Red Flags in Books

 

The other day I heard about "Red Flags Books," which is the idea that if someone likes a certain book, or considers it their favorite book, or owns a specific book, then that's a red flag. I first came across this concept from the website Dazed's listicle, '10 Books That are Dating Red Flags.' But after doing some googling, I found several other lists exist too, from Buzzfeed to LitHub to GoodRead lists to Reddit posts and there were others as well.

To be fair, I do agree with some parts and some books. If someone says that Mein Kampf is their favorite book or if they highly recommend To Train Up a Child, then that's a red flag. However for the majority of these books I wouldn't think twice about someone owning any of these books or even enjoying them and I find the idea that ownership or enjoyment of these books to be a red flag odd. 

When it comes to simply having a book on a shelf,  I wouldn't assume that someone owning a particular book as a sign that they're endorsing that book or even that they like the book. There are several valid reasons why someone would have a book in their home that have nothing to do with liking the book. 

One: They enjoy annotating their books. Some people find underlining and highlighting and writing notes in their books to be a satisfying activity. And usually to be able to mark up a book, you have to have your own copy. You can't just borrow a book from the library or a friend and then jot down your thoughts in it. Well, you could. But that's just rude.

Two: It's easier to go back to a book when you own it. You can reference it whenever you want. All you have to do is walk over to your shelves and it's there. 

Three: I think it's important to remember that there's been a lot of talk about book bans lately. I'm sure some people are worried they won't have access to a certain book at some point. It might give them peace of mind to have the book just in case. Even if it's a book with questionable material, it can be disconcerting to think that maybe one day some books will be prohibited. 

Regarding there being a red flag because someone likes a particular book, I would say it's important to remember why people read. Usually it's for one of two reasons, if not both. 

One: For pleasure

Two: For understanding or learning.

So if someone is reading for pleasure, or if reading is how they relax, then they might like a book simply it helps them destress. 

Some of the books on these lists were YA and children's novels (a book that frequently popped up was Percy Jackson). Citing reasons like, adults need to outgrow children's books or they want more adult themes in their books, these opinions sound like someone can't grasp the idea that all some individuals want is to read a comfort book. If someone says that Percy Jackson is their favorite book, it might just be because they can unwind while reading it. There is no automatic reason to believe that they don't read any other books or that they've never read anything else or that they like other books (what a crazy thought - you can like more than one book!). 

In a similar vein, one genre of book I noticed came up repeatedly was self-help books. The general consensus was that these books are boring and that they're repetitive. Another complaint was why read more than one self-help book? If they work, you should only have to read one. The problem is that just because you find something repetitive or boring, doesn't mean everyone else does. Also, if someone discovers they enjoy a certain genre, it makes sense that they're going to read other books within said genre. Usually someone reads a self-help book to learn or grow their understanding. It's possible that if someone admires a particular self-help book it might simply be because they think that book helped them a lot.

Here's the thing. Just because someone likes a book, it doesn't automatically mean they think that book is the pinnacle of literature or that that book is going to become a classic someday and be remembered for generations. It could just be that they like that book. 

Moreover it's important to remember we don't have to read nonfiction to learn or to deepen our understanding of something. The beauty of stories is that they can teach us so much about humanity and human nature, even (or especially) our not-so-pleasant characteristics. 

That's part of what makes The Great Gatsby (a book I saw on several lists) so great. It's filled with these vapid, self-indulgent, myopic people. People I would never want to be friends with in real life. Despite this off-putting cast of characters, The Great Gatsby still has this enduring and an almost Ecclesiastes-type thought. You can everything and still feel empty. 

Reading helps us understand uncomfortable ideas and realize unpleasant realities about the world.

Truth can be distressing at times.

And sometimes what makes a book so magnificent is deeply flawed characters committing deplorable actions, because that's reality, even if it is distressing. It shines a light on how we really are.

We were created to be seekers of the truth. One way we can do that is through reading. And in that search we might something we treasure even if it is unpleasant. 

And I think that's necessary to remember: you can find something valuable even if it highlights the disturbing facets of humankind. 

Greatness and the bitter truth are not incompatible. 

New Beginnings and Getting Back into Reading

 To be honest, I haven't been reading as much as I should have. I could list a number of excuses. I've started a new job, I've been busy with our dogs, there's been some family stuff. But, considering that I've still found time to scroll through Facebook and TikTok, I don't really have much of an excuse. In general, I've felt that I haven't been doing as much as I should have. 

