Rough Magic. Lara Prior-Palmer

Rough Magic

Magic, readers understand they are entering the mind of a unique personality . . . Prior-Palmer describes the Mongol Derby as ‘a perfect hodgepodge of Snakes and Ladders and the Tour de France on unknown bicycles.’ As a former horseback rider with an adventurous streak (who also happens to appreciate the Tour de France), I was predisposed to enjoy this book. But it was turns of phrases like that, I quickly realized—surprising, playful, unexpected—that were going to make me love it.”

—HALIMAH MARCUS, Electric Literature

“Feisty and exhilarating . . . Horse lovers will adore this inspiring and spirited memoir.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Palmer writes with grace, giving a measured, reflective account of the race she was unprepared for but still won, the rivalries and partnerships that sprung up between the competitors, and the ruggedly lovely, lonely landscape she traversed. An engaging profile of humans and horses, and a searing, soulful examination of endurance.”

—Booklist

“Few readers are more horse-crazy than teens, and Prior-Palmer’s youthful perspective will speak to them.”

—Booklist (YA)

“A fresh, irreverent voice and a quick wit . . . It’s a story worthy of the best adventure writers, and Prior-Palmer does not disappoint. An appealing account that will capture the imagination of a wide audience, including young adults. Readers who enjoyed Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and James Campbell’s Braving It will want to join Prior-Palmer on her once-in-a-lifetime trek.”

—Library Journal

“[Prior-Palmer’s] visceral descriptions of each leg of the journey, and the unrelenting urge to defeat the frontrunner from Texas, make for an unforgettable story.”

—JANE CIABATTARI, BBC Culture, 1 of 10 Books to Read This Month

“Prior-Palmer already shares many qualities with classic English travel writers such as Rebecca West and Gertrude Bell, but she is also refreshingly self-aware . . . A heroic tale beautifully told.”

—CAROLINE EDEN, The Times Literary Supplement

“Prior-Palmer’s style is a fascinating mix of pep and poignancy. A really terrific story by a spirited new voice.”

—SARA BAUME, author of A Line Made by Walking

“Rough Magic is the most entertaining memoir I’ve read in years. It’s thrilling, hilarious, unexpected, and ultimately breathtaking. I loved every minute of this wild ride.”

—ABBY GENI, author of The Wildlands

“This debut memoir is a brilliant literary exploration of loneliness and an exhilarating, funny, soulful account of how one young woman, against all odds, won a truly extraordinary race.”

—KRISTEN RADTKE, author of Imagine Wanting Only This

“As fast-paced as the swiftest Mongolian racehorse, Lara Prior-Palmer’s searingly honest account of her astonishing rise from hopeless underdog to Mongol Derby champion leaves grit in your teeth and dust in your hair. I laughed, I cried, and I felt every bruise. I was riveted until the last word and left with lasting daydreams of Mongolian horizons.”

—FELICITY ASTON, author of Alone in Antarctica: The First Woman to Ski Solo Across the Southern Ice

“Lara Prior-Palmer’s writing collapses geological time into the velocity of the present instant, near and distant histories thrumming in the thoughts that beat between hoof-falls. In Rough Magic she possesses Annie Dillard’s brilliance for noticing, laced with a wild and glistering humor. If an intellect can be said to be elemental, this is it.”

—JOSEPHINE ROWE, author of A Loving, Faithful Animal

“Rough Magic brims with urgency, wit, and insight. Lara Prior-Palmer is an author to remember, and she’s written a book that wild horses couldn’t drag me away from.”

—LILY BROOKS-DALTON, author of Motorcycles I’ve Loved

“Rough Magic is so charming, weird, and absorbing. I was fascinated by the race, and the utterly unique Prior-Palmer herself.”

—SOFIJA STEFANOVIC, author of Miss Ex-Yugoslavia

This book is a memoir. It reflects the author’s recollections of experiences over time.

First published in the United States in 2019 by Catapult (catapult.co)

First paperback edition: 2020

Cover design by Nicole Caputo

Book design by Wah-Ming Chang

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-948226-19-6

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-948226-98-1

Catapult titles are distributed to the trade by Publishers Group West

Phone: 866-400-5351