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Summary: Nonfictional story simply races out of the pages of book!
Review: There have only been three occasions on which I've either read the book and seen the movie, or seen the movie then read the book where I thought that both the book and the movie were on the same high level of expertise and fulfilled the expectation I had for both the book and the movie. The first was Apollo 13, the second is Lord of the Rings, and this book/movie duo makes for the third. I do not usually go for sports books. It's just not something that interest me. But after seeing the movie and knowing the book had won so many awards and accolades, I just had to get the book. This book was very difficult to put down. The author makes the world of jockeys and horse-racing (thoroughbred) very accessible, and she illustrates the obsession that Americans had with not just the horse, Seabiscuit, but with his jockey Red Pollard, and to a lesser extent, Tom Smith, the horse's trainer, and Charles Howard, the owner of the little 'engine on wobbly sticks.' As America tried to dig itself out of the Depression and the 'Dustbowl' years, the common people of the U.S. who had so little, needed something to look up to, something to show them that winners do not always have to be rich, or good-looking, but in America winners are the ones with the resilience and stamina to keep going, even in the face of adversity. This story is about three different men with different backgrounds, who had all experienced misfortune and adversity through the loss of a loved one, through abandonment, though shyness. They all overcame tremendous odds, and their meeting must have been orchestrated in heaven, because that horse would not have realized his potential without the love and care each of those men poured onto the horse and into each other's lives. The book answers many questions that the film didn't, such as what happened to all three men. I had no idea the world of the jockey is filled with anorexics and bulemics (so is the sporting world of gymnastics), and yet no one has ever brought this crippling disease to the forefront, I suspect, because these were all men and they chose their profession out of sheer love of racing these powerful animals. The incredible control the jockey's show over their own bodies is astounding. I definitely would never encourage any boy or girl to go into this sport because of the grueling punishment they go through to keep their weight down. One thing in the book, you just did not get enough of in the movie, is the hilarious 'wars' between Red Pollard and George Woolf, and between the rather reticent Tom Smith and the journalists. There were many times I hooted with laughter at the sheer audacity of the stunts pulled by Smith on the journalists who bugged the heck out of him! Pollard and Woolf were best friends, but that didn't mean they weren't verbally nasty to each other. I think they became surrogate brothers who admired each other's abilities with a horse. Just a tremendous book... Karen Sadler
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Summary: The little horse that could!!!
Review: WHen i say the little horse that could i mean that he truly could run that pants off anything with a jocky on it's back. the biscuit ususally ran with 25 more pounds than other horses and still ran like he was going to lift off the ground.
When Howard and Smith got ahold of this little horse he had been abused and hated to run and not to metion that he hated people which wasn't like him.
well when THe two legendary men turned him around to a running fool he was matched up with the legenedary War Admiral and then went for the Santa Anita Handicap. I truly belive that this is one of the best books of it's time. I hate to mention it but my mom was right the book is better than the movie. I loved all 23 chapters of this book especially the ending. So read it and find out how all of the pain, blood, and hard time and work paid off for this little horse that could.
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Summary: Words can't explain the "biscuit"
Review: this book had me up on the edge of my seat all the way through giving me bone chilling moments and weeping tears of joy. I hate to say this but my mom was right the book IS better than the movie. Usually i don't read unless i half to but if you have a special interest in the best sport known to man(horseracing) then this book is for you. I loved all 23 chapters of the book. The story of Seabiscuit who spends most of his racing career chasing around the all mighty War Admiral, Fighting off lameness, and was abused his first 3 years of his life gave me the most heart warming feeling ever in the last chapter.All the hard work and blood shed paid off for the little horse Seabiscuit. He broke and set many track and world records in his day. Not one horse yet has come along to put out more heart then he.
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Summary: "And Here Comes Seabiscuit"
Review: Growing up in Texas, I was always around horses, I even managed to care for (wrangle) about 20 or so a couple of summers in my youth. I grew up , drifted away from horses, and rarely thought of them, except to remember these words that my Dad would quote
when we would hop in the car to go places..."And they are off and running at Pimlico, it's Seabiscuit by a nose". Then, along comes this book and motion picture. Now, I am excited to say, I know who Seabiscuit is and what that saying was all about! I was excited about the movie and was glad to finally know the story of this great horse. Christmas came along and I got the DVD and book as a present. Well I began reading and could not put it down. The first book I have read cover to cover in about a year. Absolutely astounding work by Ms. Hillenbrand. She knows the subject and puts it all into prose we can all understand. This story of an underdog (horse) is as good as it gets. Seabiscuit aside, the smaller but no less grand stories of Red Pollard and Mr. Charles Howard are equally as fascinating, as are all the main characters..Laura fleshes them all out equally as well , it is a splendid story told in perfect detail of a True American Hero. Outstanding Reading!!
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Summary: Seabiscuit
Review: If you have the extra money, I would highly recommend you buy the glossy photo edition of this book. This book is an amazing display of excellent journalism and gifted writing. Laura Hillenbrand could have made Seabiscuit a humdrum, dull book about a horse. Instead she made it a fast-paced, best-seller worthy novel about a winning athlete and his struggles throughout his career. There's no excess details here-everything is swift. A few quotes, a few fun stories, and you are quickly onto the next part of the adventure. You can see everything as it happens. Again, I would recommend the special edition, if you have the money, because it gives a more detailed account of what happened. I bought the special edition for my mom, and she loved it. When we bought the movie and this version was included, I picked it up and read the book for myself. It was amazing. Do not be intimidated by the amount of pages-I assure you they'll quickly be turned.
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Summary: As good as I had heard
Review: I wasn't sure about this book. I mean, I like a good horse race as much as the next guy, but really, how exciting can they be to READ about?! Well, the races are well-written and exciting, but what really makes this book are the characters. Hillenbrand really brings them to life and makes you wish you could sit down with a beer and chat with these guys. Highly recommended!
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Summary: . . . And here they come spinning out of the turn . . .
Review: Hillenbrand writes a good, solid story. I know it's good because I know nothing about horse racing or for that matter, horses, and I found myself halfway through the book pulling for Red Pollard, Tom Smith and of course, The Biscuit. In that respect she is like any other competant . . . no, more than that, very competant historian, telling a tale of a particularly poignant time and wrapping that time around the lives of people we care (or would have cared) about. The 300 Spartans at the Hot Gates. Tom Verity in Korea. The numerically substantial wives of Henry, Thomas More and here, Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit didn't alter the course of American history anymore than the 1980 U.S. Hockey team sounded the death knell of Soviet communism. But maybe it did. Darn good read. Larry Scantlebury
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Summary: Wow, this is a really fine book - what a treat
Review: As point of comparison, the movie rates a 2+ compared to the book. This work is a joy to read, very enriching. I now have an appreciation of a world that I never noticed. No reservations.
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Summary: Seabiscuit
Review: There are two books that I had been hearing a lot about and so I ordered them. One of those books was SeaBiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand. SeaBiscuit is a strong contender in its own right and ran a strong second. It has strength of spirit and courageous people with odd quirks that make them lift off the page. It was a nice Perfecta of weekend reading.
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Summary: What more can be said?
Review: Just an excellent book. I am a big sports fan but I did not give a flip about horse reacing. This book will appeal to anyone. It is a great "underdog" story. For anyone who liked the movie, the book tells so much more that gives insight into the people around Seabiscuit. The trainer and jockey are as much a great story as the horse. Only a jaded idiot would root against these people after hearing their story.
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