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Lean on Pete

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( 5,050 ratings, 699 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin follows the life of a fifteen-year-old boy named Charley Thompson. He finds solace and companionship with a rundown racehorse named Lean on Pete. As Charley embarks on a journey in search of a stable home and a place where he belongs, the story delves into themes of survival and friendship amidst the harsh realities he faces.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy heartfelt stories about lost adolescence, resilience, and the hope found in unlikely friendships. Set in the rugged American West, it follows a teenagerโ€™s journey alongside a failing racehorse, exploring themes of survival and the search for belonging. It's perfect for readers who appreciate raw, emotional narratives with deeply human characters.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

From the acclaimed author of The Motel Life and Northline comes another hugely moving slice of Americana.

Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin is an unforgettable story of a friendship and of hope in dark times.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson wants a home; food on the table; a high school he can attend for more than part of a year; and some structure to his life. But as the son of a single father working at warehouses across the Pacific Northwest, he's been pretty much on his own for some time.

Lean on Pete opens as he and his father arrive in Portland, Oregon and Charley takes a stables job, illegally, at the local race track. Once part of a vibrant racing network, Portland Meadows is now seemingly the last haven for washed up jockeys and knackered horses, but it's there that Charley meets Pete, an old horse who becomes his companion as he's forced to try to make his own way in the world.

A portrait of a journey - populated by a vivid cast of characters against a harsh landscape - Lean on Pete is also the unforgettable story of a friendship and of hope in dark times.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin is described as a poignant American novel, drawing comparisons to the works of Steinbeck and Carver. Critics have praised its spare and poetic prose, its compassionate portrayal of the forgotten and dispossessed, and its ability to evoke deep emotions. The book is noted for its raw, hopeful storytelling, offering a beautifully bleak yet redeeming narrative.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571235735

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2011

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Described by Mojo as 'one of America's most fundamental artists in words and music' Willy Vlautin is the author of two highly acclaimed novels, The Motel Life (2005) and Northline (2007). He is also the frontman of the band Richmond Fontaine, whose albums include 'Post to Wire' and most recently 'We Used to think the Freeway sounded like a River'. An avid fan of horseracing, he can often be found writing behind a closed circuit monitor at Portland Meadows racetrack.

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