Rating: 
Summary: Seabiscuit,An American Legend
Review: Laura Hillenbrand's book captivated me. I could not put it down. And I have never been to a horse race. But I plan to see one after reading this vivid story of "the greatest horse that ever lived...".
Rating:
Summary: Simply Phenomenal
Review: Don't underestimate the hype...this book is the real deal. I place it easily in my top ten books I've ever read. From page one Ms. Hillenbrand has you strangely interested in the convergence of an entreprenuer heading west, a man who could communicate with horses, a rough-shod jockey who was penniless and needed one big break, and a "stall poney" who would grow to capture the hearts of millions. Hours seemed like minutes while reading this simple masterpiece. If "O' Brother Where Art Thou" stirred up interest in the art of Bluegrass music, "Seabiscuit" is bound to have the same effect on Thoroughbred Racing. As many have probably said, you needn't be interested in horses to read this book. This is simply great writing that keeps the reader wanting more.You might see the movie. But, by all means, read the book. It's a joy.
Rating:
Summary: A Spellbinding Account - 10 stars!
Review: I may be the last person on the planet not to have read this book before now, even though it was on my "to read" pile for quite some time. It was after watching a one hour tv show about the making of the move based on this book, that I decided I had waited long enough, if not too long. Laura Hillenbrand has reached back in time and written an account of such detail and interest that you feel as though you have lived the experience yourself when you finally have finished. There are four main focuses of the story. The owner, the trainer, the jockey and of course, the horse. I suspect that after Seabiscuit, each reader will rank them differently in interest, but all of them are truly that. You will laugh, you will tear up and you will read the accounts of some of the races with an increased heartbeat as Hillenbrand captures the moments in the written word better that movie camera as she sees and writes about what is in the heart of the four major subjects. At the end, you wish you could have lived through it yourself and then as you reflect on it, thanks to an exceptional job of writing, you realize that you have. Don't wait for the movie. Read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Well written account of a good story
Review: As Laura said in her interview, she was unwilling to write her
first book until she found a strong story. She recognized Seabiscuit as that strong story early on in her research. Thank God
Laura saw the story and there were still people alive who could
add otherwise undiscoverable details. Anyone who thinks you need
to write fiction to write a moving story is dead wrong - true
stories are always the best and most satisfying. Reality beats fiction in nearly every case because very few works of fiction
are believable, if they are indeed really fiction. A very fine
book that will be enjoyed by all - no horse racing knowledge
required. If the movie is as good as the book, it will be the
best of the year.
Rating:
Summary: Seabiscuit, wire to wire
Review: Laura Hillenbrand's use of language to describe Seabisuit's ascent to infamy is incredible. Her writing is elegant and concise, and leaves you wanting more. Seabiscuit wasn't much to look at. Trained by one of the top trainers in America, a man named Fitzsimmons, and in a quite impressive pedigree, he did not live up to expectations. Fitzsimmons resorted to more brutal methods to get the horse to run, whipping him from start to finish. A man named Tom Smith changed all that, and took a horse even the best trainer at the time couldn't work with, and made him famous. Hillenbrand is excellent, using phrases like, ". . . the horses shook sleep from their bodies." She details every moment of the races, so you too, feel like you were there, watching Seabiscuit churn dust under his hooves as he raced against his opponents, taunting them for the win.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding
Review: I bought this book for something to read after I finished the latest Grisham. My husband picked it up and couldn't put it down. He then bought a copy for his parents. Both of them read it and loved it, too! They, of course, lived in that time and confirmed the excitement over Seabiscuit. I then bought a copy for my parents and the same reaction! I have now finished it and I concur that this book is well documented, well constructed, and thoroughly enjoyable!
Rating:
Summary: Worth a second read!
Review: I decided to go back to my favorite book from a couple of years ago, the hugely successful "Seabiscuit" by author Laura Hillenbrand. I perhaps enjoyed it even more than the first read, and look forward with great anticipation to the release of the film this summer. Although Hillenbrand has a tendency to "over adjective" in many instances, her story of a group of also-rans, two men and a horse, coupled with two men with "the golden touch", is a deeply satisfying read. Hillenbrand couches the piece with a
heads-on review of the country in the 20's and 30's, something today's filmgoers could use an idea of! When the charismatic Seabiscuit rises from obscurity along with worn-out Tom Smith (his trainer, and one of the most interesting characters ever in this colorful sport) and down-on-his-luck jockey Red Pollard, the American public is treated to one of those rare events, a longshot who succeeds brilliantly! Backdrops of wealthy owner Charles Howard and winning jockey George Woolf also play major roles in this tale of an underdog. But central to the whole theme is the understanding that Hillenbrand derives of the very personality of the odd horse that floundered his way up and down the rollercoaster of stardom. She has a flair for convincing you why this particular horse should be immortalized in a nonfiction book that should experience a renaissance once the film is released! A definite must for your book collection -- outstanding read!
Rating:
Summary: Moving and Uplifting
Review: I had heard from more than a couple of people how wonderful this book was, but was skeptical because the subject matter didn't interest me that much. It's great! What so many people have said is how much the story of Seabiscuit, Red Pollard (the jockey), Tom Smith (the trainer) and Charles Howard (the owner)reads like a work of fiction. Laura Hillenbrand has a wonderful knack for making you really care about these people, and fall in love with the horse. The book is also so accessible for people not familiar with the sporting event because it doesn't get weighed down with overly detailed facts about racing. It simply presents what you need to know in order to move the narrative along. It should make a fantastic movie.
Rating: 
Summary: seabiscuit was "only" a pretty good racehorse...
Review: ...and laura hillenbrand is most definitely only a passable author (over-elaboration is warmly received by oprah's book club members, but not by the dicriminating reader). it boggles the horse-lovers' mind that so much attention is focused on 'seabiscuit' the horse, the movie, and the book, when there have been so many greater racehorses in history: secretariat, man o'war, ruffian, seattle slew, affirmed, alydar, cigar, spectacular bid, dr. fager, count fleet, citation, colin, native dancer, kelso, forego, phar lap, john henry, exterminator, round table, tom fool, buckpasser, war admiral, damascus, bold ruler, swaps, equipoise, nashua, whirlaway, gallant fox, sysonby, assault, etc. (you get the point). 'seabiscuit' the book reads almost like a comedy, because the author keeps building up the horse but he keeps on losing most of the big races. note to clueless author: beating war admiral in one match-race does not make one an immortal racehorse. hopefully the author made enough money from this so she won't fill the shelves with any more poor books.
Rating:
Summary: This book, like the horse, is a winner
Review: I picked up this book so many times in the bookstore, but put it down because I thought it would be a drag reading a non-fiction book about a horse. I finally gave in and wasn't sorry. This is more than a story about a horse -- it's about fate. Seabiscuit's odd physique caused many so-called experts to doubt his greatness or cast him a favorite. As a West Coast horse, he was not taken as seriously as those horses bred from the established East Coast horse culture. His owner was a self-made man who believed in lost causes. His trainer was a disliked, unrecognized genius. His hard-drinking jockey fell on hard times again and again but was given a second chance when he connected with this temperamental horse. Who could predict that this motley crew would produce such a winner? These people and Seabiscuit persevered through losses, bad luck, and unacceptance before coming out on top. Everybody loves an underdog -- and that's why everyone loves Seabiscuit. P.S. If you think that non-fiction is unexciting, read the passages of the various key races involving Seabiscuit -- especially the race with War Admiral. You will be on the edge of your seat.
|
