Now can we talk about how incredible THAT movie was?? 'The Pie' and also Velvet have become two of the most common and well loved names within English Literature and fiction and this book i can say with certainty goes much deeper that just a mere children's story. While I was reading the book, I was very aware that I was being given a slice of life for a way that people don't live anymore. I devoured horse books as a child, but somehow never read this one. I adored the dialogue. And dare I say I detested the film. After riding him in a local gymkhana, she and Mi seriously consider entering the Grand National steeplechase at Aintree racecourse and train the Piebald accordingly. Then Velvet started riding him. Ages 8-12) $ 9.75. National Velvet is a novel by Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), first published in 1935. They name him Arizona Pie after Sarah's home state. After completing the book, we watched the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor. The book that inspired the classic film starring Elizabeth Taylor, National Velvet is a true classic. After completing the book, we watched the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor. This aired on NBC for 52 episodes. It was written in 1935, so of course it's aged. From shop TabithasBookshop. Let me be the best rider in England!" In fact, it was one of the more disheartening books I've read in a while. National Velvet book. -- The New Yorker A butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! After that Mi (her best friend) tells her that she should enter the Grand National. While working with the horse with trainer Captain Johnson (Anthony Hopkins), she falls for an American competitor, Scott Saunders (Jeffrey Byron). One day they both watch The Piebald jump over a five-foot-high cobbled fence to escape a field. In the book The Piebald was occasionally abbreviated to The Pie. Mi trained Velvet and The Piebald to enter -- and win --. She's got more to come. Learn about Author Central. A truly magical story that has been on my favourite books list since I was a child. It's really not for children at all--it's far grittier in places yet irresistibly intimate and realistic in regards to the gentle bickering of families and working class backgrounds. That wall of British culture that my American sensibilities could only barely breach. After reading it yesterday, I feel fortunate that I missed it in my younger days. I loved horses when I was kid and even took riding lessons. [2][3] In the film the horse, who was solid coloured, hence not a piebald (British English) or pinto (American English), was renamed The Pie. June 5th 2003 Let me be the best rider in England!" The only way that i can describe it is when reading this story it was like opening a window into your heart and glimpsing ones dreams & aspirations within. Here is my synopsis of National Velvet. I adored the prose. 'National Velvet' is not what I thought it would be. It just seemed....strange. Goodreads is not an online reading site. 6-8 Genre. her mother, Arminity, swam the English Channel as a young girl, and has the opinion that none of her daughters should be weak characters.Mi Taylor, her father's hired hand becomes Velvet's coach (as his father … Velvet has three older sisters (Edwina, Meredith, and Malvolia) and a younger brother named Donald. They clicked right away. It's marketed as a children's book, but when I read it as a pre-teen there's no way I got all the subtleties that the author works into her themes. It's really not for children at all--it's far grittier in places yet irresistibly intimate and realistic in regards to the gentle bickering of families and working class backgrounds. And it’s not like we don’t enjoy older books because we loved The Secret Garden, The Little House books and Anne of Green Gables. The racing world is both dismayed and fascinated by a young girl's winning its toughest race. Billy and Bangs, Misty of Chincoteague, Brighty of Grand Canyon, Man O' War, etc. Long before Dick Frances wrote about racing, Enid Bagnold wrote about a girl who dreamed of riding in the Grand National, the toughest Steeplechase in the world. Grades. And Velvet going from being a fair-haired girl in the book, to a black-haired one in the movie, to a brunette in the sequel! National Velvet. Much of the film was shot in Pebble Beach, California, with the most-scenic views on the Pebble Beach Golf Links (with golf holes visible in the background). It's marketed as a children's book, but when I read it as a pre-teen there's no way I got all the subtleties that the author works into her themes. But written accurately as to what it all wouldve been like. Fortunately within the story this 'dream' was made possible and i remember myself reading this when i was younger and cheering at the end of the book, being that i was so happy in the knowlege that the main character and my heroine had sucseeded majestically. I am a horse fan and so I've watched most movies that have something to do with horses. The book is a few decades old now, so it assumes some basic knowledge of what the Grand National is, as well as how hard it would be for a young girl to ride in the race. Piebald was a horse who had a mind of his own he hated being kept in his own field plus he liked to jump so almost everyday he would jump out of his field and venture into the town. Velvet is so horse-crazy that she indulges in both fervent and pedestrian fantasies —going on horseback journeys, leading horses to … The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream. Also the story just wasn’t grabbing us. The old-style of writing and English only added to the authentic & realistic feel of the book and as for the creativity and imagination that just blew me away, i was thus captivated by Enid Bagnold's book in an insant. Later, after getting engaged to Scott, Sarah returns to England and presents the medal to her aunt Velvet as a keepsake and introduces her and John to Scott. It's a book about family and relationships and knowing your own self and others. 