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Red Pony
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
71 posts | 120 read | 26 to read
Raised on a ranch in northern California, Jody is well-schooled in the hard work and demands of a rancher's life. He is used to the way of horses, too; but nothing has prepared him for the special connection he will forge with Gabilan, a hot-tempered pony his father gives him. With Billy Buck, the hired hand, Jody tends and trains his horse, restlessly anticipating the moment he will sit high upon Gabilan's saddle. But when Gabilan falls ill, Jody discovers there are still lessons he must learn about the ways of nature and, particularly, the ways of man.
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review
TheAromaofBooks
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Panpan

In general, I like Steinbeck's writing, despite the fact that it's super depressing. But this collection of four loosely-connected short stories just didn't work for me. They felt unnecessarily brutal without any real character growth. Jody is a little boy when we meet him, and still a little boy in the end, and I feel like he's basically the same little boy - and not a particularly likable one for me since he teases the dog when he's bored and ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont\'d) enjoys killing things. Each of these stories pivots around a death of an animal, a person, or a dream, and just seemed relentlessly lacking in any kind of hope. Steinbeck wrote these stories while caring for his dying parents, so I get that his head wasn\'t really in a great place. But while I can see myself revisiting a lot of his work, this isn\'t one I\'ll pick up again.

What did the rest of you think? Did you get something out of these⬇
2mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont\'d) stories that I missed? The introduction to my edition calls these \“anti-pastoral\“ - basically stories that show the brutal, violent side of country/farm life. But I grew up in the country and around farms, and while it\'s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, this felt like quite the wallowing in the darker side without even a hint of the many joys that accompany this lifestyle. I\'m interested to hear your thoughts!! 2mo
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BarkingMadRead Still have to finish so I will come back when I‘m done! 2mo
dabbe #fanofthepan! #betterbooksahead 🙌🏻 I made the mistake years ago of reading this out loud to my 7th graders without having read it first. At a climatic moment, I was sobbing so hard, I had to leave the classroom to get myself together. Never read it again. 😭 2mo
CogsOfEncouragement This was my first time reading it. The only thing I think I pulled out of it was Billy was responsible for the red pony dying. He thought it wouldn‘t rain, and if it did, it would be fine. He felt horrible about it but couldn‘t reverse it. In contrast Carl killed people‘s spirits, and he did it with intention. 2mo
julieclair I‘m glad I wasn‘t alone in feeling this book was brutal. And kind of pointless. And had a main character that I wanted to feel sorry for but couldn‘t because he enjoyed killing animals. This was one weird book. 2mo
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julieclair
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Can‘t wait for the #RandomClassics discussion on this one. Just finished it and I am dazed and confused. 🥴 Hoping my fellow Littens can enlighten me!
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Oh dear, I haven't read it yet. I'm so terrified 😂 2mo
Teresereading It‘s bleak! 3w
23 likes4 comments
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CogsOfEncouragement
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

I‘ve read a few Steinbeck through the years, but not this. Now I‘m ready for the #RandomClassic discussion later this month.

31 likes1 stack add
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Coffeymuse
Red Pony (Revised) | John Steinbeck
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I really enjoyed this short story and have kept the collection of Steinbeck stories this appears in. May be time for a reread!

#Aboutabook
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs

Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 3mo
23 likes1 comment
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LitsyEvents
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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TheAromaofBooks Thank you for the repost!! 3mo
36 likes1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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September's read is going to be depressing (because it's Steinbeck), but hey, it's short!! 😂 I'm thinking that we'll just plan to discuss the book in its entirety sometime around September 20. Let me know below if you want to be tagged for that discussion!!

