Book of Queens: the True Story of the Middle Eastern Horsewomen Who Fought the War on Terror, by Pardis Mahdavi, was a one day read. I stopped only to walk the dog, feed the dog, and watch Jeopardy! This is a formerly unknown story of generations of women who were freedom fighters and who helped save the Caspian horse. There is a close connection here, the author tracks her ancestors from ancient Persia to the present. Her grandmother helped smuggle women across the border to caves in Afghanistan to escape abusive husbands. These women became strong, brave and fierce fighters, fighting off marauders and invaders, including ISIS, the Taliban and so on, beating them off when men and even US Special Forces could not! Their greatest ally was a horse, a breed they saved from extinction, which is part of the story line in this amazing book. Be warned though, it is brutal and depressing. Horses and women, especially women, were treated horribly. You will cry, and be angry. It is also a story of empowerment and friendship. You will cheer! And wonder why (well, maybe not, it's men who have written history, after all) why we haven't heard more about these women. Certainly outside my normal reading pattern, I thank Riding Reader for the gift.

Reading Hermit With Dog