Editorial Content for The Horse

Ann Patchett describes Willy Vlautin far better than I ever could: “Willy Vlautin writes about people overlooked by society and overlooked by literature.” In addition to his novels, Vlautin is the founder of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines. Two of his books have been turned into movies (THE MOTEL LIFE and LEAN ON PETE), and a third (THE NIGHT ALWAYS COMES) will be adapted into a film by Netflix.

THE HORSE features two characters who can be best described as grizzled and worn. Sixty-seven-year-old Al Ward lives in an isolated former mine in the high desert of Nevada. He has no heat, electricity or modern-day conveniences in the trailer settled 50 miles from the nearest town. Since he has refused to maintain his ancient automobile in any semblance of running condition, he is further isolated from civilization. His only true companions in his shack are his guitars and his notebooks, where the songs he has written and the ones he will complete can be found.

"For Willy Vlautin, there may be an ingredient of autobiography in this magnificent book. Despite sadness and heartbreak, Al Ward’s story is a modern-day tale that readers should appreciate and enjoy."

Slowly and simply, Vlautin begins to construct the pieces of Al’s life from childhood to his present status, which includes dozens of detours and other adventures. Al has spent major portions of his life as a musician and songwriter, writing country and western songs for his band and other singers. As a young man, he learned to disappear into a song: “Just hum it to yourself and you’ll be okay. If you hate being home, hate it here, just disappear into a song. It works, man, I’m telling you it really works.”

One cold winter day, a horse appears on Al’s land. It is clearly in no condition to do anything other than to stand on its four legs and shiver. One eye is crusted closed, and the other appears to be barely functioning. Al attempts to help the animal, giving it food, water and protecting it from attacking coyotes. He hopes that if he can get it moving, it simply will walk away and disappear from his life. But the horse is now Al’s burden, which is the saddest thing he can imagine.

Al resolves to save the horse. Throughout a 30-mile walk to a neighboring farm where assistance might be rendered, we learn the rest of Al’s life through characters briskly and eloquently portrayed and visits to venues where bands and singers ply their trade. In many ways, THE HORSE is one epic country and western song that Al might have written and titled “Tequila and I Lived Quite a Life Together.”

As Al begins his journey to seek aid for his mysterious, four-legged companion, readers experience a journey that is a mixture of Larry McMurtry and Johnny Cash. The moments in Al’s life when perhaps his musical career would soar are recreated. Sadly, too frequently they crash and burn. The songs he writes are often catalogued by Vlautin in long paragraphs. Among them are “Black Thoughts I Only See,” “The Woman Who is Always in Love With Someone New,” Even a Prison Cell Can’t Tear Us Apart” and “Times Are Tight and Keep Getting Tighter.”

THE HORSE is a splendid novel that beautifully captures the essence of working-band life and writing songs that upon completion are “like holding hope in your pocket. And the hope has a heart that’s beating, and it rushes through you and all around you. For a moment you’re proud of yourself because you have this little bit of gold that no-one’s heard and you’re the only guy in the world that knows it or feels it or knows how good the tune is. That’s the best feeling.”

For Willy Vlautin, there may be an ingredient of autobiography in this magnificent book. Despite sadness and heartbreak, Al Ward’s story is a modern-day tale that readers should appreciate and enjoy.