I've gone ahead and done a random draw to figure out the first few books of 2025 (!!!) and it looks like we'll be kicking off the year with a Dickens chunkster!! As you may have noticed ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) I use the the term “classic“ very loosely to describe “books that always show up on those 'everyone should read these before they die' lists“ haha My list trends towards books I already own or authors who interest me. But if any of you have some similar type books you'd like to add, comment below and I will include them on my list!! I use a random number generator to decide what books are coming next, so I can't promise your books will ⬇ 3mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) show up soon, but they'll be in the running!! I'm open to any novels “everyone should read“ for adults, YA, or MG. I'm mostly sticking with books at least 40-50 years old, because to me it should take at least that long to become a book “everyone should read“ 😂

So this is a double-comment post: comment if you want to be tagged for The Red Pony, and comment if you have any books you'd like to include in my to-read book mix!!
3mo
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TheAromaofBooks Side note: Books currently on my list include, but are not limited to, random books by Dickens, Kipling, and Steinbeck; The Count of Monte Cristo, The Bell Jar, Call of the Wild, Gulliver's Travels, Swiss Family Robinson, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Dune, and The Catch in the Rye. Just to give you some flavor of what I have going on haha 3mo
Teresereading Yes pleasr 3mo
BarkingMadRead Ohhhhhh your list for 2025 is so good! I will be participating in most and count me in for September 3mo
Lcsmcat I‘m in for Red Pony and next year, please. 3mo
Librarybelle Sounds good for September! Lots to think about for next year! Please keep me on the tag list! 3mo
wordslinger42 I‘ll join in for October, but I‘m not a Steinbeck fan, so I‘ll sit September out 😂 I am definitely in for the first three months of next year — they‘re all such good picks!! (Also, how are we talking about 2025 reading plans already?!) 3mo
Cuilin These look great, would you be interested in collaborating for Dickens? My Dickens reading group starts in September with David Copperfield, and I planned on continuing it next year. Also, I love your other choices for next year. I definitely want to read Verne. 3mo
Jerdencon I‘m in for September! 3mo
julieclair Please keep me on the tag list for every month. Even if I don‘t get to read the book, I enjoy following the discussion. Have we read 3mo
TheBookHippie I‘m out this month! See you next! 3mo
BarbaraJean I‘m sitting out Sept/October but have my eye on November, January, and March! Would you want to put Last of the Mohicans into the mix? I was thinking about it for Kindred Spirits as well, but haven‘t managed to work it into that schedule. If you want to put it in your drawing, please do! 3mo
dabbe I taught THE RED PONY only once because I couldn't go through it again. It's excellent, but 😭!!! Please keep me on the list. Great choices, too! I might contribute some to be random-generated, if that's okay. Thanks for hosting this! 🩵💙🩵 3mo
TheAromaofBooks @Cuilin - Oh yes!! Or I am even willing to replace Nicholas with another book if you already have it scheduled. I hadn't realized that you were going to work through all of Dickens - that's so fun!! I recently read David Copperfield, but would you add me to the tag list anyway? I may jump in on the discussions!! 3mo
TheAromaofBooks @julieclair - I read it a couple of years ago before I was embroiling everyone in my classics-reading struggles 😂 But it was a fun tale, so I'm happy to put it back on the list!! 3mo
Cuilin Fabulous!! Absolutely I‘ll add you to the tag list. Let‘s keep Nicholas Nickelby and we can use both hashtags. 3mo
BarkingMadRead I‘m in for them all, I think! I‘m loving the length of this book 🤣🤣 3mo
CatLass007 Please make sure I‘m on the tag list for this book and every other book for this group. Thank you. 3mo
Librarybelle So…I started The Red Pony and had some suspicions, which a Quick Look showed I was correct. I‘m bailing to save myself! So sorry! 3mo
TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle - I haven't started yet, but my assumption is, since it's Steinbeck, that literally everyone ends up dead by the end, probably in some heart-wrenching manner 😒 Then, if any characters survive, I'm pleasantly surprised. 😑 3mo
Librarybelle Let‘s just say the title means a lot… 3mo
51 likes23 comments
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CoffeeNBooks
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Eggs Well done 👌🏼 4mo
Teresereading Such a sad tale 4mo
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Melkyl
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

I love to read Steinbeck‘s writing. This collection of stories allows the reader to witness as the young boy, Jody, learns life lessons. The lessons can be harsh. The story of Gabilan was particularly gut-wrenching. Through it all, I was just reminded of how much I love the way Steinbeck puts words together and views the world. Truly beautiful.

dabbe Agree! 💜🩶💜 10mo
22 likes1 comment
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Octoberwoman
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
Pickpick

First time reading this and I've not seen either movie version so I only vaguely knew the story and the book is not quite what I expected. But I did very much enjoying the descriptive writing.

