Another famous literary horse is Gabilan from John Steinbeck's The Red Pony. This collection of four related stories center around young Jody Tiflin. In "The Gift," the best-known of the stories, Jody is presented a red pony by his rancher father. With the help of ranch hand Billy Buck, Jody learns the responsibility of raising and training the sorrel colt. The story traces the maturation of both the boy and his pony. The impact of Gabilan's death upon Jody informs the collection's subsequent tales.

Those who would like to learn more of Donald Hall's New Hampshire roots or sample some of his nonfiction should read his memoir String Too Short to Be Saved: Recollections of Summers on a New England Farm. In brisk prose, Hall offers a portrait of a world that strongly influenced both his love of nature and...