Alan London has published his debut short story collection, The Days of Wine and Horses, a work of fiction set in the Yorkshire Dales that explores the working lives of those in the equestrian world. Independently published on June 5, 2026, in hardcover and paperback, the book centers on a small country riding school and the characters who pass through it. Its significance lies not only in its literary merit but also in its charitable purpose: all proceeds will support Cancer Research, a cause deeply personal to London and his late wife, Maureen.
London was born in southern England but moved to Yorkshire as a child, where he grew up around riding yards and stables. Although family expectations and economic necessity led him into a settled profession, he spent years holding down two jobs, gaining firsthand insight into stable routines, difficult horses, and the rhythms of a small rural economy. Those observations inform the collection, though London emphasizes that the stories are invented and not autobiographical. Readers have compared the book to James Herriot's beloved Yorkshire novels, a comparison London welcomes, as it shares a warmth for ordinary rural life—quaint, humorous, and nostalgic for a slower, gentler way of living.
The title is drawn from Ernest Dowson's 1896 poem 'Vitae Summa Brevis,' known for the phrase 'the days of wine and roses.' Dowson's meditation on transience and loss is adapted here to working life with horses, where the good years with a horse, like any meaningful period, prove fleeting. The collection presents a fond, often humorous look at daily stable life, yard routines, animal management, and the small rural economy that sustains this way of living. It is less a plotted narrative than a stroll back through a Yorkshire country life many readers will recognize or wish they had known.
For those interested in sampling the work, a preview is available at https://read.amazon.com/sample/B0H4S9DFR7?clientId=share. The book is available through major retailers, and its publisher, Cambridge Publishing House, notes that it is a work of fiction, not a record of London's own experience. London now lives in Southern California, where the collection was written.
The announcement matters because it highlights how independent publishing can serve a greater cause. By directing all proceeds to Cancer Research, London transforms a personal tribute into tangible support for research, while also preserving a slice of rural heritage. The book's 301 pages offer readers an escape into a world of stable yards and country life, reminding us of the value of community and the transience of cherished moments. In an era of fast-paced living, 'The Days of Wine and Horses' invites reflection on what we hold dear and how we might give back.