In December I wrote out a list of 25 things I wanted to accomplish in 2025. And we're in June now and I've accomplished none of them. Zip. Zilch. Zero. I was feeling down about this and feeling like I was failure. However, instead of dwelling on that and allowing it to keep me in some sort of self-sabotaging loop, I've decided to restart. It's June. It's midway through the year and I'm just going to start now. Who cares that isn't January? I can still get everything done on my list. I just won't finish this December, I'll be finishing next May. And anyway, like that proverb says, "The best time to plan a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." I should have started in January, but I can start now. Since it's 11:50PM at the time of my writing this, I probably won't fully get-going until tomorrow, but that's ok. Let's do this. 

Black Gold by Marguerite Henry

     Growing up, my California-dwelling family would visit my Philadelphia-residing grandparents every summer. While out there, we would usually venture on some excursion, Amish country, Niagara Falls, we would take a mini-vacation while on vacation. One summer we went to Chincoteague Island. My family had read Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry that year and were inspired to see the real life location of this story. 

    Now I'll be honest. Twenty plus years later I don't remember much of the trip (I do remember that I had a good time and the I thought the water very pretty) nor do I remember much of the book. I do know know however, that I liked he book enough for it to influence our mini-vacation. And even though I couldn't remember anything of the book, I do remember enjoying it. So when it came time to create my "To-Read List of 2025," I decided to include a couple of Marguerite Henry's books. The first Marguerite Henry book on my list was Black Gold. Unlike Misty of Chincoteague, I had never read Black Gold before. I was excited to revisit Marguerite Henry's works and I ended up finishing this book in one afternoon. 

    To be fair, it's not a long book, about 176 pages, but despite it's small size, it's still a great story about a racing horse name Black Gold. It starts off with the story of Black Gold's "dam" (or mother), U-See-It. Al Hoots, a rancher living in Oklahoma who already owned several thoroughbreds, spies U-See-It at a fairgrounds racetrack. he immediately sees something in this filly and trades 80 acres for her. It turns out to be a good bargain. U-See-It wins race after race. She travels around racing, making Al Hoots proud. But it takes a team to take care of such an important horse like U-See-It. Along with Hoots, there's his friend Hanley Webb. A former county sheriff with neither wife nor children, Webb is in charge of training U-See-It. Webb employs a man named Chief Johnson to exercise U-See-It. With this team, U-See-It is a star on the circuit. 

    While U-See-It is traveling the circuit, a boy named JayDee is growing up in New Orleans. He loves horses and every chance he gets, he is around these animals, riding them, taking care of them, watching them. His dream is to be a jockey and he is not going to let any obstacle deter him from this dream. Despite the death of this father at a young age and subsequently having to enter the work force, JayDee becomes a skilled horse-rider. 

    U-See-It, meanwhile, also comes into some trouble. After she wins 34 races, Al Hoots's wife, Rosa Hoots, want U-See-It to retire. She, like her husband, loves U-See-It and would like to see this little mare come home and rest. But Al Hoots thinks she has one last race in her. Unbeknownst to Rosa, he signs U-See-It up for another race. And this is no ordinary race. It is a claiming race. In a claiming race, all the entered horses are available for sale and that includes U-See-It. However, everyone knows of Al Hoots's love for U-See-It and how much she means to him. So Al Hoots enters her under a gentlemen's agreement that says the U-See-It is not actually for sale. Unfortunately an unscrupulous individual breaks this unspoken understanding and claims U-See-It. Hoots refuses to let his beloved horse go and  brandishing a gun, he threatens the man who has come to claim her. The claimer backs off but it comes at a bitter cost. U-See-It can no longer race and all of her previous wins and times will be revoked. It will be like she has never existed. Hoots, although comforted by the fact he can keep U-See-It, is despondent at the fact that U-See-It will be stripped of her former glory. He returns home to tell Rosa the unhappy news. However he comes up with a plan. He will breed U-See-It and he will train her foal to not only race, but to win the Kentucky Derby, one of the most prestigious horse races. Rosa, Webb, and Chief Johnson are on board. All they need to do is raise the money to send U-See-It to be bred. Unfortunately Al Hoots dies before they can breed U-See-It. But his wife is determined to fulfill his dream. Because of an oil boon in Oklahoma, Rosa is able to afford to send U-See-It to be bred by Black Toney, an accomplished breeding stallion. Together they have a foal who Rosa names Black Gold in honor of his sire and and because of the oil that funded the money to breed U-See-It. When he's old enough, Black Gold is trained by Webb and Chief Johnson just like his mother. He starts his life on the circuit and is noticed by a new jockey named JayDee.

