Jill's (growing) Collection [update 11.4.24]

That short story was To Build a Fire and it's a KICKER. Probably the most Jack London Boiled Down to a Pure Essence piece out there.

THAT'S IT!!!
My favorite story from the whole book!

Thank you so much for the information on the two books Jill!
Wow, Algonquin sounds really dark, but intriguing all the same! I'm not the best with books where dogs end up dying... but then reading some more reviews it seems like a really well-written and interesting book with lots of meanings and a different turn on a typical dog story! I'll definitely have to have a think about it, if it's similar to Call of the Wild I'm sure I'll be able to read it, I definitely don't want to miss out on a great dog book like this one! I was just thinking back to another dog book called Where the Red Fern Grows which I loved so much until the final part which made me cry, it was such a shocking ending! (I won't give it away unless anyone wants to read it), but then I know I was much younger then so I'm sure I'd be fine with Algonquin!
I must have a look for Lad a Dog too, sounds perfect to fit with Lassie! Those books about the Irish Setters are really interesting too Paige, thank you! Thank you Kelly too, Something in the Wind sounds like another wonderful dog-themed read!

I buy a lot of old horse books in antique shops and second-hand book shops, from non-fiction reference types to biographies of real horses who achieved something, and also novels, anywhere from the 19th century up til about the 1940s.
My rule when finding any copies of those fictional horse stories is always flick to the last page, right there in the shop - if it ends with the death of the horse or pony, I put it back, if it's a happy or open ending, I'll buy it. Although I love the equestrian and social history aspect, specially the ones set in different countries, I have no wish to spend pages and pages getting attached to a horse only to find out how it dies in the end

Holy smokes, Where the Red Fern Grows!  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I would say it is not as SHOCKING as that one. There's this whole genre of books (I am looking at you, Old Yeller and The Yearling) that get you attached to the animal for the sole purpose of scarring tragedy at the end, it feels like, maybe in the name of "coming of age"? I'm not sure.

If you don't mind spoilers, I'd look for a summary of the book first, because as I said, it IS a bit grim - kind of right off the bat. I can't fault the writing at all, though, and much like London, it gets a pass from me because of the way its handled.

That's a fair approach, George. I remember reading Little House on the Prairie and there's a chapter that ends with them thinking their dog drowned and let me tell you, I was ready to burn the whole series. But, the dog was fine. Crisis averted.

Jill wrote:

Holy smokes, Where the Red Fern Grows!  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I would say it is not as SHOCKING as that one. There's this whole genre of books (I am looking at you, Old Yeller and The Yearling) that get you attached to the animal for the sole purpose of scarring tragedy at the end, it feels like, maybe in the name of "coming of age"? I'm not sure.

If you don't mind spoilers, I'd look for a summary of the book first, because as I said, it IS a bit grim - kind of right off the bat. I can't fault the writing at all, though, and much like London, it gets a pass from me because of the way its handled.

That's a fair approach, George. I remember reading Little House on the Prairie and there's a chapter that ends with them thinking their dog drowned and let me tell you, I was ready to burn the whole series. But, the dog was fine. Crisis averted.

I actually couldn't finish the last chapter of Where the Red Fern Grows because I found it so shocking!
Oh my goodness yes and Old Yeller! It's a genre I try and avoid now having learnt the hard way- and the annoying thing is that often books like this are so enjoyable and beautifully written and create this wonderful central animal character like a horse or dog, all the way up until the last chapter or so when it ends in tragedy! I'll definitely try and find a summary first to be on the safe side, but it definitely sounds like a worthwhile read and a dog book I can't miss! I struggle to find as may really good dog books published these days, and find myself looking for vintage stories published before I was born, it seems that in general much more/ better dog books were published then!
That's a clever idea George, and definitely worth it to avoid that awful feeling you're left with when a character you become so attached to ends up dying! It's why some of my favourite books are the ones where the dog survives through to the end!

*shivers* Old Yeller.... they used to play that on the Sunday night Walt Disney show, I would always hide behind the couch or under the Christmas tree from the point of the rabid wolf until it was over.

I don't remember the Kjelgaards ending in death...

Me neither so I believe they had happy endings. Old Yeller was a bit upsetting to any dog loving child... same for Red Fern.

Sorry for hijacking your topic Jill. Who woulda thought a bunch of animal lovers would be bibliophiles too?

I remember reading a lot of these books when I was younger and seeing Old Yeller on TV.Another good book is Jock of the Bushveld,about a dogs adventures in South Africa.
Another author that I read was called Joyce Stranger-she did lots of books on mainly dogs and horses with some vet adventure ones.She had various dog breeds including Border Collies and GSDs.

Taos wrote:

I remember reading a lot of these books when I was younger and seeing Old Yeller on TV.Another good book is Jock of the Bushveld,about a dogs adventures in South Africa.
Another author that I read was called Joyce Stranger-she did lots of books on mainly dogs and horses with some vet adventure ones.She had various dog breeds including Border Collies and GSDs.

Those all sound wonderful, I'll definitely look into them! Thank you!
Oh yes, Paige is right, sorry Jill for hijacking your topic! But it has been so interesting hearing about all your dog books!

No one hijacked the topic, no worries, I love talking about books as much as I love talking about animals. If anyone hijacked my topic, it was me.

