Book Review: Blue Zeus, Legend of the Red Desert (OT)(a photographic tale of wild horses and their round-up in the American West)

Blue Zeus, Legend of the Red Desert, by Carol Walker (Living Images, 144 pages, $49.95, 2022) Reviewed by Skye Anderson.

A very special book for horse lovers and animal rescuers of all ages. The author, an extremely talented photographer, has created a loving tribute to a loving equine leader of his extended family. 

A Powerful Pictorial Tale

More than a coffee-table book, Blue Zeus (BZ) tells the story of author Carol Walker 'meeting' and following the patriarch of a wild horse family in the American West and of the government round-up of wild horses and what happens to the stallion Blue Zeus and his family. You will find yourself rooting for him (and his family) all the way to a special ending. 

What We Would Change

We would caption all the photographs, however, and perhaps even include, not a family tree per se, but maybe a picture dictionary of who's who in the fairly large family. 

I also never really understood why BZ was so special or why Walker fell in love with him but I do respect her for respecting wild animals (and we really don't think of horses as being wild animals but we should and this book helps educate us to do so). 

I also didn't really understand the helicopter round-up of horses - did they all go to families? I don't think so. To rescues and sanctuaries? To become dog food? Or is this another aspect of the Western Rancher-Farmer Wars? Perhaps an explanation of the round-ups, neutrally of course, would help the reader learn about them. And the crux of the matter may just be the farmer-ranchers vs the wild horses.

Summary

This is a lovely niche book with fantastic photography (though I think a few fewer photographs would be an improvement). The reader truly grows to know this horse family and care about them!