    JayDee spots Black Gold in New Orleans and is instantly smitten by this horse. He promises himself that he will someday race Black Gold and not just in any race. He will race Black Gold in the Kentucky Derby and they will win. He approaches Webb to see if he can ride her. Webb initially rebuffs JayDee but over time, he agrees to let JayDee ride Black Gold. They train together and Black Gold starts winning races. Finally they are ready for the Kentucky Derby. 

    Although JayDee and Black Gold withstand tribulation during the race, they triumph and win the Kentucky Derby. Black Gold is thrust into stardom and Webbs decides to enter him into race after race after race, with no respite. JayDee protests, saying that Black Gold needs to rest. He notices that Black Gold has a crack in his hoof and insists that the winning horse has the surgery necessary to correct this issue. But Webb refuses. He doesn't want to stop Black Gold's wining streak. JayDee objects to racing Black Gold while the horse is in pain. He and Webb argue over the matter and JayDee leaves. However Webb does promise he will get Black Gold the surgery after a while. When JayDee returns to check on Black Gold, he learns that Webb lied and never got Black Gold his surgery. Disgusted, JayDee cuts ties with Webb. 

    Black Gold still races though and during one of his races his leg snaps. He carries on in the race and completes it on "three legs and a heart." Tragically however, there isn't anything anyone can do for him and Black Gold is euthanized that day. 

    When JayDee hears the news, he is angered at Webb and saddened by the death of the horse he had loved so much. Although he comes to forgive Webb, he never forgets the magnificent horse he felt such a connection to.

    In the afterward, Marguerite Henry tells us there is now a race called Black Gold Stakes, named for this fearless horse and at the end of the race, the winner places flowers on Black Gold's grave. She also tells us that this books is based on real events and real people

    Black Gold was a real racehorse who won the Kentucky Derby in 1924. JayDee, John James Mooney, was a real jockey and he did race Black Gold in the 1924 Kentucky Derby. Rosa Hoots was a real woman, and was, in fact, the first woman who both owned and bred a Kentucky Derby winner. Al Hoots was a real man and he did trade acreage for U-See-It. He did enter U-See-It in a claiming race (although possibly unknowingly). He did refuse to give her up when claimed, although accounts differ on how exactly it all went down. However what is certain is that he and U-See-It were banned from ever racing again. Hanley Webb did train U-See-It and Black Gold. What happened to Black Gold in his final race really did happen and it was because of his split hoof. Overall, the story is fairly true to life.

    This is why I really wanted to to revisit Marguerite Henry's works. Because she creates these emotional stories that are also accurate. I learned a lot about horse-racing and the Kentucky Derby. I learned about this valiant horse who won in 1924 and his determination until the very end. And I didn't just learn from this book. After reading Black Gold, I wanted to find out more about this horse so I did some research and discovered so much more information and history about his story (some of which is included in the previous paragraph). 

    It is a really good book and I would recommend it. It not only is a poignant glimpse into the world of horse training and the Kentucky Derby, but also into the relationship between man and beast. We see Webb push Black Gold to his detriment and ultimately his untimely death. Webb feels isolated with no wife and no children and tries to bury his loneliness by keeping himself preoccupied with Black Gold, even though he ignores Black Gold's needs. He fears dying with no legacy, nothing or nobody to remember his name. It's clear he knowledgable about training horse and he's determined and driven to keep winning but his fear and loneliness overrides any affection or love he has for Black Gold. 

    On the other side it's obvious that JayDee loves Black Gold (and horses in general). He refuses to ride Black Gold when the horse is in pain, even though it means JayDee misses out on making a lot of money. However, one could potentially argue that he abandons Black Gold when Black Gold needed someone to intervene on his behalf. What would have been Black Gold's gate if JayDee had stayed?

    When all is said and done however, it was Webb who pushed Black Gold and ignored any and all appeals for his care. Webb was so intent on making his mark that he neglected the very thing that was going to help him achieve that goal. And in the end, it was Black Gold who paid the price. 

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

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Here are some websites that go more into the story of Black Gold. I also recommend checking out the Wikipedia articles about Black Gold and JayDee. 

Here's a link to an article about Black Gold from the Kentucky Derby museum website. 

Here's a link to an article about Black Gold from Daily Racing Form, a newspaper about horse racing and horse betting.

Here's a link to an article about a non-fiction book about Black Gold from America's Best Racing, whose goal is to spread awareness about thoroughbred racing.

Here's a link to an article about Black Gold's story. It seems to be very well researched.

And here's a link to a short article that talks about Rosa Hoots.