'National Velvet' is not what I thought it would be. How many people even know what butchering is, much less what it would be like to live in front of a kill yard? I loved the movie, but never could figure out why they made the horse a big chestnut instead of what he was, a Piebald, which is how he got his name. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published A story about pursuing dreams and taking chances, National Velvet follows the adventures of 14-year-old Velvet Brown. Mi trained Velvet and The Piebald to enter -- and win -- the Grand National. In this version her horse was named King. Velvet Brown's story is a timeless account of an individual rising above the conventional views that hold people back from realizing their dreams. Exhilarating read about impossible dreams' being realized. It’s the story of an ambitious, horse-crazy fourteen-year-old girl, Velvet Brown, who rides her horse, Pi, to win Britain’s Grand National steeplechase. We read many books outloud, this one was the most laborious. Paperback (Book with Necklace. This book brought the world of steeplechasing, England's culture, racing culture, to me. I encountered this novel in a Short Story collection. Velvet goes on the win the race but ends up getting disqualified because she gets falls of Pie due to exhaustion and when they check her out to make sure she's ok they figure out she's a girl. The youngest daughter, Velvet (Dame Elizabeth Taylor), has a passion for horses and when she wins the spirited steed Pie in a town lottery, Mi is encouraged to train the horse for the Grand National - England's greatest racing event. "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Velvet&oldid=993166838, British novels adapted into television shows, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 December 2020, at 03:38. A young girl at church today told me she had five horses. And what a lovely book it is - yes, yes, the triumph of the human spirit and all that, which, by the way, can never be overdone in children's or YA or ANY literature for that matter - but Enid Bagnold laid it all out with solid characterizations, just the right pith and passion and all the good feels. [1] Velvet becomes obsessed with winning the horse in an upcoming raffle and riding him to greatness. One of the best books ever written about childhood, adulthood and all the days in between. Can't recall if I finished National Velvet, or if I liked it, but I'll always enjoy way the title feels in my mouth. Emotive and captivating this book really does tug on the heartstrings and leave you breathless, whilst following a double story of the young girl and a. National Velvet is one of the best books I read as a child and many years later,as an adult!!! I read this long ago, as a horse-crazy girl. I read all the horsey books I could find in our small local library. Refresh and try again. While I was reading the book, I was very aware that I was being given a slice of life for a way that people don't live anymore. I know my children listened to the book because they pointed out all the discrepancies. A young girl at church today told me she had five horses. No, it's not realistic, but when did fiction always have to be? Rather oddly written -- it took me a few chapters to get used to the style (and, rather like, I haven't read this book for a while, but when I was like Velvet, a young, horse-crazy dreamer, this book was a definite big hit. In mid-twentieth-century England, fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown, determined to turn the unruly horse she wins in a raffle into a champion, learns that she needs more than hard work and dedication to achieve her goal of riding her horse in the Grand National steeplechase. (i.e., girl trains horse to become a race champion? Mi get her entered with his connections in the racing world. The half-hour adaptation starred Roddy McDowell and Anne Whitfield.