Lexington the Horse with Author Kim Wickens

It’s April in Kentucky, which means grass as green as a lime lollipop, blooming trees, and the opening of Keeneland’s Spring race meet, the perfect time to introduce my next People-Inspired Podcast guest, Kim Wickens.Kim Wickens is the award-winning author of Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse, a national, bestselling narrative nonfiction book that tells the remarkable story of the 19th-century Thoroughbred stallion whose bloodline shaped modern horse racing. The book won the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for Excellence in Thoroughbred Racing Literature and has been praised for bringing to life the colorful world of early American racing and the Civil War–era South.Before turning to writing, Wickens spent two decades as a criminal defense lawyer in New Mexico. She later studied writing at Kenyon College and devoted years to researching Lexington’s story. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, Narrative Magazine, The Blood-Horse, and The Paulick Report. She now lives in Lexington, Kentucky, where she rides dressage and continues writing.Kim and I talked about Lexington, the extraordinary horse that inspired a nation during an unstable and divided Civil War era. She details her research and writing journey, which included copious trips from New Mexico to the Keeneland library, where she sought primary sources to help her understand Lexington's world. Kim talks about the characters from Lexington's story who fascinated and inspired her the most, and a person from her childhood who shaped who she is today.I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Kim learning more about Lexington, the horse, and what it’s like to put together a puzzle from the forgotten past. I hope you will enjoy it, too!Thanks for listening. If this story stayed with you, I’d love for you to share it—and join me next time for another conversation worth holding onto. You can find out more about me at www.bethpride.com.