Editor's note: This episode originally broadcast on July 15, 2022.
How is it possible that the bones of a champion racehorse were not too long ago consigned to the dusty attic of the Smithsonian — a horse whose stellar career and long pedigree were little known outside some racing circles?
These real-life details intrigued bestselling author, Geraldine Brooks, leading her to craft a fictional tale based on the documented history of a top racing horse named Lexington.
Brooks’ simply titled novel “Horse” is a tale of the twinned histories of both Lexington and the people who admired her. It is a thrilling narrative stretching across centuries and set against a backdrop of racial turbulence, art history and scientific inquiry.
“Horse” is our encore selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.”
Geraldine Brooks is the author of six novels, including “Horse.” The bestselling author won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in fiction for her book, “March.” Brooks, who is Australian-born, is also a former journalist and the author of three nonfiction books, including her memoir, “Foreign Correspondence: A Pen Pal’s Journey from Down Under to All Over.”
