In case you're unfamiliar, the Chicken Soup for the [insert object of affection]lover's soul books are supposedly true accounts of miraculous, inspiring, and/or touching experiences revolving around someone's experience with the named thing. So in this case, horses.
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II by Jack Canfield
I received this as a present one Christmas. I've never read a Chicken Soup book before -- if you're a fan of anthologies like this, you probably already know what you'll find inside. If you've never read one, some advice: unless you're a fan massive quantities of sweetness and light (think eating a whole cake, or a giant swirl of cotton candy all at one go), it may be best not to read them in one sitting.And I really mean that last sentence. I don't know that I would voluntarily pick one of these up again outside of a doctor's or dentist's office waiting room or other, equally dire, location with a serious dearth of reading material. (Which is why I bring my own book along when I visit those places!)
I did. Which in retrospect was most likely a mistake. Read over a period of time, I probably would have enjoyed all of the stories more. Read all at once, by two thirds of the way through the book, I was on inspiration overload.
The first third of the book was great -- I sniffled my way through part of a box of tissues. The last handful of stories were for the most part realistic and believable, and I enjoyed them, as well.
A few in the middle, however, rubbed me completely the wrong way. If you're a horse owner, you'll know which ones when you hit them.
Overall, it wasn't a bad read, and there are a couple of stories I may read again some day or recommend to friends. When, if ever, I read another Chicken Soup book, however, I think it will be one or two "bowls" at a time.
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