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A short novella retellings of interviews and storiesa from the stable hands and people behind the scenes of racing , the love and devotion to these wonderful animals and also snippets of those who own and don‘t care . A great little read easily done in one day

Kick the Latch is a tight wee novella, told in vignettes about a horse trainer. It‘s easily the best book I‘ve read this year. Super tight, clean prose, excellent as both a character portrait and a story about the horse racing industry, excellent for readers that aren‘t interested in horses as much as those who are. Loved it.

What an amazing, strange book! Biographical, but first person. And a cool insight into a completely foreign world. Would recommend!!

A collection of brilliantly observed small vignettes set in the world of horse-racing. It‘s visceral & brutal, unromantic & passionate. A life dedicated to horses is narrated from lived experience & it‘s those small interactions that build across this slim novel to create a rich portrait of a single life, a culture & a world. Love the style, deeply creative and unpretentious, sentences are scant but at the same time brimming with evocative detail.

There should be a special work for that first hour of the day - before the to do list, work, and general interference kicks in and you can hide in a book. ♥️

Easy bookmark choice for my next read (a day pass from a local racehorse museum and horse retraining & retirement facility!)

This was so interesting! I loved the prose and I loved how much was conveyed in the stories. It really gives an insider view of life in the horse racing industry, warts and all. I also loved that it started with the MC's childhood, and continued to include her life off the track as well. I would read more by this author.

Kick the Latch feels like trading stories over beers at a dive bar with the tough old bird I‘ve always wanted to be. Despite my mother‘s best efforts I never was a horse girl, but this book made me catch a little fomo for life on the backstretch. #wwnorton #newdirections #kathrynscanland #kickthelatch