Black Beauty (The Autobiography of a Horse)


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.6 stars; 116 reviews)

Black Beauty is Anna Sewell’s first and only novel. The story is told in the “first person” (or first horse) as an autobiographical memoir of a high-bred horse named Black Beauty, from his carefree days as a foal on an English farm, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, to his happy retirement in the country. Along the way, he meets with many hardships and recounts many tales of cruelty and kindness. Each short chapter recounts an incident in Black Beauty’s life containing a lesson or moral typically related to the kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment of horses. (Summary from wikipedia.org) (6 hr 14 min)

Chapters

Chapter 01 – My Early Home 5:28 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
Chapter 02 – The Hunt 6:47 Read by Kristin LeMoine
Chapter 03 – My Breaking In 8:43 Read by Kristin LeMoine
Chapter 04 – Birtwick Park 6:20 Read by Kristin LeMoine
Chapter 05 – A Fair Start 7:03 Read by Brad Bush
Chapter 06 – Liberty 4:03 Read by Betsie Bush
Chapter 07 – Ginger 9:52 Read by Betsie Bush
Chapter 08 – Ginger’s Story Continued 7:37 Read by Betsie Bush
Chapter 09 – Merrylegs 5:58
Chapter 10 – A Talk in the Orchard 11:41
Chapter 11 – Plain Speaking 6:24 Read by Fox in the Stars
Chapter 12 – A Stormy Day 7:49 Read by Judith Brown
Chapter 13 – The Devil’s Trade Mark 4:55 Read by fastfinge
Chapter 14 – James Howard 5:00 Read by fastfinge
Chapter 15 – The Old Hostler 5:02 Read by fastfinge
Chapter 16 – The Fire 7:53 Read by Chris Peterson
Chapter 17 – John Manly’s Talk 7:04 Read by Fox in the Stars
Chapter 18 – Going for the Doctor 7:47 Read by Sean McGaughey
Chapter 19 – Only Ignorance 4:54 Read by Sean McGaughey
Chapter 20 – Joe Green 6:23 Read by Cynthia Lyons (1946-2011)
Chapter 21 – The Parting 6:33 Read by Cynthia Lyons (1946-2011)
Chapter 22 – Earlshall 8:42 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
Chapter 23 – A Strike for Liberty 7:39 Read by Laura O'Neill
Chapter 24 – The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse 13:51 Read by Barbara Harvey
Chapter 25 – Reuben Smith 7:38 Read by Kristin LeMoine
Chapter 26 – How It Ended 6:41 Read by Linton
Chapter 27 – Ruined and Going Downhill 5:56 Read by Annie Coleman Rothenberg
Chapter 28 – A Job Horse and His Drivers 7:15 Read by Annie Coleman Rothenberg
Chapter 29 – Cockneys 13:47 Read by Chris Vee
Chapter 30 – A Thief 5:37 Read by Chris Vee
Chapter 31 – A Humbug 6:41 Read by Linton
Chapter 32 – A Horse Fair 7:47 Read by Barbara Harvey
Chapter 33 – A London Cab Horse 7:41 Read by Chris Peterson
Chapter 34 – An Old War Horse 10:43 Read by Meredith Hughes
Chapter 35 – Jerry Barker 11:24 Read by Meredith Hughes
Chapter 36 – The Sunday Cab 10:57 Read by Patti McCoy
Chapter 37 – The Golden Rule 8:07 Read by Patti McCoy
Chapter 38 – Dolly and a Real Gentleman 7:43 Read by Chris Peterson
Chapter 39 – Seedy Sam 8:10 Read by Cynthia Lyons (1946-2011)
Chapter 40 – Poor Ginger 4:40 Read by Fox in the Stars
Chapter 41 – The Butcher 7:04 Read by Cynthia Lyons (1946-2011)
Chapter 42 – The Election 3:28 Read by Fox in the Stars
Chapter 43 – A Friend in Need 7:41 Read by Chris Peterson
Chapter 44 – Old Captain and His Successor 7:27 Read by Cyrus Farivar
Chapter 45 – Jerry 8:43 Read by Cyrus Farivar
Chapter 46 – Jakes and the Lady 8:54 Read by Judith Brown
Chapter 47 – Hard Times 10:45 Read by Judith Brown
Chapter 48 – Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie 9:03 Read by Judith Brown
Chapter 49 – My Last Home 7:34 Read by Judith Brown

Reviews

Beautifully done.


(5 stars)

My favorite book ... read with just the right feel and passion. A must read for anyone who loves animals. So much insight and wisdom. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Black Beauty!


(4.5 stars)

Black Beauty is a wonderful book. Skillfully written from the horses perspective. I recommend this classic to all animal. lovers.


(4 stars)

always a good stories. well read by most of the volunteers.


(5 stars)

One of my very favorite books ever.So detailed,so sad,so enchanting!!!

black beauty


(4.5 stars)

I love it because i love horses


(4.5 stars)

I love this book, its absolutely wonderful! The only issue is that 1 or 2 or the recording are a little bit bad quality but I fully recomend this book.♡

My review


(5 stars)

I love this book so that’s why and I have read the child version and the adult version. Soooooo I give this a five star review

Really good


(4.5 stars)

I give this book 4 & a half *s because it's not the version of the book that i have.