Horse's Neck is a collection of short stories written by Pete Townshend

Pete Townshend

Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...

 between 1979 and 1984. It was first published in 1985 by Faber and Faber

Faber and Faber

Faber and Faber Limited, often abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in the UK, notable in particular for publishing a great deal of poetry and for its former editor T. S. Eliot. Faber has a rich tradition of publishing a wide range of fiction, non fiction, drama, film and music...

.

Reviews

Although the stories might be considered semi-autobiographical, Townshend wrote in the preface: "I have never wanted simply to tell my own story. But I have tried here to attend to a wide range of feelings . . . aspects of my struggle to discover what beauty really is."

Reviewer Susan Avallone wrote that the collection of stories was "intriguing experimental writing" and "a stange and compelling collection of poetry and prose," uncovering "family, friends, ambition, addiction, infidelity, obsession, and life on the road." A theme provided by references to horses appeared to be "part obsession and part allegory." She especially pointed out "Champagne on the Terraces" as "a haunting insight into alcoholism and family life."

Contents

Along with the preface written by Townshend, the book contains the following stories:

• "Thirteen"
• "Horses"
• "The Pact"
• "Champagne on the Terraces"
• "Ropes"
• "Tonight's the Night"
• "Fish Shop"
• "Pancho and the Baron"
• "Winston"
• "A Death in the Day Of"
• "The Plate"
• "Laguna: Valentine's Day 1982"