Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiv...
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reviews
Sep 09, 2011
Stephanie "Jedigal"
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Prior to November 2003, non-fiction only entered my reading choices on sporadic occasions. In November 2003, a pioneering member of my book club was the first to choose a non-fiction book instead of a novel. That book was Seabiscuit.
Even though I have always loved horses, I had avoided reading Seabiscuit. I just couldn't believe that all the hype was real. So many times I had picked up a non-fiction book on a topic that I was really curious about, and either put it down unfinished o More...
Even though I have always loved horses, I had avoided reading Seabiscuit. I just couldn't believe that all the hype was real. So many times I had picked up a non-fiction book on a topic that I was really curious about, and either put it down unfinished o More...
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Dec 10, 2008
Atishay
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A true inspirational story about broken hearts and lost souls, the golden thread that holds them together and yes.. belief. Belief in oneself.
A horse, trained to lose right from its birth. Lose so that others can look good when they win. Lose, so that when they win, they can look back and see others way behind. A horse, which has learned to live with pain and humiliation. A horse, which is angry. It is this horse that catches the eye of Tom Smith, a veteran horse trainer employed unde More...
A horse, trained to lose right from its birth. Lose so that others can look good when they win. Lose, so that when they win, they can look back and see others way behind. A horse, which has learned to live with pain and humiliation. A horse, which is angry. It is this horse that catches the eye of Tom Smith, a veteran horse trainer employed unde More...
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Nov 25, 2007
Christina
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This was, truly, "fast-paced non-fiction." This book galloped along with all the speed of the horse it followed, which I find rare for books that simply relate a true story. Hillenbrand did a fantastic job giving a straightforward account of the history and background of Seabiscuit and the people around him, yet not once did she stoop to sounding like a pedantic authority on the subject. This book had all the tone and pace of great novels I've read, but it was so interesting to keep
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Dec 17, 2009
Silvercharmer
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I'm jealous of this woman, because she writes better than I do. I've always been a little snobby towards Seabiscuit, as I'm a devoted War Admiral fan, but this is probably the best book out there that really captures the essence of horse racing, and she picked the right horse to do it with.
This story is not just about Seabiscuit. It's also about humanity, and most importantly (to me), racing itself, as it was in the 1930s. You will be astonished at what you learn from this book, from More...
This story is not just about Seabiscuit. It's also about humanity, and most importantly (to me), racing itself, as it was in the 1930s. You will be astonished at what you learn from this book, from More...
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Jan 14, 2008
Christie
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okay, so can I admit that I was weeping at the open of this book? I know, it is stupid. I love animals, and horses in particular, way too much. However, this book was opened so powerfully, I don't know if I can blame my love of animals for my tears this time around. Very well written for pleasure reading and captures the fanfare that was really a part of this horse.
I let my grandmother tell me the whole story of how the world was divided as much by the rivalries between fans of Seabi More...
I let my grandmother tell me the whole story of how the world was divided as much by the rivalries between fans of Seabi More...
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Feb 13, 2009
Jennifer
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I checked this out just after the movie came out. I didn't really want to see the movie (and still haven't seen the movie) because I thought it would be too weepy. And yet the story intrigued me enough that I wanted to hear it so I checked out the audio book and gave it a listen. It's a great story. It has all the components a person could want - the underdog, crappy economy, a hero, injury, hope....
And I am actually glad I listened to it on Audio book rather than reading it. It was More...
And I am actually glad I listened to it on Audio book rather than reading it. It was More...
Jun 27, 2011
JG (The Introverted Reader)
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Seabiscuit. An American Legend. I think the only reason I even know the horse's name is because of the movie they filmed a few years ago. I'm obviously not a horse-racing fan, right?
I don't even remember why I grabbed this at a library book sale. A friend here on GR must have given it a good review. But I am so glad I read this.
I've gotten much better about reading non-fiction over the past six months, but I was amazed at what a page-turner this was for me. I've been More...
