Customer Reviews

Seabiscuit: An American Legend

5 star:		(497)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Reading "Seabiscuit" made it clear why it became such a successful film. The vividness of the imagery jumps right off the page. It made reading it almost like seeing a movie in my head, very similar to when I read "My Fractured Life" and "The Time Traveler's Wife" (except in this case "Seabiscuit" is already a film). Having not already seen the film, I cannot wait to see it based on the fantastic imagery the book has created in my head (although I can't imagine the film will match the full vividness of the book).

I WASN'T interested in horses before, or horse racing, but I still really enjoyed this book. A real page turner, excellently written.

I don't know anything about horseracing. I saw the movie, and then this book fell into my hands, and I began it wondering if it would live up to the hype. Of course, it did, and then some. Laura Hillenbrand is a wonderful writer, full of anecdotes and information about the '30s, the depression, and the world of horseracing in those days. The author spends a great deal of time (a quarter or a third of the book) setting the stage, but she does such a wonderful job that you don't mind. When she gets to the spot where things begin to take off, the book is frankly wonderful.

I won't tell you anything more about the book, other than to mention that Seabiscuit was the typical underdog (underhorse?) that Americans love to see win, and he didn't dissappoint. I enjoyed this book immensely, and would recommend it to anyone.

The story of Seabiscuit is absolutely remarkable. Out of a nation in crisis rises an incredible symbol of hope and out of the depths of poverty rises a man with a passion. Red Pollard and Seabiscuit are an American legend. Though Laura Hillenbrand attacks this novel with great enthusiasm, she seems to lack a much-needed sense of emotion. She becomes too overwhelmed with the facts, failing to draw the reader into the characters' successes, failures, and disappointments. The novel becomes more of an encyclopedia than a living story. Nevertheless, the characters are well-developed, the challenges that jockeyes face are well described, and Seabiscuit's journey to fame is adaquately portrayed. Luara Hillenbrand brings a weak, but informative life to this American legend-- you can't help but be inspired!

I love this book so much that I want to tell the whole world. Seabiscut I love you !!!

Extremely well-written, great evocation of the times and the characters. The only flaws are minor: Hillenbrand sometimes uses a bit too much racing jargon without explanation, and I would love to have more photos.

It took me a while to get thru the first part because the author writes about the history of the owner and the jockey. It got interesting when I got to the middle of the book. The book is full of old photos of Seabiscuit and some of his races. I actually cried during some of the sad parts. I just wished I was there back in the 30's so I could really see Seabiscuit in a race. I was never a horse lover, but after reading this book I realized what a great horse Seabiscuit was and what a true American hero he was for people back then. I'm glad Laura Hillenbrand wrote this book so Seabiscuit would not be forgotten.

Seabiscuit is a great book. I really enjoyed it. This book is about a little horse who nobody thought could be a winnner, until someone took a chance with him. A man named Charles Howard bought Seabiscuit and got a trainer named Tom Smith and a jockey named Red Polard or Johnny. Seabiscuit started winning races and people loved him because he was small and tried so hard to win and he always did. Even when Seabiscuit was old and couldn't race anymore Mr. Howard kept him and took care of him on his property. It's a really good book, but it's hard for younger people to read.

Although this book starts slowly, building a foundation for the novel, it gradually accelerates until the pages fly by, much like a horse race. As a Middle Distance runner, I found this book to be very inspirational. Seabiscuit is one of my favorite books of all-time.

"SEABISCUIT" is not so much a story about a horse, but rather a story about the lives of the men which that horse changes.

Red is an orphan of the depression. Scrapping to get by after abandoned by his parents, Red is half blinded as a "boxer" in human-versions of warehouse dog fights. He turns to horse racing. Although technically too big to be a jockey, he starves himself to make weight.

Buick is a bicycle repairman who stumbles into automobile manufacturing and makes a fortune. When he loses a member of his family in an automobile accident, the family crumbles.

Red and Buick are broken men who come together because of Seabiscuit. Buick is the owner of the scrappy horse, and his broken cowboy trainer insists Red is the only jockey with the scrappy fire to ride it. "SEABISCUIT" is as much their story as that of the horse.

Ironic that a story about a horse can end up being such a "human" story.

Judged on those merits "SEABISCUIT" is a gripping drama that is in the same league as "SECRET LIFE OF BEES, " "MY FRACTURED LIFE" and "THE DA VINCI CODE."