by Laura Hillenbrand
The exciting story of an unexpected champion.
Reviewed by: April Chase
About April Chase
From the very beginning, Americans have shown a deeply ingrained love for
the underdog. Perhaps because in the eyes of the world, the foolhardy
colonists who waged war on the mighty British Empire were the ultimate
underdogs, the come-from-behind winner seems to hold a special place in our
hearts. So when Seabiscuit, an ugly little horse with poor conformation and
a bad temper, seemingly the unlikeliest of racehorses, started to win races,
he became a major cultural icon of the 1930's. In 1938, Hillenbrand notes,
Seabiscuit received more press coverage than either Franklin Roosevelt or
Hitler!
Of course, Seabiscuit was not the only underdog in his story. His owners,
his trainer, his jockey - they all took a big chance, working with such a
questionable runner. Every horse owner dreams of buying some little old pony
that will reveal unimagined speed, win many races, and make them rich. But
let's face it, that just doesn't happen in real life. Except in this case,
it did. He saved his jockey's career, launched his owners to the top of the
racing elite, and helped revive the popularity of horse racing, reeling from
past scandals. Not bad for a bargain basement horse!
This book provides a fascinating slice-of -life view of the Depression
years, and how sports and other entertainments gained prominence in those
days, as the public desperately sought ways to forget, for a little while at
least, the hard times around them. Tales about Seabiscuit, his flamboyant
jockey Red Pollard, and the social elite represented by his owner Charles
Howard spread across the airwaves and the public ate them up. Today's sports
mega-industry is firmly rooted in the sports pages and radio broadcasts of
this era.
Not all was sweetness and light, though. Racing was a brutal occupation,
pushing men and animals to the limit. Seabiscuit and his jockeys endured
multiple injuries, grueling schedules, and constant travel. Hillenbrand
shares details of the horrendous diet and exercise routines that the jockeys
inflicted on themselves to maintain their weights, which sometimes nearly
killed them. The psychological pressure to win at any cost took its toll,
too, on friendships, relationships, and health.
Hillenbrand, a journalist with years of experience in the world of
thoroughbred racing, writes the story of Seabiscuit's incredible career with
authority and wit. And it is a fantastic story - even those who don't think
of themselves as "horse people" will enjoy the drama and humor of his
spectacular rise to fame. Seabiscuit draws extensively on interviews and
excerpts from newspapers of the day, which Hillenbrand painstakingly
researched, and interviews with people who remember the exciting events and
the people involved. Her well written, no nonsense prose keeps the book
moving along, and she provides excellent notes detailing her sources. I
highly recommend this book.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Copyright © by April Chase, 2003
Reviewed by April Chase:
-- Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life - by Karen Rauch Carter
-- The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids On 25 Words Or Less
- by Terry Ryan
-- Seabiscuit: An American Legend - by Laura Hillenbrand
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