The Horse

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book From New York Times bestselling author of The Mosquito,the incredible story of how the horse shaped human history Timothy C. WinegardΓÇÖs The Horse is an epic history unlike any other. Its story begins more than 5500 years ago on the windswept grasslands of the Eurasian Steppe; when one human tamed one horsean unbreakable bond was forged and the future of humanity was instantly rewrittenplacing the reins of destiny firmly in human hands. Since that pivotal daythe horse has carried the history of civilizations on its powerful back. For millennia it was the primary mode of transportationan essential farming machinea steadfast companionand a formidable weapon of war. Possessing a unique combination of sizespeedstrengthand staminathe horse dominated every facet of human life and shaped the very scope of human ambition. And we still live among its galloping shadows. Horses revolutionized the way we huntedtradedtraveledfarmedfoughtworshippedand interacted. They fundamentally reshaped the human genome and the worldΓÇÖs linguistic map. They determined international bordersmolded culturesfueled economiesand built global superpowers. They decided the destinies of conquerors and empires. And they were vectors of lethal disease and contributed to lifesaving medical innovations. Horses even inspired architectureinventionfurnitureand fashion. From the thundering cavalry charges of Alexander the Great to the streets of New York during the Great Manure Crisis of 1894 and beyondhorses have shaped both the grand arc of history and our everyday lives. Driven by fascinating revelations and fast-paced storytellingThe Horse is a riveting narrative of this noble animalΓÇÖs unrivaled and enduring reign across human history. To know the horse is to understand the world.