Continuum Books of New York and London has just released a new, 95-page reader’s guide to All the Pretty Horses by Society member Stephen Tatum of the University of Utah. A concise yet meaty discussion of the novel from several systematically organized perspectives, it is targeted to an undergraduate market but should be eminently useful in high school and some graduate contexts as well. The book provides a useful and illuminating discussion of the novel.

In addition to its concision, the book’s virtues include a minimum of jargon, an elegant yet relaxed writing style, and a succinct set of discussion questions for both educators and students. Tatum discusses the thematic, stylistic and historical issues posed by the novel in straightforward terms without resorting to reductive formulations.