Is The Perfect Horse a true story?
Yes. The Perfect Horse is narrative nonfiction by Elizabeth Letts. It tells the true story of a covert World War II mission to rescue some of the world's finest purebred horses, which had been stolen by the Nazis and held on a secret farm.
What is a good true story about horses in World War II?
The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts. As the war draws to a close, American Colonel Hank Reed leads a daring operation to save priceless horses held by the Nazis. The story weaves together an Austrian riding master, Hitler's chief of horse breeding, and a senator's son.
What horses were rescued in The Perfect Horse?
Among them were the famous white Lipizzaner stallions of Vienna's Spanish Riding School, along with prized Arabian and other purebred horses that the Nazis had gathered for a breeding program.
Did General Patton help save the Lipizzaner horses?
Yes. Patton, a horseman himself, played a part in the story of the Lipizzaners at the end of World War II. Elizabeth Letts tells the full story of the rescue, and the soldiers who carried it out, in The Perfect Horse.
Who will enjoy The Perfect Horse?
Readers of World War II history, true rescue and adventure stories, and anyone who loves horses. It reads like a thriller but every part of it really happened.
Is The Perfect Horse like Seabiscuit or Unbroken?
Readers of Seabiscuit and Unbroken often enjoy The Perfect Horse. Like those books, it is deeply researched narrative nonfiction that reads like a novel, combining horses, war, and remarkable true characters.
Is The Perfect Horse like The Monuments Men?
Yes. Both are true stories of Americans racing to save Europe's treasures at the end of World War II. In The Perfect Horse, the treasures are living ones: the Lipizzaner stallions and other priceless horses held by the Nazis.
Is The Perfect Horse a good gift for my dad?
It is one of the most popular picks for dads, history buffs, and veterans: a true World War II story about a U.S. Army rescue mission, told like a thriller.
Who was Colonel Hank Reed?
Hank Reed was the American cavalry officer who led the daring mission at the end of World War II to rescue the horses at the center of The Perfect Horse.
What are Lipizzaner horses?
Lipizzaners are the famous white horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a breed with centuries of history. Their wartime rescue is part of The Perfect Horse.
Did the Lipizzaner horses survive the war?
Yes. The Lipizzaners survived, and the Spanish Riding School still performs in Vienna today. The Perfect Horse tells how close they came to being lost.
Why did the Nazis take the horses?
The Nazis gathered some of Europe's finest purebred horses for a breeding program, holding them on a secret farm. The Perfect Horse tells the story of how they were rescued.
When was The Perfect Horse published?
It was published by Ballantine Books in 2016.
Do I need to love horses to enjoy The Perfect Horse?
No. It is just as much a World War II adventure and rescue story, with real heroes and real danger.
Is The Perfect Horse like Band of Brothers?
It shares the story of American soldiers in the final days of World War II, with a mission unlike any other: saving horses.
Is The Perfect Horse like The Zookeeper's Wife?
Yes. Both are true World War II stories about people who risked their safety to save animals.
Is The Perfect Horse good for history buffs?
Very. It is deeply researched, covering the U.S. Army, the Spanish Riding School, and the Nazi horse-breeding program.
Is The Perfect Horse a good gift for a veteran?
Yes. It honors a little-known U.S. Army mission at the end of World War II.
Is The Perfect Horse a good book club pick?
Yes, especially for groups that enjoy history. It raises big questions about what is worth saving in wartime.
More reader questions about all of Elizabeth’s books →