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Rough Magic : Riding the World's Loneliest Horse Race by Lara Prior-Palmer (2019, Hardcover)

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ROUGH MAGIC: RIDING THE WORLD'S LONELIEST HORSE RACE By Lara Prior-palmer - Hardcover **BRAND NEW**.

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherCATAPULT

ISBN-101948226197

ISBN-139781948226196

eBay Product ID (ePID)25044133914

Product Key Features

Book TitleRough Magic : Riding the World's Loneliest Horse Race

Number of Pages288 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicWomen, Horse Racing, Equestrian

Publication Year2019

GenreSports & Recreation, Biography & Autobiography

AuthorLara Prior-Palmer

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1 in

Item Weight15.6 Oz

Item Length8.5 in

Item Width5.8 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2018-950159

ReviewsAdvance Praise for Rough Magic A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice, NATIONAL BESTSELLER Winner of the Steppes Travel Adventure Travel Book of the Year Award One of Esquire 's Best Nonfiction Books of 2019 "If you like your memoirs to revolve around singular experiences, Lara Prior-Palmer's Rough Magic delivers." --John Williams, The New York Times "This is no fresh-forged mythic hero, but rather a young woman who's still doubting, still equivocating about her right to seek greatness . . . As Prior-Palmer senses on her journey, reconciling the wisdom of the everyday with the instinct for timelessness and mythmaking is a life's work--work to which Rough Magic is an engaging guide." --Ellie Robbins, The Washington Post "Excellent prose and rigorous honesty . . . An unusual pleasure to read . . . Prior-Palmer writes with a dash and boldness few writers possess; her language seems sui generis . . . Her narrative alchemy is remarkable; in every chapter, she turns boredom to suspense and back again. The Derby is at once heart-stoppingly close and a miserable slog to which we already know the ending. That shifting--heroism to comedy, glamour to stinking holes in the ground--creates a tension far more interesting than the question of who's going to win the race, or how." --Lily Meyer, NPR "[Prior-Palmer's] prose is poetic, and while the race and Monolian landscape are conjured beautifully and intensely, the book's emotional impact lies in the nuanced portrait of its subject searching for answers beyond the life she's lived so far." --David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly "In this sensual, spiritual memoir, Prior-Palmer recounts her grueling journey through immense physical hardship, and her surprising transformation from underdog to champion." --Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire "Page by page, Prior-Palmer tunes us in, slows us down to her speed, to pony paces, and we begin to attend to the present moment just as she does . . . At every turn, Prior-Palmer's writing is brilliant and clear-eyed and demonstrates more wisdom than any philosopher's theories . . . Presenting such an awe-inspiring page-turning narrative that plumbs the depths of all that's to be found in the present moment--the body, mind, and soul--while dissembling one's own ego with tender rigor is Rough Magic 's finest achievement. Lara Prior-Palmer is a writer to watch." --Abby Travis, San Francisco Chronicle "A gripping, self-searching, triumphant debut memoir . . . The winning vulnerability on display . . . throughout this exceptional coming-of-age tale keeps the pages turning and the reader rooting for this unlikely heroine . . . A breathtaking ride." --Kathleen Rooney, Star-Tribune (Minneapolis) "Charming, self-aware, and mercifully devoid of cliches, it's just the sort of breezy travel memoir we've been looking for." --Lale Arikoglu, Conde Nast Traveler "We are all lucky she did write it, because it's the rare read that offers what Rough Magic does: a type of pure exhilaration, the kind that snakes through your body in moments both still and hurried. Reading it is a visceral, sensorially charged experience; a, yes, rough and magical ride through one of the planet's most desolate landscapes, and into the mind of a young woman whose fearlessness and curiosity take her--and us--to countless unexpected places." --Kristin Iversen, NYLON "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review), Advance Praise for Rough Magic A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year A The Millions Most Anticipated Book of the Year A Paperback Paris Most Anticipated Spring Book An Official Junior Library Guild Selection "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly , 1 of the 15 Most Anticipated Books of the Year "[Prior-Palmer's] gorgeous, sensual depiction of this race is a literary marvel; it feels like you are riding alongside her across the desolate steppes; her verbal acuity makes vivid the most elusive of landscapes; her triumph becomes ours." -- Kristin Iversen, NYLON , 1 of 50 Books You'll Want to Read This Year " Rough Magic is [Prior-Palmer's] chronicle of the experience, and if her debut as an author is half as strong as her maiden effort in racing, it will be well worth the read." -- Travis Waldron, HuffPost "Absolutely riveting." -- BuzzFeed , 1 of 66 Books Coming This Year That You'll Want to Keep on Your Radar "Prior-Palmer stunningly