Readergrrl Oh lord, I remember picking up this book as a horse-crazy little girl. Definitely not what I expected either. Traumatized!! But I finished that novella and read the others too. Even then, John Steinbeck had the ability to grab my attention! 11mo
Octoberwoman @Readergrrl I‘m not sure how I missed it back in my young horse crazy days but maybe that‘s a good thing! 11mo
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dabbe
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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#BookBinge
#InvolvesAnimals
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloveerofbooks

My worst rookie teaching mistake: reading this to my then 7th-grade students BEFORE reading it myself. At one point (ahem), I sobbed so hard, snot ran down my nose, and I had to leave the class to collect myself. Damn you, John Steinbeck! I never read it in front of any kids again. 🖤🐴🖤

kspenmoll They learned u were human 1y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awwww 🤗 ❤️ 1y
dabbe @kspenmoll Definitely. They were quite flipped out about it, too! 🤣 1y
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Bookwormjillk That would have made you my favorite teacher! 1y
TheBookHippie It‘s good for them!!! And Ha -FYI my younger students give me a Kleenex when the give me a note cause they know 🤣🤭🥹 older ones are like do you have your hankie okay go… 😅😂🤣 1y
dabbe @Bookwormjillk Well, that just made my day! 💙🖤🩵 1y
dabbe @TheBookHippie My stoic Dutch upbringing makes it hard for me to cry in public. But the kids did know I really was a softie at heart. More like Professor Mcgonagall and less Snape. 🤣🤣🤣 I can only imagine the heartfelt notes you've received over the years. 💙🖤🩵 1y
Bookwomble 💖 1y
dabbe @Bookwomble 💙🖤🩵 1y
TheBookHippie @dabbe HA. I have Friesian in me but the French Belgium Jewish fixes it 🤣😅🤭👀🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y
dabbe @TheBookHippie 🤣🤣🤣 1y
TheLudicReader I think it‘s okay to let the kids see you cry, though. 🤣 1y
dabbe @TheLudicReader Even snot-running-down-your nose crying? 🤣 Just read your lovely note; you'll be hearing from me soon. 😍 1y
TheLudicReader @dabbe well, maybe not the snot. 1y
71 likes18 comments
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Teresereading
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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At daybreak Billy Buck emerged from the bunkhouse and stood for a moment on the porch looking up at the sky.
#Firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl

review
Bookzombie
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

I‘m a Steinbeck fan. I love The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden and Of Mice and Men, but this one is a low pick for me. One, it was not all one story like I thought but 4 short stories. Two, I think maybe it was not timed well in my life because it was just a downer. I know Steinbeck‘s books in general are not heaping with happiness and I went in prepared for an Old Yeller feeling but still not a favorite. #authoramonth #march #aam #Booked2023

mandarchy I love Steinbeck too and found this when I inherited my library. I had never heard of it and thought I had read everything by him. I wish I could go back and unread it. I wouldn't say it's the worst book he wrote, because I am sure someone could love it. But I hated it. 2y
Bookzombie Yes, I think my pick was based more on that I still think it was well written. I‘m not usually triggered or put off by animal deaths (not that I like them, but I read horror quite a bit and I think that comes with the genre sometimes). However, this book just seemed full of it and I‘m not sure that so much was needed to give us a feeling of growing up in that time and place. 2y
33 likes2 comments
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youneverarrived
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

Sparse but effective writing; a small sentence or paragraph conveys a mood or emotion. You really get a feel of what it‘s like to be the adolescent Jody living on a ranch, & it brings back childhood memories of things like boredom, pure happiness & disappointment. It‘s not something I would gravitate towards reading as the subject matter wouldn‘t appeal to me but it was a pleasant surprise. Might try more of his books in the future! #authoramonth

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dariazeoli
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Gabilan deserved better. I‘m only through the first chapter, but I‘m sad now.