[5]. We read many books outloud, this one was the most laborious. The answer to 14-year-old Velvet Brown's plea materializes in the form of an unwanted piebald, raffled off in a village lottery, who turns out to be adept at jumping fences--exactly the sort of horse that could win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. I suspect not, but since my acquaintance with modern girls is small, I don't know.) The main character epitomises the very backbone and stability of what a heroine should be; someone who is strong willed, determined and passionate and someone whom many readers would look up to and aspire to be like. Corageous and thought provoking this novel was such an enjoyable read that has really stood the test of time and still proves even today that it is and always will be a firm favourite, and a book that many will love both adults and children alike. Velvet strongly objects to the publicity, saying The Piebald is a creature of glory who should not be cheapened in tabloid trash and newsreels. The only way that i can describe it is when reading this story it was like opening a window into your heart and glimpsing ones dreams & aspirations within. This article is about the novel. To read it you can go to the library and borrow it, or buy a copy. Start by marking “National Velvet” as Want to Read: Error rating book. !This is a wonderful story about a young girl's impossible dream and her determination to make it come true!! Even though it was about a horse, I always felt there was something not quite right in the film. Velvet and The Piebald become instant celebrities, with Velvet and her family nearly drowning in notoriety (echoing her mother's unsought fame after swimming the English Channel), complete with merchandising. Fourteen year old Velvet is mad about horses. National Velvet, written in 1935 by Enid Bagnold, is considered a classic horse book for children. I couldn't really identify with the main character. Is it a race book? She eventually gets some from a deceased friend she made and she also got Piebald. That Velvet is the only homely child in the household, again, Bagnold creates triumph out of the female spirit that doesn't depend on beauty. My children and I just read this book together. There's nowhere I know that wou. They clicked right away. Velvet then asks Mi about "Beecher's Brook" and he reluctantly reveals that it is a difficult jump at the Grand National Steeplechase course. Get the best deals for national velvet book at eBay.com. This may be one of the strangest books ever written. She decides to take him to a gymkhana. My issue is with the style and content of the story -- because the overall plot is just dandy! Enid Bagnold did a fantastic job at creating a familial reality that a reader could slip into easily. They were an amazing match. Hardcover ... Mark V. Ziesing Books , 1997 (click for more details about SLIPPAGE: PRECARIOUSLY POISED, PREVIOUSLY UNCOLLECTED STORIES [SIGNED]) Signed First Edition MYRA BRECKINRIDGE [SIGNED] by Vidal, Gore . If you can put aside the evolution of The Pie from being a piebald gelding in the novel, t. "International Velvet" is a movie. Velvet is a teenager in the late 1920s, living in a small English coastal village in Sussex, dreaming of one day owning many horses. [Enid Bagnold] -- A fourteen-year-old English girl wins a horse in a raffle, trains it, and rides it in the Grand National steeplechase. Are you an author? This book was truly inspiring and empowering from the point of view of someone who had racing dreams as a child and who longed to one day (similarly to the main character) be able to ride an altheletic horse at high speed in a race. Her mother is a wise, taciturn woman who was once famous for swimming the English Channel; her father is a butcher. (i.e., girl trains horse to become a race champion? I dislike the movie with Elizabeth Taylor very much, mainly because MGM didn't take the trouble to find a piebald jumper, or even a white jumper that black patches could be applied to with dye, but instead added to the story to explain why Velvet called him "The Pie". National Velvet Book and Charm (Charming Classics Series) 320. by Enid Bagnold. New Listing VINTAGE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK NATIONAL VELVET 1st A EDITION 1961 VG CONDITION. which led to a lovely "Velvet" detour. If you can put aside the evolution of The Pie from being a piebald gelding in the novel, to being a chestnut in the movie, to being a dark bay/brown stallion in the sequel. To cast the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, who could no more pass for a boy than a Kardashian, to play the frankly unattractive Velvet was a sell out and a slap in the face to any plain, flat chested girl with a dream who might have been inspired by the book. Though distracted by him, she wins the event. We’d love your help. How do you rate a book like this? Her gender is discovered in the first-aid station. Horse lovers will of course find this fascinating, but it's a book that's much more than a "horse-book". That Velvet is the only homely child in the household, again, Bagnold creates triumph out of the female spirit t. Even as a middle aged woman, National Velvet remains one of the most beautifully yet earnestly written books I've ever read. You know, when I was young(er) I loved this book because it was a good story. or Best Offer. I totally understood how Velvet would "loose her lunch" at the sight of a beautiful horse, and this book supported my own horse love. Pretty powerful stuff and quite rare in any literature. But after a couple of chapters we gave up because the rural English language Bagnold uses was too difficult for us to understand. I saw the movie first, with Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney, and it was enchanting. The storyline was refreshing and tender but the writing style was choppy. