But after I got through those chapters, I easily sailed through the rest of the book. This was the hardest part for me to get through because I was kind of bored and at times felt that parts were a complete info dump, but it was somewhat expected in a nonfiction novel. As a horse/animal lover, I was looking forward to reading about the adventures of Seabiscuit but the first few chapters were mostly the backstory of the people.
I admit that the first 5 or 6 chapters were hard for me to get through. Somehow Laura Hillenbrand was able to recount the life of Seabiscuit and those around him in such a thrilling and gripping way that made me forget it was even nonfiction at times. Seabiscuit snuck up behind me and left me wrought out with emotion at the end. Well, as much as you can love a book for school. Nonfiction isn't my genre at all, and I tend to steer clear of it whenever possible, but I loved Seabiscuit. I never thought or believed I would love a nonfiction novel this much, especially one as a required read. I am thankful that she was able to talk to so many who could provide eyewitness details before they were gone. Laura Hillenbrand completed an extraordinary amount of research in order to provide the rich details of the story. This is truly a tale that if someone wrote it as fiction, no one would believe it. We follow the lives of Seabiscuit, his owner, trainer, and jockey through all their ups and downs. Hillenbrand masterfully recounts the stories of Seabiscuit's most important races, with an especially dramatic telling of the famous match race with War Admiral. He became wildly popular with the depression-era audiences, who loved his underdog story. But with unexpected speed and heart, he was able to win races the experts did not believe that he could. Short and unimpressive in appearance, he did not have the look of a champion. And the story of Seabiscuit is extraordinary. Her descriptions of their appearance is as vivid and detailed as you would find in a novel. Hillenbrand gives us a lot of detail about their lives, so that we feel like we know them. The book tells the stories of the horse, Seabiscuit, and the people most close to him: his owner (Charles Howard), trainer (Tom Smith), and primary jockey (Red Pollard). A stylish cover will attract both baby boomers and young readers, tapping into the sexiness and allure of the ""Sport of Kings."" Hillenbrand's glamorous photo on the book jacket won't hurt her chances, and Seabiscuit should sell at a galloping pace.Seabiscuit: an American Legend is a beautifully written book. (Mar.) Forecast: Despite the shrinking horse racing audienceDand the publishing adage that books on horse racing don't sellDthis book has the potential to do well, even outside the realm of the racing community, due to a large first printing and forthcoming Universal Studios movie. 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. 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. Smith's secret workouts became legendary and only heightened Seabiscuit's mystique. Once Seabiscuit started breaking records and outrunning lead horses, reporters thronged the Howard barn day and night.
Smith, who recognized Seabiscuit's potential, felt an immediate rapport with him and eased him into shape. In 1936, Howard united Smith, Pollard and ""The Biscuit,"" whose performance had been spottyDand the horse's star career began. 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 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.
Hillenbrand, a contributor to Equus magazine, profiles the major players in Seabiscuit's fantastic and improbable career. 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. Though no longer a household name, Seabiscuit enjoyed great celebrity during the 1930s and 1940s, drawing record crowds to his races around the country. HGifted sportswriter Hillenbrand unearths the rarefied world of thoroughbred horse racing in this captivating account of one of the sport's legends.
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