#AuthorAMonth

dabbe Get ready. 💔 2y
dariazeoli @dabbe Ugh. DNF‘d after Jody killed the bird because he felt like it and then mutilated its body. I am so not here for this. 2y
dabbe @dariazeoli I totally understand. I read it once and will NEVER read it again for all of those reasons. I get that life is brutal, but it's hard to see/read it in excruciating detail! 2y
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danx
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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I enjoyed this collection of short stories. Steinbeck's writing represents a time, place and culture and for a small while I felt like a very close observer of the young boy Jody and his experience, or at least a slice of his time. It isn't exactly an uplifting book, reminding you that growing up on the range kept one close to loss and death.It wasn't depressing though, it was just life.

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kabenth
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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In case anyone needed a few more reasons to justify their reading habits or kickstart those reading habits again....#5 is particularly persuasive 😂

Kickstarting my own reading habits with some books I picked up from a local book sale. First on the list, one of Steinbeck's first pieces of work!

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JenlovesJT47
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

I‘ll read any & everything by John Steinbeck and I grabbed this when I was requesting his other books from the library. It‘s only 100 pages and is set on a ranch in Salinas, CA in the 1930s. By the time I got done with this, I didn‘t really see what the point of the story was, but it‘s still a well-written snapshot of ranch life in the 1930s seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy. You can‘t go wrong with Steinbeck! 3⭐️

#JohnSteinbeck

🐴🐎🐴

JenlovesJT47 I also learned some interesting things about horses! #classics #novella 3y
62 likes1 comment
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Bigcountry15
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

Steinbeck doesn't write the happiest of stories, but ones that are fairly raw, simple, and profound.

The Red Pony is really four separate stories focused on the Tiflin family in the Salinas Valley. They are all about the eventualities of life and their contrast to young hopes and dreams.
This edition includes the short story Junius Maltby, a story of a man that leaves a working life behind to enjoy the simplicity of the country, perhaps too much.

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Jedi_Bruno
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
Pickpick

Short but deep. Worth a second reading.

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Come-read-with-me
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

#wintergames #thefilthyanimals #impulseread This year for my birthday one of my dearest friends gifted me her Mum‘s first illustrated edition of John Steinbeck‘s The Red Piny. This is one of the most precious gifts I have ever received. The illustrations are delicate but convey the strength of the horses and the aching beauty of the story. ❤️❤️❤️

Readergrrl I was about 9 years old when I picked this book from my grandmother‘s book shelves one hot summer day. I was a huge horse lover and a precocious reader....needless to say, this novella taught me to never judge a book by its cover. Misty of Chincoteague this was not. I‘m still not over that scene. Still, it was an important read and I finished a bit wiser about the nature of humanity and life. 5y
Come-read-with-me @Readergrrl Nothing can live up to Misty - that was a touchstone book for me when I was growing up. The Red Pony really does present life lessons in a stark manner, but is something that gives the reader pause. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the book. 5y
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Tamra
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

This is a reread from my childhood days. I recall it being one of those tear jerker formative reads, but this time around I was confused. It is still sad with some very real lessons about life & death & character & purpose and it‘s appropriate there isn‘t definitive closure. The part I‘m confused about is that it‘s structured like a novella of short stories. (?) Snapshots of a family. I always recalled it being a singular heartbreaking story.