I don't even remember why I grabbed this at a library book sale. A friend here on GR must have given it a good review. But I am so glad I read this.
I've gotten much better about reading non-fiction over the past six months, but I was amazed at what a page-turner this was for me. I've been More...
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Sep 19, 2008
Heather
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What an amazing story! I only regret that I didn't live in the time of Seabiscuit's glory! I fell in love with this horse! I have recently taken riding lessons (English)and this story was more meaningful because of the little experience I have had with horses. I have always loved this animal since my youth so reading a "horse" book sounded like fun. Being a true story made it a remarkable read! I liked the way it was written (by someone who knows horses inside and out). Very bea
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Sep 05, 2008
Panther
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I just started this book. On page one of the prologue, I had the chilling and paranoid feeling that I had better not read it yet because it was going to be one of the best horse books I could ever read (and now that I've read Horse Heaven, after this book, all horse books must only be downhill, it seems to me right now), and about the very best horse who has ever lived. So I should save it, HOARD it, like a hamster, put off the pleasure and savour its expectation.
However, I am sti More...
However, I am sti More...
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Aug 10, 2007
JZ
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Seabiscuit is an excellent example of how interesting non-fiction can be. For those who braved to the end of the book and checked out the notes section, there are references to all sorts of items that one might suspect the author created out of thin air. I remember at one point the author mentions one character, on a particular day, wearing a certain hat and waving it, but a quick check to the notes revealed a magazine article where a writer had described the character in question's habit of wea
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Jun 23, 2008
Jessica
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This is one of my favorite non-fiction books. I read it after I saw the movie, which I also really like, but the book is so much better. Like with every book adapted for a movie, so much is left out.
Seabiscuit is about one of the most famous American racehorses, who ran during the 1930's. He was a symbol of hope for many. In addition, it tells the amazing stories of his jockey, his trainer, and his owner, all of whom represent a type of person who has essentially died out in our times. More...
Seabiscuit is about one of the most famous American racehorses, who ran during the 1930's. He was a symbol of hope for many. In addition, it tells the amazing stories of his jockey, his trainer, and his owner, all of whom represent a type of person who has essentially died out in our times. More...
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Jan 21, 2008
Patricia
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I wouldn't give away this book for love nor money.
Seabiscuit became a hero of mine through Ms. Hildebrand's eyes.
Seabiscuit was a race horse down on his luck until a group of men, also going through hard times saw his potential and made him and star--and themselves in the process. And not only for them is Seabiscuit an icon but for a generation of Americans who were also hard on their luck because of the depression. Each man who had an interest in Seabiscuit from owner, Charl More...
Seabiscuit became a hero of mine through Ms. Hildebrand's eyes.
Seabiscuit was a race horse down on his luck until a group of men, also going through hard times saw his potential and made him and star--and themselves in the process. And not only for them is Seabiscuit an icon but for a generation of Americans who were also hard on their luck because of the depression. Each man who had an interest in Seabiscuit from owner, Charl More...
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May 20, 2008
Eileen
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So....I'm one of those people that doesn't like "hype" around books and I wait to read it after all the hype dies down.
I wish I would have read this when it was "hot". What a passionate entertaining non-fictional book. It gives a glimpse into the world of racing in the 1930's, and tells the story of how this horse came from no where to be one of the greatest racers of all times.
The author is brilliantly gifted in being able to place you back in time More...
I wish I would have read this when it was "hot". What a passionate entertaining non-fictional book. It gives a glimpse into the world of racing in the 1930's, and tells the story of how this horse came from no where to be one of the greatest racers of all times.
The author is brilliantly gifted in being able to place you back in time More...