Today was a really exciting mail day! There was a lot on eBay I've been watching for a long time because it was quite pricey. It was relisted many times before I finally had the opportunity to purchase. This is the 1996 JC Penny special run Breyer stablemate set. I love the JC Penny sets and prefer to buy them all at once, as possible, because it's hard to tell some G1 stablemates apart when buying separately. This set has very sedate and subtle colors in it, only a few "flashy" patterns, and really they're all so nice! So I have to show them off!

I'm still waiting on my new phone case to come, so my lens is still covered by a scratched up case that gives everything a nice blurry halo effect.

This girl might be my favorite of the set, though she has some competition. I didn't realize her color would be speckled like it is. A really gorgeous, soft roan.
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This guy gets an automatic favorite spot because he's a Swaps, my favorite stablemate mold! A distinguished bay.
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Really like the shading on this girl. I was a little bit worried she was going to be the same horse as the chestnut or palomino I already have, but she's definitely different, and actually even prettier than either of them, though don't tell them I said so.
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I feel like this guy is the "flagship" horse of this set. A crowd favorite mold in an eye catching pattern. Very excited to have another draft on the line! They are slippery fellows, and pricey.
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This is another really nice example of a "simple" color. Just a nicely shaded roan possibly? Or a pale chestnut? I love when a solid color is given a chance to really shine with effort put into the shading and gradients.
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The always classy saddlebred in that old-school dappling effect I love so much.
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This guy is a bit yellowed with age, but nothing that looks terrible. It gives him a certain aged charm, and can probably be brightened a bit by leaving in the sun.
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A handsome grullo I think this might be meant to be, though it lacks a dorsal stripe, so perhaps just an olive-y bay! Almost all of mine in this mold are appaloosa, so another solid color is a nice addition.
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Speaking of appaloosas, here's another of the "flashier" members of the herd!
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And another spotty fellow
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For me, the Arabian stallion can be the hardest to tell apart from all his brothers. There are many gray-ish solid colored versions. This one has a very nice texture to the color as well, kind of the like the arabian mare.
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And a nice red bay on the stalwart Seabiscuit mold! I think it's interesting that every horse in this set with a single white sock has it on their right hind, haha.
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And here's the whole group!
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It was nice to get these this week, a not very pleasant week, all around. But I took part of today off and got to open a box of little horses, so that's pretty nice!

Oh, what a lovely little herd, they have the charm of being vintage but also beautiful little horses in their own right. Some of the early paintjobs could be a bit bland but these all have such nice shading, even the 'plain' colours like bays and white-greys are nicely done. I think my favourites are the spotty Citation, and the arabian mare, but they're all so nice, with their little G1 faces and old fashioned conformation (I find modern models much more muscly and carrying more condition, just like modern horses look plump and bulky compared to the lean old hunting-fit ideal in pre-war photos!)

What a wonderful lot to warm your heart in this unfortunate week.
Could you put a link to the page of the identify your Breyer where we can find the yellowish horse? I'd love to know more about it.

Thank you guys! I do of course agree about the G1s. Timeless!

Roger wrote:

Could you put a link to the page of the identify your Breyer where we can find the yellowish horse? I'd love to know more about it.

Do you mean the morgan mare? She's here, all the way near the bottom! The "light red dun." :) Or did you mean a different one?

What a lovely group! I just love the first mare, she is my favorite, though they’re all stunning

Wow, these are beautiful! I only ever see the modern ones these days, but these vintage ones have amazed me, they have to me my favourites! They have a quieter, softer feel about them and I love all the colours blended into each coat- that soft roan is wonderful!

Ahh, the G1 stablemates, so wonderful! Beautiful horses Congratulations!

Nice horses

Jill wrote:

Roger wrote:

Could you put a link to the page of the identify your Breyer where we can find the yellowish horse? I'd love to know more about it.

Do you mean the morgan mare? She's here, all the way near the bottom! The "light red dun." :) Or did you mean a different one?

I mean exactly the one you linked. Many thanks for providing the link.

Those are lovely, glad you were able to get a little cheer this week.

These are all so stunning! And it makes me happy to see so many of these old gems popping up on forum and being enjoyed today. :) Congratulations.

Some great horses!!The blue roan and that splashed white draught horse are especially wonderful!!

Thanks everyone! I'm more and more pleased all the time that I bought them, even though they don't fit anywhere on my shelves.

Most of my recent arrivals have been [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], but I also got this not too long ago - another little lot from Facebook Marketplace with a PV mini in it. The PV sets are my current most-wanted long term goal. I know so many of them are super hard to find, so I'm sure it will give me a hunt for many years to come. I'm not sure if the snow leopard is one of the more common ones, but I was pretty stoked to find him in a relatively inexpensive lot all the same! Plus the cool K&M and Safari critters.
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And hunting for mini horses means getting buckets of mini Grand Champions and knock off minis in the lots as well. I especially like the little sorrel because he's a knock-off of the horse mini molds I was hunting for so long.
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Also in mini horse news, I added more to this set. Still don't know anything about them, but I keep looking for them anyway!
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And these cats are just a set of unbranded china figures, but I'm quite attached to them, so much so that I went out of my way to find and buy the one I was missing.
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Big congrats on all these! PV is a worthy hunt, I have had fun slowly locating them over time and for being relatively old releases at this point and small models they are really nice quality I think. Congrats on all!