Tamra Honestly, I think the very first chapter should stand alone, maybe add the third too but it has a very abrupt ending. (edited) 6y
wanderinglynn Beautiful bouquet! 💚🌼 6y
Tamra @wanderinglynn I really needed something spring like! 💚 6y
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Tamra For the record, The Pearl is in my top 10. It‘s exquisite! 6y
Becker I have such affection for Steinbeck ❤️ 6y
Tamra @Becker 🙌🏾 6y
ScientistSam Such gorgeous flowers! 6y
79 likes7 comments
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Tamra
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Because they were only .50 on the library rack - usually it‘s full of stuff that isn‘t appealing. Red Pony is long overdue for a reread. 😢

Leftcoastzen I love that old copy of The Red Pony. 6y
Tamra @Leftcoastzen it‘s like seeing an old friend. 🤗 6y
90 likes2 comments
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Tanzy13
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Gezemice I have a couple. But they are fixed... 🤷🏻‍♀️ 6y
kgriffith 😂 6y
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Laura317
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

This is a coming of age story for a boy in Salinas Valley. I liked it, but I didn‘t love it. Definitely indicative of the hard times living on a ranch. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Laura317
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Reading this with my 9th grade daughter. So far, so good!

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OrangeMooseReads
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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My #bookhaul from my second stop at the library book sale. They had some newer stuff out yesterday and it was a little more ($1 paperbacks and $2 hardcovers) still great prices. I‘m kind of kicking myself for not picking up a couple that I put back. There is also 1 more but it‘s for my #fallswap person. Six books for $7 isn‘t bad at all (Red Pony and the swap book were $.50 each)

Linsy Loved Hangman‘s Daughter! ♥️ 6y
52 likes2 comments
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AyeshaAhsan
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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colemaurer
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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"The people of the valley told many stories about Junius. Sometimes they hated him with the loathing busy people have for lazy ones, and sometimes they envied his laziness; but often they pitied him because he blundered so. No one in the valley ever realized that he was happy." - John Steinbeck

Easily going from innocence to brutality, Steinbeck creates beauty from heartbreak in the most simple of stories. Great book.

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tammysue
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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1. Miss Beatle from Little House on the Prairie
2. The earliest I remember is in 5th grade The Red Pony by John Steinbeck, we also viewed the film
3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
4. N/A
#weekendchat

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Readaholics
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

A tale of love and loss as Jody Tiflin gets a red pony and then loses it to distemper. I got to sit on a faux pony at the John Steinbeck museum today.

MiyakoBunny How was the museum? 😍😍😍😍 7y
Readaholics It was rad. Lots of Salinas history, and cool interactive things for you to play with to capture the essence of his books. I wish there were more literary museums. 7y
69 likes2 comments
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Letsracethesun
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

No happy endings with Steinbeck, just harsh unrelenting reality. Was cut into all the tiny pieces after the first chapter. It‘s now one of my favorite 📚 books. Death is a reoccurring theme in all his stories. Was certainly a lot of pain in this one as well. Forever cemented into my heart and mind. 🐴

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bookishdawg
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Beautiful #nakedcover,,, and my dad‘s inspiration for my name ❤️. #riotgrams

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cheniko
Red Pony (Revised) | John Steinbeck
Pickpick

Too good

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MiyakoBunny
Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Day 31:A Book📖to reflect on what has been-I think it only fitting to end this year w/a gift🎁from my #SSGP 🎅🏼, & even more fitting that it‘s one from My all time fave Steinbeck♥️! Fitting in that it reflects my love for literature & all things 📚ish, the generosity & 💕 in the world 🌎, & the joys in communities such as these😃📚. Adios 2017🥂🎊 #SurvivingDecember #BookTherapy #PhotoChallenge #NekoKappu #MatchaMallows 🍵🍡🐎