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. It champions women: the obese mother and the skeletal daughter with buck teeth. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. This is proof that although it was a tough read, the children had great comprehension and a love of the original story. National Velvet is the story of a 14-year-old girl named Velvet Brown, who trains and rides her horse, named The Piebald, to victory in the Grand National steeplechase. National Velvet by BAGNOLD, Enid and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. Download National Velvet Study Guide Subscribe Now The first-time reader of the book will be happily surprised to see that, like many literary classics, it is written for all ages. I remember when reading this book that I fell into the story, I think I breathed it an. I can't believe I've never seen the movie, nor read the book! See search results for this author. And it’s not like we don’t enjoy older books because we loved The Secret Garden, The Little House books and Anne of Green Gables. Alongside Black Beauty and My Friend Flicka, it is one of the great horse books for children. I totally understood how Velvet would "loose her lunch" at the sight of a beautiful horse, and this book supported my own horse love. This in turn made me thus able to relate and empathise with the main character even more so because there were a lot of similarlities between us, which i found made the story that much more personal to myself. -- The New York Times "Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." We did rent the Elizabeth Taylor/Mickey Rooney movie which, IMO, has stood the test of time as. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. By Enid Bagnold. Dan Brown trained Araminty to swim the Channel. Also the story just wasn’t grabbing us. — The New Yorker A butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! Its negative aspects impressed themselves so much on my mind that I felt that the book itself warranted another separate review. Fiction. We kept going because we loved the storyline. It champions women: the obese mother and the skeletal daughter with buck teeth. She insists that she did not win the race, the horse did, and she simply wanted to see him go down in history. The most famous and loved racing story of all time. How many people even know what butchering is, much less what it would be like to live in front of a kill yard? From United States +C $19.50 shipping estimate. A very quick review as I'm going away tomorrow. Add to Favorites National Velvet TabithasBookshop. Like many girls in the last century, I went through a "horsey" phase. Elizabeth Taylor was given "The Pie" as a birthday gift after filming was over. “I don’t like people,” said Velvet. A 1978 film sequel, International Velvet, was made starring Tatum O'Neal as Sarah Brown, a young orphaned American teenager living in England with her aunt Velvet Brown (Nanette Newman) after Sarah's parents die in a car accident. National Velvet is a classic tale of dreams, ambition and one girl's belief in a horse. Piebald was a horse who had a mind of his own he hated being kept in his own field plus he liked to jump so almost everyday he would jump out of his field and venture into the town. The most famous and loved racing story of all time. They were an amazing match. Now that I'm old(er) I'm stunned by just what a truly fantastic writer Enid Bagnold is. The rural way of life, in which most dogs aren't pets, your pony is your means of transportation instead of your hobby, and the village is a long walk away- all pretty much gone. Among the summaries and analysis available for National Velvet , there are 1 Full Study Guide, 1 Short Summary and 2 Book Reviews. When The Piebald, a … This immediately brought National Velvet to mind, and I wanted to ask if she had read this most excellent book, but the service began and I did not get to. Then Velvet started riding him. I am still a horse-crazy girl in a 55-year-old body, however, with horses! 5 out of 5 stars (378) 378 reviews $ 15.00. Velvet was written as a scrawny, sickly child whose sheer determination and ambition for her horse made her great. A fourteen-year-old English girl wins a horse in a raffle, trains it, and rides it in the Grand National … There were times that we could not decipher whose emotions we were reading about, a dog, horse, child or adult. Velvet's best friend is her father's assistant, Mi (Michael) Taylor, whose father – as Mrs. Brown's swimming coach – helped her cross the channel. New Listing Vintage Book National Velvet Enid Bagnold 1960 Tab Books Classic 1960 paperback. But the riding scenes are good, and watch for special features or other videos about Tatum O'Neal's riding. It's quite a good movie. In fact, it was one of the more disheartening books I've read in a while. I dislike the movie with Elizabeth Taylor very much, mainly because MGM didn't take the trouble to find a piebald jumper, or even a white jumper that black patches could be applied to with dye, but instead added to the story to explain why Velvet called him "The Pie". "International Velvet" is a movie. -- Time "Put on your not-to-be-missed list." The author gave beautiful descriptions, yet it was a hard book to read aloud. Books and Authors Top Teaching Blog Teacher's Tool Kit Student Activities