April 23, 2001
A wonderful concept is poorly executed in this earnest but unsatisfying effort at self-help by the original "horse whisperer." Depicted movingly in his previoius books, The Man Who Listens to Horses
and Shy Boy, Roberts's work as a "horse psychologist" has demonstrated the benefits of a social order based on "trust, loyalty and mutual concern" and guided him to develop an unusual, nonviolent style of "starting" thousands of horses with the "Join-Up technique," encouraging them to accept saddle and rider. He believes that by establishing trust and building partnerships between colleagues, his approach can also succeed in today's team-oriented workplace, citing examples from his consulting with such companies as Paradyne. He also intends to show how it can work with families, especially with autistic children, and with counteracting teenage violence, although the suggested "Blackboard" method for getting cooperation from children seems too studied. Unfortunately, redundant writing and plodding sentences obscure Roberts's simple and sensible principles. It's a shame he didn't give the reins to a collaborator who might have supplied a firmer structure. Still, he's an appealing presence—a man who helped raise 47 foster children, who is passionately opposed to violence and a charming teller of horse stories, which seem more real than some of his stories about humans. Agent, Jane Turnbull (U.K.). (May)Forecast:Given the runaway successes of Roberts's other books, a five-city author tour and 20-city schedule of horse-training shows, many buyers will not be deterred by the book's flaws.