- Mass Market Paperback: 453 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (31 July 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345465083
- ISBN-13: 978-0345465085
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.7 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 838,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes:
Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon.
Author Laura Hillenbrand brilliantly re-creates a universal underdog story, one that proves life is a horse race.
From the Hardcover edition.
Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon.
Author Laura Hillenbrand brilliantly re-creates a universal underdog story, one that proves life is a horse race.
From the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
the swaying belly of a transcontinental train, snaking west from New York. He was twenty-six, handsome, gentlemanly, with a bounding imagination. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
the swaying belly of a transcontinental train, snaking west from New York. He was twenty-six, handsome, gentlemanly, with a bounding imagination. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
If you love horses and have even a little bit of interest in racing this book is one you will thoroughly enjoy.
You feel like you are living all the hopes and fears of the characters, and when the races are on, you find you just cant read fast enough to keep up with The Biscuit! - you certainly cant put the book down mid race!
- I hope the film is true to the book, - cant wait to see it.
. Buy this book - you'll love it!
You feel like you are living all the hopes and fears of the characters, and when the races are on, you find you just cant read fast enough to keep up with The Biscuit! - you certainly cant put the book down mid race!
- I hope the film is true to the book, - cant wait to see it.
. Buy this book - you'll love it!
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Quite simply this is the best sports related book I have ever had the pleasure to pick up. The level of research required for a book where the major players are now deceased could easily leave the impression that the author has poetic licence to write whatever they want. This is never the case with this masterpiece.
I had never heard of Seabiscuit despite him being an American legend, but my interest was raised after by chance reading a small review in a Sunday paper. The portrayal of Red Pollard, a one eyed jockey of limited ability struggling to come to terms with numerous personal demons, and the horses trainer Tom Smith, a misunderstood genius, is breathtaking. The prose is such that this is impossible to put down. I found myself willing SeaBiscuit on in his battle with War Admiral and even now find myself running over my images of this race at sometime innoportune moments such is the fantastic way the author conveys this equine battle in print.
Basically if you are reading this just click on the buy button, wait for the postman to deliver, lend the television to a neighbour (you won't be needing it) and feast on this incredible sporting odyssey.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
Brilliant...Why has this never been made into a film or has it? Well actually, I can answer that, apparentally the process has started...'can't wait.'This story has got it all, excitement, drama,disappointment, suspense, tragedy, determination and even comedy.This is a true story written like a novel. Whether it is correct in every detail I couldn't comment. As someone with a passing interest in horse racing and sport in general, plus being from England I only recognised the horses name Seabiscuit. However, this lack of knowledge to the story only added to the enjoyment, as I was unaware of what was to unfold.It is so well written that I was there! I rode the back straights, heard the crowds,smelt the sweat and felt every effort of the horse and jockey. I even believed Seabiscuit had won only to have my hopes dashed and become disappointed as the result was annouced.I even shed a tear or two towards the end! Not because of sadness but enjoyment, of a story about decent loyal people showing kindness, faith and decencey toward each other and truely having a great horses interest at heart. An audio book also needs the right voice and reader.I cannot fault Campbell Scott whose tone was always spot on to the occasion and complimented the text superbly. Not just a story for the racing buff but a great one for anyone who enjoys a good decent non-violent tale. Now I must buy the book and find out more about the author Laura Hillenbrand
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not Just About the Horse
Seabiscuit was an amazing horse, yes, but the book isn't entirely about him. There would not have been a glorious memory of Seabiscuit if it hadn't been for four very different men... Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2008 by Graceann Macleod
Hoof-Tromping, Heart-Thumping Thrills as an Underdog Wins!
If you only read one book about sports this year, make it Seabiscuit. This book deserves many more than five stars for its superb portrayal of the underdog horse whose career... Read more
Published on 23 July 2004 by Donald Mitchell
A WIRE-TO-WIRE WINNER!!!
I found this book exciting from beginning to end. There are those who thought the first section long and boooring, and I disagree. Read more
Published on 11 April 2003 by Neal C. Reynolds
One Fine Job of Reporting
It's hard to determine the true hero of this book. Is it the taciturn trainer, Tom Smith, who took a colt the world's leading trainer (the still-revered Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons)... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2002 by Bruce Kendall
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