Rating: 
Summary: Not sold on Seabiscuit-mania
Review: I must admit I couldn't get past page 100 of the book, but if it doesn't hold your interest by then... Maybe you have to be a "horse person" to get it. The book was extremely well researched and well-written with painstaking attention detail. I certainly know more about the secret lives of jockeys than I ever imagined (which was quite interesting). Overall, I had to push myself to get as far as I did in the book-for a book club meeting-and don't plan to finish. None of us could see what all the fuss is about.
Rating: 
Summary: Well-written tale
Review: This is a well-written book, deftly bringing the reader into the complex world of horse racing and writing a book with scarcely less information and emotion than if the protagonists themselves had written the book.
Although the author does offer a glimpse of the underside of horse racing, she keeps her rose-colored glasses on as she affirms that everything is wonderful, the horses run because they love to run, and everyone is either happy, or at least brave; why, even the prostitutes are glad to join the party scene. Yet in the background, horses are injured, jockeys suffer severe injuries while racing with no medical help, and even Seabiscuit's jockey needs to hide the fact that he's blind in one eye. Jockeys ruin their bodies while drastically reducing to ridiculous weights (right before engaging in a demanding and dangerous sport) because that's what's allowed by the racing rules, and the Racing Commission ruins lives by making tyrannical and unappealable decisions.
Rating: 
Summary: Learning to appreciate a new sport
Review: 'Seabiscuit' was not only a very engaging book (as someone who primarily reads fiction I didn't find this difficult or boring at all) but really taught me a lot about the horseracing world. When I went to the racetracks several weeks ago there was a collision with two horses; the jockeys were all right but one horse was euthanized. It was tragic to see the horse struggling to get back to its feet when its leg had snapped, but reading the book also made me think of everything in the big picture: the way the trainer must have felt seeing the horse die, the impact it must have had on the owner and the family, who was probably quite attached to the horse. In reading 'Seabiscuit' I was able to understand the situation better, as well as gain an overall better understanding of the stress, work, and glory involved with raising and racing horses. Of course, it was not only being able to put my acquired knowledge into context that rendered the book commendable; the fact that Seabiscuit was such an underdog but that he still became a prominent American legend made the story so much more intriguing as well.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: This book has loads of history(which I personally like to read about). I read it in "record time" it was so good. This era was so interesting with the new cars and the old horses clashing. It gives a great history of every person or animal in the book. I recomend it to anyone who can read.
Rating: 
Summary: A Review for Seabiscuit
Review: If you like horse related novels then this is a perfect book for you! The author, Laura Hillenbrand, is a very creative and imaginative author. Mrs. Hillenbrand wrote this book in 3rd person, so the book is very discriptive. The book contains a lot of information about the lives of jockeys and trainers in the time era of which the book took place. The book also goes in detail of Seabiscuit's jockey and trainer. Laura Hillenbrand tells how they met and she always gave a chapter or two descrbing where they came from. The book also told how Seabiscuit became a legend and what he had to go through to become a legend.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely amazing!!!
Review: I picked this book up on a whim while waiting in an international airport bound for home. That was my first mistake. Instead of sleeping I then made the even bigger mistake of opening the book. I couldn't put it down.Not only is the story amazing, but the author tells it in such a way that you can't help but feel like you are being swept up in the excitement and frenzy that was Seabiscuit. Without giving any of the story away all I can say is read this book! I can not recommend it enough!
Rating:
Summary: The phenomenal Seabiscuit . . . .
Review: What do you say about a non-fiction book that revolves around an obstinate but spirited race-horse with an awkward gait, his ex-bicycle mechanic owner, his reclusive mustang breaker trainer and his alcoholic and accident prone jockey? Superb, wonderful, terrific, awesome and superlative - that is what you say. Ms Hillebrand can take a bow for bringing to fruition a tour de force story of a struggling era and of an inimitable race-horse and three diverse characters who helped in making America believe in itself again. + 60 years after the fact her pages had me shouting for Seabiscuit down those home runs and forever on I will look at race-horses, their jockeys and this sport with completely new eyes.
Rating:
Summary: horse racing like I never knew; kudos to Laura Hillenbrand
Review: I never thought much of horse racing. Lots of folks who are least able to afford it gambling money on races which always seem a bit suspect (ie, rigged). And the horses are all in-bred, highly strung mutants of 'real' horses (animals which graze lazily over grassy meadows). But Ms Hillenbrand sort of changed my perspective on all this, in large part to her boundless love of the sport - animals, jockeys, and trainers. 'Seabiscuit' is a non-fictional account of the life of a legendary racehorse of the 1930s, and all the folks who led this horse to fulfill its potential. Laura Hillenbrand's research of events is worthy of a doctoral thesis yet, remarkably, it is very readable. And she is obviously very compassionate of folks who throw their lives into horse racing, especially jockeys who literally risk their lives with every race. Very educational. Bottom line: certainly one of the most enjoyable and accessible works of modern non-fiction. Highly recommended to all.
Rating:
Summary: The book is MUCH better than the film
Review: In this instance, the original and true story is far better than the later movie, which glossed over some of the true tragedy behind this story of amazing sporting success and prowess. (I descend from a similar family of horse breeders). So read this before seeing the movie, or if you have only seen the movie, make sure that you then read the book. Christopher Catherwood, descendant of horse breeders and author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)
Rating:
Summary: Good read, even if you're not into horse racing
Review: I was incredulous when I was told that even though this book was about horse racing, it was worth reading even if I didn't care about the sport. But after all the hype, I decided to go ahead and read it. And to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. At times, some of the technical aspects of horse racing got a bit dry. But the action was always moving fast enough to keep my attention. It's the ultimate underdog-rising-to-fame story. Even if horse racing doesn't interest you, this is still a pretty interesting book and well worth reading.
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