became the Mongol Derby's first female winner after 10 days on the course. But there is so much more to the story than just that, and in Rough Magic we will get the full, unbelievable scoop." -- Jeva Lange, The Week , 1 of 15 Books to Read This Year "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) " Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I've read in years. It's thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride." -- Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands and the award-winning The Lightkeepers "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice "Prior-Palmer's style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice." -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking, Praise for Rough Magic National Bestseller Winner of the Steppes Travel Adventure Travel Book of the Year Award One of Esquire ''s Best Nonfiction Books of 2019 "If you like your memoirs to revolve around singular experiences, Lara Prior-Palmer''s Rough Magic delivers." --John Williams, The New York Times "This is no fresh-forged mythic hero, but rather a young woman who''s still doubting, still equivocating about her right to seek greatness . . . As Prior-Palmer senses on her journey, reconciling the wisdom of the everyday with the instinct for timelessness and mythmaking is a life''s work--work to which Rough Magic is an engaging guide." --Ellie Robbins, The Washington Post "Page by page, Prior-Palmer tunes us in, slows us down to her speed, to pony paces, and we begin to attend to the present moment just as she does . . . At every turn, Prior-Palmer''s writing is brilliant and clear-eyed and demonstrates more wisdom than any philosopher''s theories . . . Presenting such an awe-inspiring page-turning narrative that plumbs the depths of all that''s to be found in the present moment--the body, mind, and soul--while dissembling one''s own ego with tender rigor is Rough Magic ''s finest achievement. Lara Prior-Palmer is a writer to watch." --Abby Travis, San Francisco Chronicle "Excellent prose and rigorous honesty . . . An unusual pleasure to read . . . Prior-Palmer writes with a dash and boldness few writers possess; her language seems sui generis . . . Her narrative alchemy is remarkable; in every chapter, she turns boredom to suspense and back again. The Derby is at once heart-stoppingly close and a miserable slog to which we already know the ending. That shifting--heroism to comedy, glamour to stinking holes in the ground--creates a tension far more interesting than the question of who''s going to win the race, or how." --Lily Meyer, NPR "[Prior-Palmer''s] prose is poetic, and while the race and Monolian landscape are conjured beautifully and intensely, the book''s emotional impact lies in the nuanced portrait of its subject searching for answers beyond the life she''s lived so far." --David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly "In this sensual, spiritual memoir, Prior-Palmer recounts her grueling journey through immense physical hardship, and her surprising transformation from underdog to champion." --Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire "Charming, self-aware, and mercifully devoid of cliches, it''s just the sort of breezy travel memoir we''ve been looking for." --Lale Arikoglu, Conde Nast Traveler "We are all lucky she did write it, because it''s the rare read that offers what Rough Magic does: a type of pure exhilaration, the kind that snakes through your body in moments both still and hurried. Reading it is a visceral, sensorially charged experience; a, yes, rough and magical ride through one of the planet''s most desolate landscapes, and into the mind of a young woman whose fearlessness and curiosity take her--and us--to countless unexpected places." --Kristin Iversen, NYLON "A gripping, self-searching, triumphant debut memoir . . . The winning vulnerability on display . . . throughout this exceptional coming-of-age tale keeps the pages turning and the reader rooting for this unlikely heroine . . . A breathtaking ride." --Kathleen Rooney, Star-Tribune (Minneapolis) "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review), Advance Praise for Rough Magic A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year A The Millions Most Anticipated Book of the Year A Paperback Paris Most Anticipated Spring Book An Official Junior Library Guild Selection "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly , 1 of the 15 Most Anticipated Books of the Year "[Prior-Palmer's] gorgeous, sensual depiction of this race is a literary marvel; it feels like you are riding alongside her across the desolate steppes; her verbal acuity makes vivid the most elusive of landscapes; her triumph becomes ours." -- Kristin Iversen, NYLON , 1 of 50 Books You'll Want to Read This Year " Rough Magic is [Prior-Palmer's] chronicle of the experience, and if her debut as an author is half as strong as her maiden effort in racing, it will be well worth the read." -- Travis Waldron, HuffPost "Absolutely riveting." -- BuzzFeed , 1 of 66 Books Coming This Year That You'll Want to Keep on Your Radar "Prior-Palmer stunningly became the Mongol Derby's first female winner after 10 days on the course. But there is so much more to the story than just that, and in Rough Magic we will get the full, unbelievable scoop." -- Jeva Lange, The Week , 1 of 15 