NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War IIWINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of … find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food.
With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses.
Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender.
A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor.
Praise for The Perfect Horse
“Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor
“Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Amazing story of fine horses saved during WW2
A little known story of courage, love, and selflessness from WWII.
If you like history and horses and WW2 this is a story that will give you faith in people again. It shows you that people in the the war were ready to give their lives to do something extordinry to help some things that can’t fight back and have no idea what is going on in their world but put all their trust in the people who believed they were special. I read about guys who keep dogs in war so this is special story about good army men who really cared .
A beautiful story about the love for horses that inspired these men to save the Lippazaner horses during WWII.
I’ve read other accounts of the rescue but this was the best and most thorough.
This book is about the saving of priceless horses from Germany, Czech, Poland in WWII. Although there was a movie about this (years ago), I had not heard this story. It was reassuring to know there were people who would risk everything to save the horses within both the Allies and Axis. Not all happily ever after, but I enjoyed it.
An aspect of the war that is seldom addressed. A touching story of these fine animals and the appreciation of them both enemies in war.
The Greatest Generation always try’s to do what was right no matter what, even if it meant putting their lives on the line! Great reading!
Loved it!
I loved this story which is a piece of WWII history I never knew!
Great story about those that saved the horses during a Great War
One of the best books I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed it.
William
This was a wonderful true story. It really shows a side of WWII that had no idea existed. Great for any horse lover!
Great historical novel especially for animal lovers!
Wonderful presentation of a different side of the war – not only the human suffering and loss, but that of wonderful animals like the Lippizaners and the bravery of those on both sides who vowed to save them
The passion with which the author wrote at times was too saccharin but because of the subject and people involved, quite understandable. Courageous, international cooperation at its best.
I had never thought much about the subject although over the years I have often read/viewed stories of these wonderful horses. this story shows just how difficult it was to save and protect them by a small dedicated number of people and how the world has benefited from still having them
i did not know this story, and was so proud of the American Army for helping restore one of the great cultural treasures of Europe. Well written.
Well written, Well researched. Wonderful history of the Lippizaner’s rescue at the end of WWII. I was saddened by fate of those horses that were sent to America
after the war.
This started slow, but in the 2nd chapter I became entranced by the characters. The photos were an unexpected bonus.