Anna Sewell in Old Catton, Sewell wrote the manuscript of "Black Beauty" – in the period between 1871 and 1877. During this time her health was declining; she was often so weak that she was confined to her bed. Writing was a challenge. She dictated the text to her mother and from 1876 began to write on slips of paper which her mother then transcribed. Although the book is now considered a children's classic, Sewell originally wrote it for those who worked with horses. She said "a special aim was to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses". In many
It Was Written and Jim Farber of the "New York Daily News" named it the sixth best album of 1996. German-based magazine "Spex" ranked it number four on its "End of Year" list, while the UK-based magazine "The Face" named it the twenty-fourth best album of 1996. "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" was ranked number 29 on "NME"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Singles of the Year list, and number 20 on "The Village Voice"s Pazz & Jop critics' poll. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1997. Since its release, "It Was Written" remains Nas' best-selling release to date.