This is the most famous horse racing story ever put into print. A real exhilarating ride that features Velvet, a girl whose belief in a horse’s ability to win the greatest race – the Grand National – in spite of everyone else’s view otherwise. Velvet’s determination to achieve her dream just shows that when you put your mind to something you really believe in, you can accomplish just about anything. This is a must read for any boy or girl aged 9+.
"e;Put on your not-to-be-missed list."e; — The New YorkerHer mother calls it "e;a breathtaking piece of folly,"e; but fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown is determined: every night she prays to be the best rider in England, and every day she trains to win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. No woman has ever competed in the race, let alone won it. Velvet is skinny and frail, and her mount is a rough country horse that she won in a raffle. But she whispers her hopes and dreams into his ear, and the horse flies over fences at her command.Generations of readers of all ages have thrilled to the tale of Velvet's grit and determination and its inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream. A richly atmospheric portrait of rural life between the World Wars, National Velvet was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club in the United States and the Book Society in England upon its 1935 debut. It also served as the basis for the popular movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. This charming new edition features the original drawings by Laurion Jones, the author's thirteen-year-old daughter."e;The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy."e; — The New York Times"e;Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece."e; — Time"e;This book deserves a top place on your shelf."e; — Christian Science Monitor
Enid Bagnold (1889-1981) was an author and playwright.
Enid Bagnold began her writing career in August 1913 on a magazine entitled, Modern Society, where she was employed a staff writer.
In 1924 she published the highly acclaimed novel, The Difficulty of Getting Married followed by the commercially successful National Velvet in 1935. National Velvet told the story of a butcher's daughter, Velvet Brown, who wins a horse in a raffle and, disguised as a boy, rides to victory in the Grand National. It was later made into a hugely successful film, with Elizabeth Taylor in the starring role. Her next novel, which she considered to be her best, was The Squire.
Bagnold also wrote a number of plays including Lottie Dundass, The Chalk Garden and a Matter of Gravity.
Enid married Sir Roderick Jones, chairman of Reuters, and had four children. Mostly brought up in Jamaica, she lived in Kent and Sussex, with a spell serving in France as a nurse and driver during World War I.