TricksyTails MatchaMallows????? 😍😍😍 Where? How? That looks so yummy! 7y
MiyakoBunny @TricksyTails Thanks ☺️My BFF actually sent me some recently but I usually make all my marshmallows from scratch☺️That way I can make as many flavor combos and recipes as I want with them 🍡😁. These ones were yummy though they had matcha 🍵 mochi filled centers🤤🤤🤤 7y
TricksyTails *Droooooool* You had me at mochi! You make it from scratch? I'm wishing we lived nearby so you could teach me this magic! 😆 7y
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MiyakoBunny @TricksyTails Yeah it‘s fairly easy & fun 😃💕I wish that Too!!!!!!😃😃😃🧙🏼‍♀️🧝🏼‍♀️🧚🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧞‍♀️ 7y
ReadingRover I‘m glad you like the book! I was surprised you didn‘t already have it! 7y
MiyakoBunny @ReadingRover I was so over the moon 🌙 when I saw it in the box 📦😍I know what you mean I‘ve had the unfortunate circumstance of losing a lot of my books 📚 to storms over the years 😩I‘m always grateful for the ones I‘ve managed to salvage & receive 💗💗💗*hugs* 7y
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Sarah83
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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33 likes1 stack add
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BestDogDad
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Mehso-so

This is my least favorite trip to the Salinas Valley with John Steinbeck so far. Each of the four chapters is a stand-alone story and none are resolved pleasantly. There is a horse in each of the first three chapters and life isn‘t great for any of them. Grandpa shows up in the last chapter and the woe continues. Despite this being a somber novel, it was written beautifully and contains great descriptions of Steinbeck‘s California settings.

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BestDogDad
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Sheesh, this isn‘t exactly Steinbeck‘s feel good hit of the autumn.

saresmoore Beautifully written, though. 7y
BestDogDad @saresmoore Yes! I just love his writing. 7y
RealBooks4ever Couldn't finish this one. It was too sad! 7y
10 likes3 comments
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BestDogDad
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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The next book in my Steinbeck short novel love fest.

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brookerhi
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Day 5: Book You Read Because of a Teacher (World Teachers Day) - The Red Pony was required reading going into my freshman year of high school. I don‘t remember much about it, but with that said, young adults are so malleable & I think this book was one of the many things that influenced my sensitivity toward the tragic plight of animals. That windpipe scene (shudder). #bookishwackyholidays #octoberbookchallenge #requiredreading #classics

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Africa_Reads
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Mehso-so

This is a nice short story to read during lunch break or to relax on the coach after a hard day at work after a hard day at work. I love horses and ponies and have always wanted to have my own horse or little cute pony. However, in reality I do not think I will ever be able to own a horse, so stories about horses and ponies are my way of getting to live my fantasy of owning a horse.

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BarbaraJean
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Mehso-so

I finished this late last night and was a bit underwhelmed. It's Steinbeck, so the writing and descriptions are gorgeous, but it felt disconnected--like semi-interconnected short stories rather than a whole. My copy also includes the short story "Junius Maltby" which I was liking a lot until it ended abruptly and left me wondering what happened to the ending. Overall, I'm glad I read it, but I wanted a bit more story. #SteinbeckShortsReadalong

Suelizbeth I ❤️ your Steinbeck collection! 7y
BarbaraJean @Suelizbeth Thank you! Some of them are a bit battered... I need a new copy of East of Eden, as the cover has fallen off! 7y
suvata I have really become a huge fan of his writing style. 7y
booksandsympathy I was forced to read this book when I was eleven. Hated it! 7y
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BarbaraJean
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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"At daybreak Billy Buck emerged from the bunkhouse and stood for a moment on the porch looking up at the sky. He was a broad, bandy-legged little man..."

How's that for alliteration?! I do love Steinbeck's writing. It's been a while since I've read Steinbeck, and I'm enjoying diving in again! I'm a bit late to the party as I jump in for this week's #SteinbeckShortsReadalong, but better late than never. ?

suvata I agree. His writing is amazing. 7y
KCorter I've been meaning to read this ever since it was mentioned in 7y
BarbaraJean @KCorter Aha! I knew it was mentioned in Matilda! I thought that's where I first heard of it, but couldn't find the reference when I looked for it earlier this week! 7y
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BarbaraJean
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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This has been on my #TBR for I'm not sure how long, and I keep seeing posts about it for the #SteinbeckShortsReadalong, so I'm hoping to pick it up this week amongst my other reading! My very first association with this book was when I read Matilda by Roald Dahl when I was in 4th grade. It's probably time for me to read it, too. 😊#quickreads #anditsaugust

