Elizabeth Letts has a knack for finding good stories and evoking a time and place. In her New York Times bestselling book The Eighty-Dollar Champion, she uncovers the secluded equestrian world of Long Island’s North Shore in the 1950s. It’s the story of a Dutch immigrant in St. James with a uniquely talented horse and their attempt to rise to the top of a sport reserved for the wealthy and well connected.

On today’s episode, Elizabeth discusses how she discovered the story of Harry DeLeyer and Snowball, her insights into writing nonfiction, and her own connections to Long Island. You’ll also hear about her new novel, The Ride of Her Life, which follows another journey involvling a woman, a horse, and the hidden landscapes of pre-Interstate America.

Further Research

• Elizabeth Letts
• The Eighty-Dollar Champion
• The Ride of Her Life
• Snowman (Horse Stars Hall of Fame)
• National Horse Show
• The Lost “New” Madison Square Garden (Daytonian in Manhattan)
• Intro music: https://homegrownstringband.com/
• Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0