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My Animals and Other Family
- Narrated by: Clare Balding
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
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My Animals and Other Family
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Summary
Winner: Biography/Autobiography of the Year – Specsavers National Book Awards 2012
The unabridged, digital audiobook edition of My Animals and Other Family, Clare Balding’s wildly funny and deeply moving childhood memoir, read brilliantly by the author herself.
“I had spent most of my childhood thinking I was a dog, and I suspect I had aged in dog years. By the time I was ten I had discovered the pain of unbearable loss. I had felt joy and jealousy. Most important of all, I knew how to love and how to let myself be loved. All these things I learnt through animals. Horses and dogs were my family and my friends. This is their story as much as it is mine.”
Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. As her father is a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals, and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers.
As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen. She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn life’s toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables and the idyllic Hampshire Downs. From the protective Candy to the pot-bellied Valkyrie and the frisky Hattie, each horse and each dog had their own character and their own special part to play.
My Animals and Other Family is a funny, brave, tender story of self-discovery.
What listeners say about My Animals and Other Family
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- christine
- 17-08-14
posh can be humble!
What did you like most about My Animals and Other Family?
Loved Claire balding at the commonwealth games. She really stepped up a gear even when lumbered with fourth rate co presenters. I have no interest in horse racing but Claire's descriptive narrative of her younger years and passion for racing makes for a very enjoyable listen. Never thought I would buy this book but so glad I did.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jackie Wardell
- 26-08-21
Excellent
Lovely heartwarming with added humour. Well read by Clare herself who I found very easy to listen to
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Miss
- 13-04-13
Sweet stories, told well
I'm an animal lover so I was bound to pick this book sooner or later, and I would give this five stars for its utterly charming cast of furry characters. You'll envy Clare Balding her upbringing around ponies, horses and dogs. It's peppered with funnies as well as plenty of "Marley and Me" moments, each one utterly sincere in its affection. It's almost perfect, except the transitions between episodes in the authors school life and home life aren't quite as expertly turned as the rest of the book, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- April Cottage
- 07-04-13
Jolly good listen
This was a good listen, if you like horses, dogs and people they were all there. The Clare at school part was both sad and full of wisdom from the teachers.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Beverly
- 03-02-13
My animals and other Family
I loved this book, I initially bought it because I am a horse lover. However the whole book was heartwarming, funny and interesting. Narrated extremely well by Clare herself who has a beautiful easy to listen to voice. So nice to listen to a real good feel good factor book. I think Claire should write and narrate another book. Cant recommend this enough.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MaMaMason
- 30-07-15
A gentle listen
laid up in bed with a stinking cold, this was a perfect choice to help pass the time. Interesting and funny, the narration never jarred ~ I've really enjoyed this audio book!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- June
- 23-12-12
What a cracker of an audio book
A book well worth the listen, funny, entertaining and at times sad and tear jerking
it will surely appeal to a huge number of people. It is so down to earth, and beautifully read by Clare Balding. Can't recommend it highly enough.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K. Bailey
- 03-03-14
Warm funny and engaging!
What made the experience of listening to My Animals and Other Family the most enjoyable?
Clare's humbleness and gentle humour.
What did you like best about this story?
The story revolves around animals who form parts of her life which was original and wonderful way to break up a story.
What does Clare Balding bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Her warmth
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
At times I found it hard to get out of the car as I wanted to finish that chapter
Any additional comments?
The story of meeting princess Anne very funny....not for her mind you....
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Miss Carolyn Vickers
- 03-01-22
Fabulous!
So well written and narrated throughout by Clare Balding. Brutally honest about her childhood and the trouble she got into, heartwarming and touching about the animals in her life and very funny stories about her and her brother's early life. Loved the racing stories too! Brilliant listen, would definitely recommend!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs S J Harvey
- 03-02-23
Fabulous
Love the story and way the chapters are put together. Great narration along with tear jerking moment and hilarious parts
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