Product Description

The true story of three men and their dreams for a racehorse -- Seabiscuit -- that symbolised a pivotal moment in American history, as the twentieth century's greatest nation found the courage to bet on itself to win against the odds. Now a major motion picture directed by Gary Ross and starring Toby Maguire and Jeff Daniels.

In 1936 the habits of 19th-century America were finally consigned to history just as Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was published. In their place, modern America was born. But what defined this new era? Nothing more than the story of Seabiscuit, a stunted colt with asymmetrical knees that had for two years been hacked around no-good race tracks which led to permanent leg damage. Yet by 1937 Seabiscuit could draw crowds of 60,000 and had more newspaper column inches devoted to him than Mussolini, Hitler or Roosevelt, his popularity peaking during his appearances at the Santa Anita Handicap. America had gone to the races for the first time since the Depression and fallen in love with a misshapen colt of great character. Now it wanted a winner. Seabiscuit is also the story of three men: Tom Smith, a former Wild West Showman was the trainer; Red Pollard, abandoned by his poverty stricken family at a race track became the rider; and Charles Howard, a pioneer car manufacturer in San Francisco in the 1920s was the owner and financier. These three combined to create the legend of Seabiscuit and epitomise a dream for the emerging new America.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #130181 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-20
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Synopsis
The true story of three men and their dreams for a racehorse -- Seabiscuit -- that symbolised a pivotal moment in American history, as the twentieth century's greatest nation found the courage to bet on itself to win against the odds. Now a major motion picture directed by Gary Ross and starring Toby Maguire and Jeff Daniels. In 1936 the habits of 19th-century America were finally consigned to history just as Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was published. In their place, modern America was born. But what defined this new era? Nothing more than the story of Seabiscuit, a stunted colt with asymmetrical knees that had for two years been hacked around no-good race tracks which led to permanent leg damage. Yet by 1937 Seabiscuit could draw crowds of 60,000 and had more newspaper column inches devoted to him than Mussolini, Hitler or Roosevelt, his popularity peaking during his appearances at the Santa Anita Handicap. America had gone to the races for the first time since the Depression and fallen in love with a misshapen colt of great character. Now it wanted a winner. Seabiscuit is aslo the story of three men: Tom Smith, a former Wild West Showman was the trainer; Red Pollard, abandoned by his poverty stricken family at a race track became the rider; and Charles Howard, a pioneer car manufacturer in San Francisco in the 1920s was the owner and financier. These three combined to create the legend of Seabiscuit and epitomise a dream for the emerging new America.

Customer Reviews

Best Sports Book Ever
Ok, I admit it, I am a racing nut. But this book, it just blew me away. It's a story that could have been written a long time ago, if it had I may never have got to know about such a story.
It made me cry, it made me happy. It brought me to such heights and delivered me to the lowest depths a man can go to. Racing is a hard game, and sometimes a good horse can never reach it's potential on the track, it can suffer injury, so many things can go wrong. The bigger trainers just don't have the time to nurse a diffucult horse along.
Seabiscuit, after a slow start to his career came into contact with the right team, a jockey, a trainer and assistant trainer who truly cared for the horse. 'Biscuit' travelled America picking up prizes of over $100,000 for some of his races. As the story unfolds you can imagine yourself deep in the depression that took America to its knees. The horse became more popular than any other sports star. Sadly, he failed to produce any offsprings anywhere near to his class when he retired to stud. A great book, i've read it twice and will read it again one day soon.

An AMAZING book for ALL readers of ALL tastes
I did not expect to be so blown away by a book about a horse. I am not interested in horse racing or even factual books however I was inspired to read this, by an interview of the author.

I finished the book today and so great was my need to connect to something more about this horse and the people surrounding him, that I scoured the internet and was able to listen to real, radio recordings of Seabiscuit's main races-isn't the internet wonderful?

I read it because I was inspired by the writer, who has severe M.E., and has gained great success. Yet I did not expect to become so in LOVE with the horse, Seabiscuit AND his team, that I want to go back in time to meet them. THIS HORSE! What can I say? His team, who brought out the best in him, their characters. I was immersed in the period as well, which I now feel I know personally.

This is one of the best books I have ever read and even that suprsises me! You will never regret reading this book. Read it and pass it on, buy it for birthdays, Christmas presents just with the words: READ IT!

You won't regret buying this book!
Selecting a book purely on hype is something I don't, as a rule, do. However, if I was relying on a description of Seabiscuit alone, I don't think I would ever have bought it. Horse-racing would not be a subject matter to excite me; before reading Seabiscuit, I had never heard of the horse, its jockey, its owner or its trainer. I don't even have a particular interest in the time the story is set - pre-WW2 USA.

With the book read, I can tell you that from the opening words, right to the end, I was fascinated. It is a wonderful tale of sport, emotions, commitment, survival and the human spirit. The overriding achievement of Laura Hillebrand in this book is to take a subject in which a reader has no interest, and yet write a tale that fascinates him. In a strange way, I do not ever want to see the movie 'Seabiscuit' - I feel the book is so well written that it could only be spoiled by a movie.