Books to Read This Year " Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I've read in years. It's thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride." -- Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands and the award-winning The Lightkeepers "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice "Prior-Palmer's style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice." -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking, Advance Praise for Rough Magic An Official Junior Library Guild Selection A Philadelphia Inquirer Big Book for Spring 2019 A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Book of the Season A The Millions Most Anticipated Book of the Year A Paperback Paris Most Anticipated Spring Book "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer''s memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly , 1 of the 15 Most Anticipated Books of the Year "[Prior-Palmer''s] gorgeous, sensual depiction of this race is a literary marvel; it feels like you are riding alongside her across the desolate steppes; her verbal acuity makes vivid the most elusive of landscapes; her triumph becomes ours." -- Kristin Iversen, NYLON , 1 of 50 Books You''ll Want to Read This Year " Rough Magic is [Prior-Palmer''s] chronicle of the experience, and if her debut as an author is half as strong as her maiden effort in racing, it will be well worth the read." -- Travis Waldron, HuffPost "Absolutely riveting." -- BuzzFeed , 1 of 66 Books Coming This Year That You''ll Want to Keep on Your Radar "Prior-Palmer stunningly became the Mongol Derby''s first female winner after 10 days on the course. But there is so much more to the story than just that, and in Rough Magic we will get the full, unbelievable scoop." -- Jeva Lange, The Week , 1 of 15 Books to Read This Year "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Feisty and exhilarating . . . Horse lovers will adore this inspiring and spirited memoir." -- Kirkus Reviews " Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I''ve read in years. It''s thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride." -- Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands and the award-winning The Lightkeepers "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer''s writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard''s brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara''s searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice "Prior-Palmer''s style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice." -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking " Rough Magic is so charming, weird, and absorbing. I was fascinated by the race, and the utterly unique Prior-Palmer herself." -- Sofija Stefanovic, author of Miss Ex-Yugoslavia " Rough Magic brims with urgency, wit, and insight. Lara Prior-Palmer is an author to remember, and she''s written a book that wild horses couldn''t drag me away from." -- Lily Brooks-Dalton, author of Motorcycles I''ve Loved, Advance Praise for Rough Magic "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly , 1 of the 15 Most Anticipated Books of the Year A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year An Official Junior Library Guild Selection "[Prior-Palmer's] gorgeous, sensual depiction of this race is a literary marvel; it feels like you are riding alongside her across the desolate steppes; her verbal acuity makes vivid the most elusive of landscapes; her triumph becomes ours." -- Kristin Iversen, NYLON , 1 of 50 Books You'll Want to Read This Year " Rough Magic is [Prior-Palmer's] chronicle of the experience, and if her debut as an author is half as strong as her maiden effort in racing, it will be well worth the read." -- Travis Waldron, HuffPost "Absolutely riveting." -- BuzzFeed , 1 of 66 Books Coming This Year That You'll Want to Keep on Your Radar " Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I've read in years. It's thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride." -- Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands and the award-winning The Lightkeepers "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice "Prior-Palmer's style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice." -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking, Praise for Rough Magic National Bestseller Winner of the Steppes Travel Adventure Travel Book of the Year Award One of Esquire 's Best Nonfiction Books of 2019 "If you like your memoirs to revolve around singular experiences, Lara Prior-Palmer's Rough Magic delivers." --John Williams, The New York Times "This is no fresh-forged mythic hero, but rather a young woman who's still doubting, still equivocating about her right to seek greatness . . . As Prior-Palmer senses on her journey, reconciling the wisdom of the everyday with the instinct for timelessness and mythmaking is a life's work--work to which Rough Magic is an engaging guide." --Ellie Robbins, The Washington Post "Page by page, Prior-Palmer tunes us in, slows us down to her speed, to pony paces, and we begin to attend to the present moment just as she does . . . At every turn, Prior-Palmer's writing is brilliant and clear-eyed and demonstrates more wisdom than any philosopher's theories . . . Presenting such an awe-inspiring page-turning narrative that plumbs the depths of all that's to be