Rating: 
Summary: Thrilling "you are there" sports journalism
Review: Like so many other readers, I have no interest in horse racing and, as a result, ignored the ubiquitousness of this book for over two years. I am now scolding myself for my narrow-mindedness: sometimes you can't judge a book even by its subject.Although as quickly paced as a thriller, "Seabiscuit" should not be appraised (or read) as a literary work or a historical treatise. Laura Hillenbrand's style and background is journalistic, and this book is one of the best works of sports journalism ever published. (This has to rank also as one of the most humorous works of non-fiction I've ever read.) She gives just enough historical background and just enough racing fundamentals for general readers, but her focus is on the rags-to-riches story of the horse and its very human owner, trainer, and jockeys. What gives the narrative particular resonance is her ability to provide the unique background and importance of each significant race, and the story is greatly helped by the fact that Seabiscuit was far from invincible: you are never quite sure which races will be won and which will be lost. Judging from the notes, the book seems extremely well researched, using an astonishing variety of interviews, books, magazine articles, and long-lost newspaper clippings. (The book is also well documented, with citations to back up every quotation and arcane fact.) And, finally, the paperback edition concludes with an interview with the author, which provides a valuable backdrop for the creation of the book itself.
Rating:
Summary: Wow, what a read
Review: I bought this book based on some very positive reviews not because I have any interest in horse racing. I have always loved horses but never had much interest in racing.
Kudos to Laura Hildebrand, she is a fabulous author. She made a topic in which I had no interest come alive and make me sit up and take notice. The book is beautifully written, absolutely facinating. I laughed, I cried and I couldn't put it down. Seabiscuit will now remain in my heart as a beloved horse though I have never even seen film of him racing. Ms. Hildebrand made all of the characters come alive and become people about whom you cared. This is the case, most of all, with Seabiscuit. This book is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!!!
Review: This book left me almost breathless! I loved it! I have allowed a neighbor to read it, and she feels the same way. This book will be making the rounds in our family... I want all my extended family to enjoy this book as much as I did. The Trainer, the Owner, the Jockey, the Horse, the Era... five elements that came to create one of the most outstanding books on focused drive and ambition I have ever read. I read a huge amount, and this is one of my all time favorite books. Some of the other reviewers have given more detail about the book. I just wanted to say, stop reading the reviews and click that buy button: you will not be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Totally Engaging!!
Review: Here we have the story of the horse who became a legend in the 30's and the men who were with him on his way to the top. Seabiscuit was the greatest racehorse in the world at a time when horse racing was a bigger deal than it is now. Three fascinating men worked hard to get him to the pinnacle of his success, and all four personalities come alive in this gripping bio.
Rating:
Summary: A second reading - another "5"
Review: The human and equine characters are brought back to life by Laura Hillenbrand in such a way that their successes and failures become our own. Never has a book evoked such emotion in me as this one. I hope the film is half as good.
Rating:
Summary: Before the movie,read the book.
Review: This book is about a horse that by most standards should have ended up in the glue factory except that a few people saw the light in his eyes and the determination that makes up root for David over Goliath or the turtle over the hare. The author is a wonderful storyteller and she makes you care about everyone who believed in this horse. Don't miss this book for the movie, it may be good but this book shouldn't be missed even if you're not a horse racing fan.
Rating:
Summary: 'Come on Dover, Move Your Bloomin' ...!!!
Review: I just found out about this absolutely magnificent book last month. I was channel surfing, and ran across the Laura Hillebrand interview on C-Span. I was immediately mesmerized by the name 'Seabiscuit' and listened intently to the story of how the book was done, saw the Seabiscuit memorabilia Miss Hillebrand brought to the interview, and was fascinated with the facts of the horse himself, what he did, and how it came about. I immediately ordered the book. It is a fascinating story of the little horse that could, his rich owner, the extraordinary man who trained him, and who could talk to horses, and the tragic, magnificent jockeys who rode him in his famous races. All I could say when I finished the book was, 'What a horse!' It is a story straight out of Hollywood, but this is the real thing. As unlikely a partnership that ever was found the soon-to-be-great horse, bought him, trained, him, rode him, and loved that stellar animal that mesmerized Depression-ridden America in the mid-to-late thirties. No matter what others may say, there was only one Seabiscuit, and there is only one book to get on him-this one. He may have been the greatest race horse the United States ever produced, bar none. The author is a magnificent story-teller. Except in Dick Francis novels (and he was a jockey) I have never read the stride-for-stride descriptions of horse races that the author here discribes. You actually hold your breath as you read the passages, and you end up reading them so fast to see who wins, you have to go back and reread them so as not to miss anything. Miss Hillebrand is one of the three best authors I have ever read, and she has captured the spirit of her horse, those who were closest to him, and the spirit of the times in this very well-done book. I certainly hope she continues to write, and I will look forward to her next effort with great anticipation. This is one of the best books of this or any other year. This is one of the great horse stories of all time, and if you don't read it, you are missing out on both a literary treat, a great American saga, and a first-rate read that is impossible to put down. If you love horses and stories about them, or just love a great read, this is the book for you. It deserves the Pulitzer.
Rating:
Summary: America's Hero
Review: the U.S.A. needs SEABISCUIT again and right now. Our national troubles are almost as great as they were in the 30's during the Great Depression, when Seabiscuit, the Cinderfella horse, lifted the psyche and the morale of America's citizens to undreamed of heights.
He was a living example of what could be accomplished by applying heart, mind, and ambition. He was a charismatic being.
Today, 55 years after his death, he is doing it all over again.
Thank you Biscuit. Thank you Laura.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: Laura Hillenbrand brings us the brilliantly written true story of Charles Howard, Tom Smith, Red Pollard, Seabiscuit and the combined effect they had on a nation from 1936-1940. This book runs at a breathtaking pace from the very beginning which details the life of Charles Howard a bicycle repair shop owner who sets out to the West coast on a hunch and becomes a millionaire in the automobile industry. It alternates stories between Tom Smith, born on the American Plains and raised as a horseman when they were a dying breed and the Canadian born Pollard who left home at age 16 looking for a break and ending up as a jockey. It details the first meeting with Seabiscuit, the unlikely looking thorougbred who eventually electrifies a nation with his speed and grit. The story seamlessly weaves between the personal lives of these three people, their relationships with each other and Seabiscuit. Nail biting race scenes, injuries and rivalries are detailed throughout the story. Let it be known though, this isn't just another story about horses, it's about people, personalities, hardwork and believing in something so hard it comes true. Forget about fiction when a true story can be this exciting. These are real people who you can't help but root for. Real people who's lives are broken and made whole again all converging on a sport and a horse to give them a second chance. I just didn't like this book, I loved it!
Rating:
Summary: What Now Little Horse?
Review: Skipping the dry, academic descriptions of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" and cutting straight to the heart of it, the best I have to offer is a childlike squeal - this is one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. Enough said.
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