Sep 13, 2008
Kellie
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Wow Wow Wow Wow. What a book. This is a great story of Seabiscuit and the men that played the role in making him one of the best racers in history. Charles Howard, the owner, Tom Smith, the trainer and Red Pollard the jockey and Henry Woolf, the other jockey who filled in for Pollard when he was hurt. The story was very well told. It starts out with the history of the each of the 3 men. And then the story begins. Sometimes, when there are so many characters mentioned in a book, it is hard t
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Aug 07, 2011
If this story hadn't happened, surely some enterprising screenwriter would have concocted it. But happen it did. There really was a Seabiscuit, a short, stocky tank of a horse with an odd gait that could run like the wind. But virtually every character in this tale is larger than life: Red Pollard, a jockey who suffered countless injuries (including being blinded in one eye) engaging in the sport he loved, even though he enjoyed only middling success (with the exception of his Seabiscuit year
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Feb 26, 2009
Hana
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I'm not usually crazy about horses or nonfiction. It's not that I dislike either; it's just that I don't seek them out as I do, say, This American Life podcasts or chocolate. I neither knew nor cared about horse racing when I began reading Seabiscuit on a whim one night. Yet to my surprise, I found the book absolutely riveting. The only reason I didn't read it straight through was that I started it at around 11 p.m. and wanted to go to sleep at a decent hour. Forcing myself to stick in a bookmar
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Oct 27, 2011
Ruth
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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 w
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Oct 13, 2011
JT
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Seabiscuit an American Legend By: Laura Hillenbrand
The author’s purpose in writing Seabiscuit an American Legend is to inform the reader about the legendary tale of Seabiscuit and the Great Depression. In the novel, Laura Hillenbrand displayed why sports are so critical to our society. Though this story takes place during times of record unemployment rates and acute economic hardship, people were still interested in watching sports as a form of release from the depressing economic state More...
The author’s purpose in writing Seabiscuit an American Legend is to inform the reader about the legendary tale of Seabiscuit and the Great Depression. In the novel, Laura Hillenbrand displayed why sports are so critical to our society. Though this story takes place during times of record unemployment rates and acute economic hardship, people were still interested in watching sports as a form of release from the depressing economic state More...
Aug 20, 2011
Charlotte
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This book was a step outside of what I would normally expect to read. While I grew up with horses, horse racing has never particularly appealed to me. However, I had read a review of this book some time ago, and it was highly recommended, so I decided to give it a try. Its setting in the 1930's, a time my parents have often spoke of, appealed to me and I enjoyed learning more of this era from a different perspective. While I could have done with a less thorough account about the life of joc
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Jul 23, 2011
Wendy
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Written like a heartfelt fiction novel, author Laura Hillenrand takes us back to an era when America's most popular cultural icon had four legs and drew more newspaper coverage than Roosevelt, Hitler, Mussolini, or any other newsmaker.
Racehorse owner Charles Howard, an automobile baron, hired trainer Tom Smith and sent him searching for "a bargain animal whose talent had been overlooked". Smith searched numerous racetracks unable to find what he was looking for. On June 29, More...
Racehorse owner Charles Howard, an automobile baron, hired trainer Tom Smith and sent him searching for "a bargain animal whose talent had been overlooked". Smith searched numerous racetracks unable to find what he was looking for. On June 29, More...