found in the present moment--the body, mind, and soul--while dissembling one's own ego with tender rigor is Rough Magic 's finest achievement. Lara Prior-Palmer is a writer to watch." --Abby Travis, San Francisco Chronicle "Excellent prose and rigorous honesty . . . An unusual pleasure to read . . . Prior-Palmer writes with a dash and boldness few writers possess; her language seems sui generis . . . Her narrative alchemy is remarkable; in every chapter, she turns boredom to suspense and back again. The Derby is at once heart-stoppingly close and a miserable slog to which we already know the ending. That shifting--heroism to comedy, glamour to stinking holes in the ground--creates a tension far more interesting than the question of who's going to win the race, or how." --Lily Meyer, NPR "[Prior-Palmer's] prose is poetic, and while the race and Mongolian landscape are conjured beautifully and intensely, the book's emotional impact lies in the nuanced portrait of its subject searching for answers beyond the life she's lived so far." --David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly "In this sensual, spiritual memoir, Prior-Palmer recounts her grueling journey through immense physical hardship, and her surprising transformation from underdog to champion." --Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire "Charming, self-aware, and mercifully devoid of clichés, it's just the sort of breezy travel memoir we've been looking for." --Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler "We are all lucky she did write it, because it's the rare read that offers what Rough Magic does: a type of pure exhilaration, the kind that snakes through your body in moments both still and hurried. Reading it is a visceral, sensorially charged experience; a, yes, rough and magical ride through one of the planet's most desolate landscapes, and into the mind of a young woman whose fearlessness and curiosity take her--and us--to countless unexpected places." --Kristin Iversen, NYLON "A gripping, self-searching, triumphant debut memoir . . . The winning vulnerability on display . . . throughout this exceptional coming-of-age tale keeps the pages turning and the reader rooting for this unlikely heroine . . . A breathtaking ride." --Kathleen Rooney, Star-Tribune (Minneapolis) "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review), Advance Praise for Rough Magic A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year A The Millions Most Anticipated Book of the Year A Paperback Paris Most Anticipated Spring Book An Official Junior Library Guild Selection A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Book of the Season "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly , 1 of the 15 Most Anticipated Books of the Year "[Prior-Palmer's] gorgeous, sensual depiction of this race is a literary marvel; it feels like you are riding alongside her across the desolate steppes; her verbal acuity makes vivid the most elusive of landscapes; her triumph becomes ours." -- Kristin Iversen, NYLON , 1 of 50 Books You'll Want to Read This Year " Rough Magic is [Prior-Palmer's] chronicle of the experience, and if her debut as an author is half as strong as her maiden effort in racing, it will be well worth the read." -- Travis Waldron, HuffPost "Absolutely riveting." -- BuzzFeed , 1 of 66 Books Coming This Year That You'll Want to Keep on Your Radar "Prior-Palmer stunningly became the Mongol Derby's first female winner after 10 days on the course. But there is so much more to the story than just that, and in Rough Magic we will get the full, unbelievable scoop." -- Jeva Lange, The Week , 1 of 15 Books to Read This Year "First-time author Prior-Palmer transforms from hopeless 19-year-old underdog into surprising champion of the grueling 2013 Mongol Derby in this exhilarating, visceral account of her attempt to win a 1,000-kilometer horse race across the Mongolian countryside . . . Filled with soulful self-reflection and race detail, this fast-paced page-turner is a thrill ride from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) " Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I've read in years. It's thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride." -- Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands and the award-winning The Lightkeepers "This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race." -- Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." -- Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." -- Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice "Prior-Palmer's style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice." -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by Walking, Advance Praise for Rough Magic "Lara Prior-Palmer's writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard's brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it." --Josephine Rowe, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal "As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian race horse, Lara's searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby Champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried and I felt every bruise. I was riveted til the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons." --Felicity Aston, author of Alone in Antarctica, The First Woman To See Solo Across the Southern Ice

