Book Review: Stable Relations by Anna Blake

Typically, I am not a reader of memoirs, preferring to lose myself in fantasy while shying away from the nitty gritty parts of our current existence. However, I have been a follower of Anna Blake's blog and I enjoy her perspective, her humor and most of all, her connection to horses. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this.

The writing was superb, mixing prose that brought the world alive with caustic self-depreciation in a wry style that I loved. There were moments where I was startled into laughter, moments I felt necessary to share with my wife because they were so poignant and true, and moments when Anna's experiences sparked recognition and redemption of my own life experiences. I was moved to laughter, to rejoice, to recognition and finally, to tears at the close of the book.

Some memoirs become so entangled in the pain-filled moments of the past that they lose the spark of wonder readers are really seeking. Anna mixes the moments of her painfully honest childhood remembrances with the communion and relationships that redeems her pain and effort in the comfort and wonder of the animals she shares her life with. It truly is a joy-filled journey, mixed with the bittersweet realities of life, and has the power to reawaken us to the wonder and joy that living with animals can bring.

So, I highly recommend this book to all of you out there. Check out her blog if you aren't already a follower and then buy this book. Do it to help support one of our own, but mostly do it because it is an excellent read.