Kick the Latch

By: Kathryn Scanlan

Narrated by: Kathryn Scanlan

About one woman’s fine, hard life at the racetrack, Kick the Latch—with its ruthless concision and artful mysteries—is lightning in a bottle

Kathryn Scanlan’s Kick the Latch vividly captures the arc of one woman’s life at the racetrack—the flat land and ramshackle backstretch; the bad feelings and friction; the winner’s circle and the racetrack bar; the fancy suits and fancy boots; and the “particular language” of “grooms, jockeys, trainers, racing secretaries, stewards, pony people, hotwalkers, everybody”—with economy and integrity.

Based on transcribed interviews with Sonia, a horse trainer, the novel investigates form and authenticity in a feat of synthesis reminiscent of Charles Reznikoff’s Testimony. As Scanlan puts it, “I wanted to preserve—amplify, exaggerate—Sonia’s idiosyncratic speech, her bluntness, her flair as a storyteller. I arrived at what you could call a composite portrait of a self.” Whittled down with a fiercely singular artistry, Kick the Latch bangs out of the starting gate and carries the listener on a careening joyride around the inside track.

©2022 Kathryn Scanlan (P)2022 New Directions Publishing Corp.

A short, quiet, beautiful book

I don’t have much interest in horses, and still don’t. But there’s so much to love - the bleeding heart of someone who isn’t built for the life they’ve chosen.

Wow

I was really annoyed when this came as a reco, do I downloaded it - taking a full credit- and it wasn’t even two hours long. But honestly, it was worth it. So well written, and I’m happy the author narrated it. She has a really interesting and matter of fact way of writing that is able to better come through when she read it herself. Highly recommend

A great short read.

I loved the book, the reader, the story.
It was surprisingly tough and touching.
Recommended!

A Small Gem

This short novel about a young woman whose hard life revolves around taking care of horses at the track is extraordinary and authentic. The narration by the author is perfect.

Eeeek

Life as a nightmare. To say it’s triggering is an understatement.
And have had racehorses for over 30 years.