Le poney rouge - BookWyrm.World

French language

Published 1985 by Éditions Gallimard.

ISBN:: 978-2-07-033002-7

(2 reviews)

The Red Pony is an episodic novella written by American writer John Steinbeck in 1933. The first three chapters were published in magazines from 1933 to 1936. The full book was published in 1937 by Covici Friede. The stories in the book are tales of a boy named Jody Tiflin. The book has four stories about Jody and his life on his father's California ranch. Other main characters include Carl Tiflin – Jody's father; Billy Buck – an expert in horses and a working hand on the ranch; Mrs. Tiflin – Jody's mother; Jody's grandfather – Mrs. Tiflin's father, who has a history of crossing the Oregon Trail, and enjoys telling stories about his experiences; and Gitano – an old man who wishes to die at the Tiflin ranch. Along with these stories, there is a short story (taken from one of Steinbeck's earlier works, The Pastures of Heaven) at …

The Red Pony is an episodic novella written by American writer John Steinbeck in 1933. The first three chapters were published in magazines from 1933 to 1936. The full book was published in 1937 by Covici Friede. The stories in the book are tales of a boy named Jody Tiflin. The book has four stories about Jody and his life on his father's California ranch. Other main characters include Carl Tiflin – Jody's father; Billy Buck – an expert in horses and a working hand on the ranch; Mrs. Tiflin – Jody's mother; Jody's grandfather – Mrs. Tiflin's father, who has a history of crossing the Oregon Trail, and enjoys telling stories about his experiences; and Gitano – an old man who wishes to die at the Tiflin ranch. Along with these stories, there is a short story (taken from one of Steinbeck's earlier works, The Pastures of Heaven) at the end of the book titled "Junius Maltby". However, this last story is omitted in the edition published by Penguin Books.

7 editions

Julia_98 reviewed Le poney rouge by John Steinbeck

Innocence, Dust, and Death: What The Red Pony Taught Me About Growing Up

4 stars

Reading The Red Pony by John Steinbeck was like watching the sky darken on a summer afternoon—you think it’s still light, but suddenly, everything changes. What starts as a simple story about a boy and his pony quietly unravels into a series of quiet, devastating lessons about life, death, and disappointment.

Jody, the young boy at the center, reminded me of the version of myself that used to believe grown-ups had all the answers. When he’s given the red pony, his pride and excitement are almost palpable—I could feel that thrill, that hope, as if it were mine. But Steinbeck doesn’t let us sit with comfort for long. The pony’s sickness, and eventual death, hit hard—not because it was shocking, but because it felt real.

There’s something deeply raw in the way Steinbeck writes. No melodrama, just hard truths tucked into plain language. Each section—whether about the pony, the old …

Reading The Red Pony by John Steinbeck was like watching the sky darken on a summer afternoon—you think it’s still light, but suddenly, everything changes. What starts as a simple story about a boy and his pony quietly unravels into a series of quiet, devastating lessons about life, death, and disappointment.

Jody, the young boy at the center, reminded me of the version of myself that used to believe grown-ups had all the answers. When he’s given the red pony, his pride and excitement are almost palpable—I could feel that thrill, that hope, as if it were mine. But Steinbeck doesn’t let us sit with comfort for long. The pony’s sickness, and eventual death, hit hard—not because it was shocking, but because it felt real.

There’s something deeply raw in the way Steinbeck writes. No melodrama, just hard truths tucked into plain language. Each section—whether about the pony, the old man looking for a place to die, or Jody’s shifting relationship with his father—felt like another thread in a tapestry about the painful beauty of growing up.

What stayed with me wasn’t the sadness, but the quiet way it settled in. The Red Pony didn’t break my heart. It wore it down gently, like wind over stone. And in that slow erosion, I learned that growing up isn’t about answers—it’s about learning how to carry the weight of not knowing.

Julia_98

rated it

August 6