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal798.24

SynopsisFor fans of Helen Macdonald's H Is for Hawk , this is the extraordinary debut memoir of a young woman who traveled to Mongolia to compete in the world's longest, toughest horse race, and emerged as its youngest and first-ever female winner, "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly At the age of nineteen, Lara Prior-Palmer discovered a website devoted to "the world's longest, toughest horse race"an annual competition of endurance and skill that involves dozens of riders racing a series of twenty-five wild ponies across 1,000 kilometers of Mongolian grassland. On a whim, she decided to enter the race. As she boarded a plane to East Asia, she was utterly unprepared for what awaited her. Riders often spend years preparing to compete in the Mongol Derby, a course that re-creates the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan. Many fail to finish. Prior-Palmer had no formal training. She was driven by her own restlessness, stubbornness, and a lifelong love of horses. She raced for ten days through extreme heat and terrifying storms, catching a few hours of sleep where she could at the homes of nomadic families. Battling bouts of illness and dehydration, exhaustion and bruising falls, she decided she had nothing to lose. Each dawn she rode out again on a fresh horse, scrambling up mountains, swimming through rivers, crossing woodlands and wetlands, arid dunes and open steppe, as American television crews chased her in their jeeps. Told with terrific suspense and style, in a voice full of poetry and soul, Rough Magic captures the extraordinary story of one young woman who forged ahead, against all odds, to become the first female winner of this breathtaking race. "Taking off on a horse into the Mongolian Steppe sounds like the bracing inverse to an overpopulated, busy urban life, but having the skills and grit to pull it off is another thing entirely. . . . Lara Prior-Palmer attempted the Mongol Derby not really knowing what she was getting into; she ended it knowing much more about herself, and a race champion besides." Estelle Tang, Elle, NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Think the next Educated or Wild . Palmer's memoir of beating the odds to become a horse champion is an inspiring saga of perseverance--and a classic underdog tale." -- Entertainment Weekly "If you like your memoirs to revolve around singular experiences, Lara Prior-Palmer's Rough Magic delivers." --John Williams, The New York Times At the age of nineteen, Lara Prior-Palmer discovered a website devoted to "the world's longest, toughest horse race"--an annual competition of endurance and skill that involves dozens of riders racing a series of twenty-five wild ponies across 1,000 kilometers of Mongolian grassland. On a whim, she decided to enter the race. As she boarded a plane to East Asia, she was utterly unprepared for what awaited her. Riders often spend years preparing to compete in the Mongol Derby, a course that re-creates the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan, and many fail to finish. Prior-Palmer had no formal training. She was driven by her own restlessness, stubbornness, and a lifelong love of horses. She raced for ten days through extreme heat and terrifying storms, catching a few hours of sleep where she could at the homes of nomadic families. Battling bouts of illness and dehydration, exhaustion and bruising falls, she decided she had nothing to lose. Each dawn she rode out again on a fresh horse, scrambling up mountains, swimming through rivers, crossing woodlands and wetlands, arid dunes and open steppe, as American television crews chased her in their jeeps. Told with terrific suspense and style, in a voice full of poetry and soul, Rough Magic captures the extraordinary story of one young woman who forged ahead, against all odds, to become the first female winner of this breathtaking race.

LC Classification NumberSF336.P75A3 2019