In an early scene in Horse Heaven, Roberto Acevedo, a first-time jockey, waits in the changing room for his race to be called and looks at the books that have been left there over the years. 'Louis L'Amour, Danielle Steele . . . Guy Davenport, T. Something Boyle. There was also a copy of Shakespeare's Winter's Tale.' What inspiration could a nervy jockey - or a confident novelist - hope to get from The Winter's Tale? The closest thing to a horse in the play is that notorious bear.

LRB 19 October 2000 | PDF Download