Black Beauty (AmazonClassics Edition) - Softcover

From the meadow of his youth to the crowded, frosty streets of London, Black Beauty tells the story of his life under many masters in Victorian England, among them the kind Squire Gordon, the principled Jeremiah Barker, and the exploitive Nicholas Skinner. No matter the circumstance, Beauty bears joy and hardship with grace, heeding his mother’s advice to be good, gentle, and hardworking—always.

At turns suspenseful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, Black Beauty is a masterful tale promoting equality, compassion, and strength of character—and remains a treasured classic for animal lovers of all ages.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as Black Beauty, this edition of Black Beauty (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Born in Norfolk, England, Anna Sewell (1820–1878) suffered an ankle injury as a small child. Unable to walk long distances without the aid of a crutch, Sewell used horse-drawn carriages to get around, and the interaction with the animals catalyzed her love for horses as well as her activism for their humane treatment.

She began writing Black Beauty in 1871, though she was in ill health and mostly bedridden in the years it took to write. Sewell died five months after the novel’s publication in late 1877. An instant success, Black Beauty remains one of the top ten bestselling children’s novels of all time and serves as a timeless primer on animal welfare in modern society.