Seabiscuit
The True Story of Three Men and a Racehorse (Text Only)
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4.0 • 4 Ratings
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
This edition does not include illustrations.
From the author of Unbroken – a major motion picture releasing in 2015 – this is the bestselling true story of three men and their dreams for a racehorse, Seabiscuit.
In 1938 one figure received more press coverage than Mussolini, Hitler or Roosevelt. He was a cultural icon and a world-class athlete – and an undersized, crooked-legged racehorse by the name of Seabiscuit.
Misunderstood and mishandled, Seabiscuit had spent seasons floundering in the lowest ranks of racing until a chance meeting of three men. Together, they created a champion. This is a story which topped the bestseller charts for over two years; a riveting tale of grit, grace, luck and an underdog’s stubborn determination to win against all odds.
Made into a major motion picture starring Toby Maguire and Jeff Daniels.
Reviews
‘A rip-roaring narrative from a cobwebbed chapter of the Depression.’ Sunday Times
‘Hillenbrand tells the story of the triumphs and tribulations of her cast of misfits with flair and skill, relishing the larger than life characters who inhabited this forgotten demimonde.’ Sunday Times
‘Most readable…a wonderful tale.’ Daily Mail
‘This season’s literary sensation.’ Financial Times
About the author
Laura Hillenbrand is a contributing writer/editor to ‘Equus’ magazine among many other journals. Her article on Seabiscuit won the Eclipse Award for Magazine Writing; she served as a consultant on the Universal film of this book, released in 2003. She lives in Washington DC.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
HGifted sportswriter Hillenbrand unearths the rarefied world of thoroughbred horse racing in this captivating account of one of the sport's legends. Though no longer a household name, Seabiscuit enjoyed great celebrity during the 1930s and 1940s, drawing record crowds to his races around the country. Not an overtly impressive physical specimenD"His stubby legs were a study in unsound construction, with huge, squarish, asymmetrical `baseball glove' knees that didn't quite straighten all the way"Dthe horse seemed to transcend his physicality as he won race after race. Hillenbrand, a contributor to Equus magazine, profiles the major players in Seabiscuit's fantastic and improbable career. In simple, elegant prose, she recounts how Charles Howard, a pioneer in automobile sales and Seabiscuit's eventual owner, became involved with horse racing, starting as a hobbyist and growing into a fanatic. She introduces esoteric recluse Tom Smith (Seabiscuit's trainer) and jockey Red Pollard, a down-on-his-luck rider whose specialty was taming unruly horses. In 1936, Howard united Smith, Pollard and "The Biscuit," whose performance had been spottyDand the horse's star career began. Smith, who recognized Seabiscuit's potential, felt an immediate rapport with him and eased him into shape. Once Seabiscuit started breaking records and outrunning lead horses, reporters thronged the Howard barn day and night. Smith's secret workouts became legendary and only heightened Seabiscuit's mystique. Hillenbrand deftly blends the story with explanations of the sport and its culture, including vivid descriptions of the Tijuana horse-racing scene in all its debauchery. She roots her narrative of the horse's breathtaking career and the wild devotion of his fans in its socioeconomic context: Seabiscuit embodied the underdog myth for a nation recovering from dire economic straits.
Customer Reviews
Gripping Tale
This is a fabulous tale of the race horse Seabiscuit who was doomed to the back and beyond racing circuits in the United States in the 1930's. The jockey too dimmed to a life of failure but life changed for Horse and Jockey. A excellent read.