Half Broke HorsesHalf Broke Horses
Score Modern
What it's about
Jeannette Walls tells the story of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, who broke horses as a child, rode 500 miles alone on a pony as a teenager to become a teacher, and ran a huge Arizona ranch with her husband while raising two children, including Rosemary, the mother from The Glass Castle.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 66 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a lively, inspiring portrait of a tough, resourceful woman.
You'll love it if you liked
The Glass Castle
Educated: A Memoir
News of the WorldGood to know
Walls calls it a 'true-life novel', based on family stories.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller45 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #967 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1785 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Jeannette Walls
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Explore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Half Broke Horses worth reading?
Yes. It spent 66 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,785 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Half Broke Horses about?
Jeannette Walls tells the story of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, who broke horses as a child, rode 500 miles alone on a pony as a teenager to become a teacher, and ran a huge Arizona ranch with her husband while raising two children, including Rosemary, the mother from The Glass Castle.
How long does it take to read Half Broke Horses?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Half Broke Horses?
If you liked it, try The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover or News of the World by Paulette Jiles.