The Studhorse Man
A humorous journey of love and chaos in Alberta
Format:Paperback
Publisher:University of Alberta Press
Published:28th Apr '04
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Hazard Lepage's outrageous quest to breed his stallion leads to chaos and romance, as narrated by his rival in The Studhorse Man.
In The Studhorse Man, readers are introduced to Hazard Lepage, the last of the studhorse men, who embarks on a quest to breed his rare blue stallion, Poseidon. This journey is not just about preserving a bloodline; it’s a wild adventure filled with chaos and humor. Hazard, a charming trickster and a somewhat reckless knight, navigates a world where every encounter seems to ignite pandemonium, leading him into the arms of various women, all while his long-suffering fiancée, Martha, patiently waits in the background.
The narrative unfolds through the eyes of Demeter Proudfoot, Hazard's secret rival, who provides a unique perspective as she writes this tale from the confines of an empty bathtub. Her observations add a layer of wit and irony, capturing Hazard’s outrageous escapades and the colorful characters he meets along the way. This storytelling style evokes the spirit of a Prairie beer parlor tall tale, blending humor with a sense of mythic adventure.
Set against the rugged landscape of post-World War II Alberta, The Studhorse Man is a celebration of unrestrained character and the complexities of human relationships. Robert Kroetsch masterfully weaves together themes of love, rivalry, and the quest for identity, creating a narrative that resonates with readers, inviting them to reflect on the chaos and charm of life itself.
"Recognized as a classic when it first appeared, the novel's status as one of the finest pieces of Canadian fiction has only grown over the last three decades.... The Studhorse Man, now 35 years old, has far more intoxicating vigour, structural muscularity and dervish-like linguistic brilliance than almost anything being published in Canada today." Christopher Wiebe, VUE Weekly
"Always original, at times wickedly funny, and told with unrestrained enthusiasm framed by a post-war, rough-edged Alberta, The Studhorse Man showcases and documents Robert Kroetsch as one of Canada's best living writers." Wisconsin Bookwatch
Listed in Best of the West Comparisons list (between Alberta & Saskatchewan) under category "Classic Scene Setters" against W.O. Mitchell's Who Has Seen the Wind. Canadian Geographic, January/February 2005
"In its comic energy, The Studhorse Man recalls Rabelais, Bakhtin and the carnivalesque....This University of Alberta Press publication includes a very fine introduction by Aritha van Herk. Sharply attentive to the novel's patterns, reference field and detail, she situates it with respect not only to Edmonton, the Saskatchewan river valley, local history and literary conventions of the quest and the trickster, but also to her own experience of the local....Kroetsch's writing in The Studhorse Man is typically vital and generous; its presentation of the priapic wanderer and his odd rake's progress through a changing Albertan landscape is marked by comedy, affection and nostalgia." Brian Edwards, Australasian Canadian Studies Journal, Vol. 22, No.2, 2004 and Vol. 23, No.1, 2005
"Kroetsch's writing cracks with sarcastic wit, and his book ridicules booming Edmonton's desire to banish the horse in favour of a suburban, car-infested future. The city's highest literary award is named after Kroetsch, so you can't go wrong here." -- Bruce Cinnamon * Vue Weekly *
- Winner of AAUP Book, Jacket & Journal Show - AAUP 2004 Book, Jacket & Journal Show, Jackets & Covers 2005
ISBN: 9780888644251
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 15mm
Weight: 280g
224 pages