The Teacher Store Book Clubs Book Fairs Scholastic Education ... National Velvet. I desperately wanted to spend time with fictional horses. And what a lovely book it is - yes, yes, the triumph of the human spirit and all that, which, by the way, can never be overdone in children's or YA or ANY literature for that matter - but Enid Bagnold laid it. C $11.41. Working with Arizona Pie, Sarah is selected to represent Britain in the equine three-day Olympic event. The author gave beautiful descriptions, yet it was a hard book to read aloud. Will finally view the movie tonight. I don't see where you're getting "misogyny." Two of her sister. Get this from a library! My children and I just read this book together. I would recommend the movie too. "The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." "The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy." Nothin's going to break up this home not even if you lose yer head, but it'll make it easier if you keep it. Velvet spends her first day with The Pie racing through the countryside, but her joy is cut short when her father insists that the … British writer of novels and plays, best known for, “I don't like people," said Velvet. Richly atmospheric of rural life in England between the World Wars, National Velvet has enchanted generations of readers since its 1935 debut. Awesome.). by Egmont Books. I started this book with my 10 year old daughter as a read aloud as I loved the movie from my childhood. It was written in 1935, so of course it's aged. "On'y I'm so buried under me fat I feel half ashamed to tell you so. Sometimes, I just can't stand books written in "old" style writing, but I just adored. To see what your friends thought of this book, Its a timeless story. I can't recommend it too highly. I also take exception to the way Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney) was portrayed as a young man of questionable character. I wish the book had done the same. Mi uses his connections to the horse training/racing world and obtains a fake clearance document for Velvet in the name of James Tasky, a Russian jockey. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! ), Even as a middle aged woman, National Velvet remains one of the most beautifully yet earnestly written books I've ever read. NATIONAL VELVET, by Enid Bagnold, tells the story of thin, sickly 14-year-old Velvet Brown and how she beats the odds to become an internationally regarded horsewoman. Sarah and Velvet purchase the descendant of The Pie after Sarah earns the money by working for Velvet's boyfriend John. — The New York Times "Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece." Quite frankly: I still don't. There's nowhere I know that would give kids candy bars on credit with the kids carefully tallying up what they owe for when they have the money. She eventually gets some from a deceased friend she made and she also got Piebald. This is not just a children's story but a book that many will love for its strong themes, emotion and depth of feeling, that make it such a winner. Velvet is a dreamer whose love of horses occupies her waking and sleeping thoughts. On'y leave that child to me. National Velvet, vintage illustrated book, for young readers, by Enid Bagnold, The Piebald / Velvet Brown, 1961 KeenoRama. "National Velvet" is the story of the literaly ugly duckling of the Brown family. Welcome back. Read 315 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. She is a high-strung, shy, nervous child with a delicate stomach. I read this aloud to a ten year old daughter whose mild interest in horses had been quenched by a broken arm in the practice ring, but we both still loved the story. Dan Brown trained Araminty to swim the Channel. For me, Elizabeth Taylor WAS Velvet Brown, and this is how I'll always remember her. We'll live this down presently an' you'll see”. Okay, rant over. How do you rate a book like this? I fell in love with Mrs. Brown, Velvet's mother, and all her sisters were real to me, as I never had any. I remember, as a kid, trying and trying to read this book. I know. which led to a lovely "Velvet" detour. I only like horses.”, “You always was a nice chap," said Mrs. Brown. Mi formerly worked in stables and is familiar with the horse racing world. (Do girls still do that? First published in 1935, National Velvet is Enid Bagnold’s unforgettable tale of a horse-loving girl with aspirations of jumping glory. But after a couple of chapters we gave up because the rural English language Bagnold uses was too difficult for us to understand. [4], National Velvet was presented on Hallmark Playhouse on the CBS radio network on 6 October 1949. National Velvet is a story that every horse mad girl would devour within an instant and it was hence a novel that i fell in love with as a child/ teenager for its horse & horse racing content. I remember when reading this book that I fell into the story, I think I breathed it and lived it. how did you get this book online? Ship This Item — Temporarily Out of Stock Online. We kept going because we loved the storyline. From 1960 to 1962, there was a half-hour B&W American television series, with Lori Martin, Ann Doran and James McCallion. Two of her sisters disappeared, and the many canaries that one sister bred were reduced to paper pictures.