BarbaraJean So... I just looked it up, because I was curious what Matilda thought of The Red Pony. And it's not even mentioned... though she does read The Grapes of Wrath! I could have sworn there was something about The Red Pony in Matilda... my childhood memory has failed me! 7y
suvata Some people in our read-along thought it was too depressing. Personally, I thought It was great but then, I am becoming a huge Steinbeck fan. I never appreciated his writing style when I was younger but I'm really enjoying it now. 7y
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review
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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Mehso-so

Well it wasn't my favorite, but I remember now why Steinbeck wasn't my favorite author when we read a few of his (not this one though) in middle school. I still don't understand why they pick such dreary novels for middle school students to read, the yrs of teen angst, peer pressure, & growing pains could certainly use a few comedies or adventures that might promote love of reading instead of only required reading. #SteinbeckShortsReadAlong #1932

JanuarieTimewalker13 SO true!! Maybe things have changed now. 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @JanuarieTimewalker13 I hope so. My middle school reading was Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, Lord of the Flies, Flowers for Algernon, Animal Farm, Romeo and Juliet, etc...all fairly dark and depressing reads. Out of them only Flowers for Algernon was a hit for me. It's wasn't until my after school reading life that I found some classics could be well uplifting. I was just mentioning elsewhere that we read a different Shakespearean play each year, 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...all the tragedies though. I didn't see one of his comedies until after high school. 7y
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suvata I wonder why that is? You know how dramatic pre-teens can be. Maybe it's their attempt to show them what a real drama is. LOL 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @suvata I think that's part of... you don't have it so bad, see this misery. But I remember reading things like Lord of the Flies & Romeo and Juliet and thinking, kids already treat each other horrible, think their love is the most important thing in their lives, why support that with their fiction choices where they might read and think, Yea...killing them or myself is the right step when my parents (or dramatically, The World) won't let us xyz. 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @suvata Then again, maybe I was alone thinking those deep thoughts about the inappropriate (according to me) reading requirements at that time. But I do know a lot of kids were turned off from reading by it, many just learned to skip the reading and buy the Cliffnotes version instead to read. Think about how old that statement is now, pre-google (gasp), LOL! 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Same here!!! We did all the same books...maybe some in High School... I know we did The Scarlet Letter also. True, absolutely nothing was uplifting. Thank God, we didn't lose faith in literature! Definitely used Clif notes too!! (edited) 7y
suvata I do understand your points about the appropriateness of some books. But I also think that "the classics" teach a lot to kids - like good writing style and depth of writing. Some books for kids, although funny or lyrical, just don't teach a language can be used to bring out emotion. Having said that, I still I think it would be more appropriate to have a mixture. Like toss in some Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, etc. 7y
suvata There's just something about depressing stories that attracts teenagers. Seriously, a lot of the books that are written today for young adults talk about suicide, bullying, and some not so pleasant stuff. Still, I think it's good for kids to read that so they can develop compassion and understanding. But, what do I know? 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @suvata I agree there, the difference for me...literary greatness aside... something like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games that also has very dark themes and murders, also has some teamwork, friendship, and in the end some overcoming by working together in it's good vs evil story. So although there are dark themes, there's still humor and an uplifting conclusion...not quite the same as the end of Lord of the Flies for example. 7y
suvata Absolutely 7y
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blurb
suvata
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
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⁉️ What age group do you think this book would be most appropriate for? Would you recommend this title to a friend? If so, why?

#SteinbeckShortsReadAlong

Scurvygirl I think 8th grade is appropriate and maybe advanced 6-7th graders, but no younger than that. It has some real heavy material. I would definitely recommend this to people. I thought it was a genuinely touching story. 7y
suvata I definitely think it would be best for kids over 12 or 13. I agree that younger than that would have a hard time dealing with some of the gruesomeness. 7y
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blurb
suvata
The Red Pony | John Steinbeck
post image

⁉️ Death seems to be one of the recurring themes in this book. What other themes can you identify?

#SteinbeckShortsReadAlong