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Summary: A book on a horse?
Review: I thought this was one of the best books that I have ever read in my whole life. I felt like I was there in these towns, could smell the dirt, see the dust, and imagine myself in the stands cheering for Seabiscuit. Rarely do you see a book that can capture the imagination so throughly, and have the main character be a horse. This book is inspiring, not only about Seabiscuit's abilities, but also the men who worked with him, who gambled on this horse that didn't look like much.
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Summary: Don't know what made me buy it....
Review: But I literally couldn't put it down. I purchased this book in the E Concourse at the Atlanta airport out of desperation - I had a long flight ahead of me and had read most of the other paperbacks on sale at the store.By the time we began our initial descent into Honolulu, I had finished the book! I know nothing about horse racing. I rarely read "heavy" books on airplanes...yet I was so engrossed in this story I couldn't stop. The author has a wonderful way of expressing herself. I found myself rooting for the human and animal characters. I was fascinated by the history of the 20s and 30s. I learned more about horse racing than I ever thought I'd know. I literally found myself on the edge of my seat as I read accounts of some of the races. She brought them to life so fully I felt I was there. Sorry to be gushing, but I highly recommend this book. It is a terrific read.
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Summary: No way am I gong to read a book about a horse!
Review: No interest! No interest at all in reading about a race horse. That's what I said each time I saw "Seabiscuit" on the best seller list, and even heard the author discuss the book at the UCLA Festival of Books. No way.. not going to do it. So then why am I hear telling you this is a must read. An exciting and fabulous book that
Grabs you from the first page and takes you head long into a wonderful tale of underdog Americana. Rocky has turned into a horse, a jockey (maybe two), an owner, and a wonderful trainer. Not since "A Civil Action" has their been a none fiction book to rival this page turning pleasurable read. I enjoyed every page, and still hate Epilogues that tell you all that happened to the leading characters you have meet. Laura Hillenbrand says she used the book, The Killer Angels as a model of how to structure and tell a true story. Well she has accomplished a wonderful thing. I will never think of jockeys and race horses the same again. I might even tune into the derby every other year. I highly recommend this great book.
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Summary: Seabiscuit, Seabiscuit Run!
Review: Admittedly, I was slow out of the gates when it came to reading Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit: An American Legend." So after endless weeks atop the bestseller list and 300+ glowing reviews here on Amazon, I finally decided to give the book a shot. Much to my surprise and delight, the book actually lived up to all of its hype and success, a true rarity in my reading experiences of late. Hillenbrand has fashioned a compulsively readable account of one of the greatest thoroughbred horses of all time as well as three men (owner Charles Howard, trainer Tom Smith, and jockey Red Pollard) who molded the lame-looking animal into a national hero. Through meticulous research, Hillenbrand masterfully fleshes the main players and events of the day. With all its drama, suspense, and surprises, "Seabiscuit" is one of those real-life stories that reads like fiction. So there is probably little more to say, except to add one more voice to this already word-of-mouth bestseller. It is an inspiring story of reaching beyond what was thought possible to achieve one's dreams - be it man, beast, or even the author herself.
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Summary: Be sure to read in the "right' order.
Review: This observer was about to prepare a dismissive 3 star review of "Seabiscuit" wondering how it attained bestseller status. I was ready to state that the authoress allocated too much space on coda. I felt that too many pages were given to background of owners, trainers, and jockeys-not to mention horses. Then a funny thing happened. I read the back of the book interview with Laura Hillenbrand and my perspective changed completely. Those 13 pages change everything! So this is the recommendation from this quarter: Buy SB BUT start after page 299 and read till the end. Then -and only then -go back and read forward from the preface. Those who do should realize why SB is so popular and why Ms. Hillenbrand is so worthy of respect as a researcher, an author and a person. With hindsight, this is a wonderful story. I just hope the forthcoming movie will do SB justice but I'm not holding my breath on that score.
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Summary: hands down a fabulous book
Review: this book is incredibly good. as i was reading it i couldnt put it down. it is a very interesting read even for somebody who knows nothing about horses becuase it not only focuses on the bond that seabuiscut has with his people, it also is about the bonds that the people all have together. this is one of my favorite books of all time.
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Summary: I laughed, I cried, I was outraged and captivated!
Review: If you ever watched the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness or the Belmont Stakes on TV and loved it, you HAVE to read this book. I have watched the Derby every year as far back as I can remember and finally, for Funny Cide's win this year was able to go see it in person. I cried when my brother took me back to the paddock to see the horses. They were SO beautiful, I cried when I saw them. To actually be there at the race was the biggest rush ever. Seabisuit was an incredible athlete and competitor and a great horse. Tom Smith, his trainer, was wise and protective to a fault and hilariously cantankerous. I was scared and happy for Red Pollard and George Woolf. And I just LOVED Charles and Marcela Howard. They were such loyal and kind people. Laura Hillenbrand does an amazing job telling this story. The amount of research she performed on this book really shows. At first, I was a little hesitant. History books can be so dry. But I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie. This story just grabs you from the beginning and it's so exciting when the three main characters finally meet. I actually found myself reading the race accounts as if I were a track announcer!
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Summary: Not just a horse; Of course, of course~!
Review: This book is great. It's not JUST about Seabiscuit, but about the trainers, owners, and jockeys as well. It's part history, part biography, and FULLY interesting. Give it a chance! You'll be saying, "Seabiscuit by a nose!" before it's all over!
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Summary: A story of character
Review: Even if you are not a horse racing fan, you will enjoy this book, because it's not exactly about horse racing- it's a story about the role of character in overcoming obstacles in life. All of the main characters, Howard, Smith, Woolf, Pollard, and of course the Biscuit himself all defied the odds in order to become champions. The author did an excellent job of weaving each of their stories together into the overall structure and also of building incredible suspense not once, but twice, for the biggest races of Seabiscuit's career. This is so good, it's hard to believe it's nonfiction.
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Summary: Real-Life Tear Jerker
Review: The story of Seabiscuit, the champion racehorse in the late-1930s, is such an improbable cliche that if you didn't know it was true, you'd refuse to buy the book. A little scrubby horse with a crooked leg and a funny gait who teamed up with a taciturn trainer and a half-blind jockey to win dozens of races and the hearts of millions of fans. It's not surprising that the book has been made into a movie, it's perfect grist for the big screen. The book is as good as the story. Hillebrand, whose personal challenges have been widely reported, has done the research. In fact, the Acknowledgments and Notes sections are as fun to read as the body of the book. Hillebrand tracked down sources, both written and oral and put a nearly-lost story back together. In the process, she clearly fell in love with the horse and his little team. I imagine she lost some objectivity along the way, but her passion for the subject shines through. It's a good story, a sweet story, a real-life tear-jerker.
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