilson, bit pricey can't find a second hand copy, then found a cheap kindle book but my kindle is a bit dodgy at the moment, seems to only charge sometimes! Racing Game dvd can't get in aus, so will need to pay about $20 from uk. May have the black stallion dvd, but can't get to the cupboard to check! (renovations to house stuff everywhere) Am now going to attempt to get into my spare room and find the pony books (full of boxes at the moment!) I'll do my best as I don't want to miss the summer reading challenge, highlight of my year! (how sad is that!)
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Post by garej on Jun 17, 2017 21:29:41 GMT 1
I will probably be late starting this year because my great aunt died this afternoon. I probably won't have the concentration to read and I don't know what the funeral arrangements are at the moment. I will definitely attempt it but I don't know what book I will read first. Can anyone tell me if The Milkman's Cob contains any sad bits? I am feeling a bit raw right now so I don't want a book that will make me worse. I will probably start with the Jill book as I have read a later edition (1990s edition) so I know that it's not liable to make me bad. Or perhaps Felix the Railway Cat as I know that Felix is still alive!
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