Jun 07, 2011
Marci
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Ok, I LOVED this story, and Hillenbrand's writing style has made it a real page-turner. I was a horse nut when I was a girl, so I knew the Cinderella-like story of Seabiscuit already. (I have not yet seen the recent movie though.) I couldn't remember which races he won and which he lost by just a nose or a hair or something similarly heartbreaking, so the suspense was great, and Hillenbrand really puts you right into the action. She did a tremendous job assimilating all the background material i
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Mar 29, 2011
Mary Ellen
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I give this book 5 stars and would have made it more if I could. It was an absolutely absorbing tale, covering the stories of the jockey, owner, trainer, and yes, the horse. Who knew a writer could get inside the head of a horse? Yet Laura Hillenbrand did, and made us love that horse who struggled through his early years as an unappreciated, so-so racer on his way down until a trainer with a good eye, an owner with a lot of trust (and money), and a skilled, sensitive jockey all came together to
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Feb 17, 2011
My favorite part was the description of the jockeys' life. They began as boys, in near-slavery to the owners, who could trade them back and forth without any input from the jockey. They worked menial chores and long hours. They abused their bodies to make weight, starving, vomiting, using laxatives, exercising and sweating until they were weak, dehydrated, and sometimes unable to climb onto the horse unassisted. They were in great danger of injury. Their "helmets" were no more than car
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Jan 12, 2011
Cc
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Seabiscuit is the story of a horse, and how he brought together four separate lives and changed them all. Charles Howard is a millionaire who's son dies and so he submerges himself into racing because its one of the only things left he loves. He hires Tom Smith who is a socially awkward yet one of the best horse trainers that ever lived. Tom finds him a horse, Seabiscuit, and a jockey, Red Pollard. Seabiscuit starts off as basically an underdog, no one expects anything from him until him and Red
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Dec 30, 2010
Emily
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I must admit that I am a horse-book fan and have been since I was eight and read Black Beauty for the first time. But I absolutely loved this book, and I think that even readers who aren't horse fans will too. It's a classic "American Dream" story, both with Seabiscuit and his jockey, Red Pollard. The love is obvious between the two, and as cheesy as it sounds, it warms your heart! I actually cheered out loud at each race, and when Seabiscuit lost, I literally moped, and when he won
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Nov 22, 2010
Jen
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Great book. Had a heartwarming story of Seabiscuit and his racing family, along with so many facts about the industry and lifestyle of those involved in horseracing. Informative yet easy and fun to read.
"Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die....They are only changed by the way people treat them."
"A Thoroughbred racehorse is one of God's most impressive engines.......To pilot a racehorse is to ride a half-ton catapult. It is wi More...
"Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die....They are only changed by the way people treat them."
"A Thoroughbred racehorse is one of God's most impressive engines.......To pilot a racehorse is to ride a half-ton catapult. It is wi More...
Jul 17, 2010
Beth
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Very engaging, honest account of the true story of the incredible race horse Seabiscuit and the people connected to him -- mainly his owner, his trainer, his jockey. It's a story of peservance, redemption, and, mainly, of heart. Seabiscuit embodied the United States and its citizens, who were going through the Great Depression, at the time: This horse, considered by many too small and basically a loser, became a champion. He inspired people to look ahead and rise above. The climatic great race b
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Jul 15, 2010
Laurie
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Another of my very favorites...I've probably read it 10 times. I have books that I read again and again when I'm upset or in pain, as they have an almost narcotic effect...soothing in their familiarity. Besides, Hillenbrand writes so knowledgeably about horses, horse racing, people, and history, and she weaves everything together in just the right mix, describing the four main characters and relating their lives beautifully. I absolutely love horses, and wished I could be a jockey when I was
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May 12, 2010
Ice
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Seabiscuit rose to prominence with the help of an unlikely triumvirate: owner Charles Howard, an automobile baron who once declared that "the day of the horse is past"; trainer Tom Smith, a man who "had cultivated an almost mystical communication with horses"; and jockey Red Pollard, who was down on his luck when he charmed a then-surly horse with his calm demeanor and a sugar cube. Hillenbrand details the ups and downs of "team Seabiscuit," from early training sess
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Apr 03, 2010
Camzcam
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Here's what I know about thorough-bred horse racing...nothing...and yet this is one of the best books I think I've read this year. It's a look at perhaps the most famous underdog in all of sports history...a feisty, crooked horse named Seabiscuit.
I haven't seen the movie based on this book, but it can't be nearly as interesting. There is such a great look at the inner workings of racing during the Great Depression years. It is sometimes funny sometimes suspenseful sometimes horrif More...
I haven't seen the movie based on this book, but it can't be nearly as interesting. There is such a great look at the inner workings of racing during the Great Depression years. It is sometimes funny sometimes suspenseful sometimes horrif More...
