#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of the runaway phenomenon Unbroken comes a universal underdog story about the horse who came out of nowhere to become a legend.Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a … Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes:
Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon.
BONUS: This edition contains a Seabiscuit discussion guide and an excerpt from Unbroken.
Praise for Seabiscuit
“Fascinating . . . Vivid . . . A first-rate piece of storytelling, leaving us not only with a vivid portrait of a horse but a fascinating slice of American history as well.”—The New York Times
“Engrossing . . . Fast-moving . . . More than just a horse’s tale, because the humans who owned, trained, and rode Seabiscuit are equally fascinating. . . . [Laura Hillenbrand] shows an extraordinary talent for describing a horse race so vividly that the reader feels like the rider.”—Sports Illustrated
“REMARKABLE . . . MEMORABLE . . . JUST AS COMPELLING TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1938.”—The Washington Post
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LOVED this book! You felt like you were riding the horse in the races. I had recommended it to my Dad, when I asked whether he liked it he said: “The book was great, but I got saddle sores!”
Sure it’s about the unusual horse, but more interestingly about the cast of characters who trained, owned and rode him. It’s thoroughly researched and written compellingly.
Loved reading this book. The writing is fluid and powerful, packing an emotional wallop. Also, loved watching the movie. But, the writing in this book really won me over!
The author brings the horse and it’s “family” to life.
I knew nothing about horse racing but learned some from this easy to read non-fiction. Read because I LOVED ” Unbroken” by this author.
Unforgettable!
A must read for all youth.
I loved this book, very entertaining.
I read this every few years. I love how Hildebrand developed the characters, especially the title character, Seabiscuit! Very funny scenes etched in my mind
of Seabiscuit’s peculiarities. That poor goat sailing over the stalls!
I love her books
That Laura Hilldebrand could write a book with so much action while confined to her bed is a testament to her incredible skills as a writer.
No wonder Sea Biscuit inspired the country during the depression!
Oh, how I loved this book! It’s about so much more than a racehorse. It’s about a country struggling and in need of inspiration. It’s a wonderful book.
Though I read “Seabiscuit” years ago now, it remains one of my favorites, capturing my heart and my imagination. As I was reading it, I found myself saying to no one in particular, “I’m falling in love…I’m falling in love with a HORSE!!!”
Now my To-Be-Read booklist is very, very, very long, hardly allowing room for re-reads. But …
This book was so well written that I felt that I could smell, sense and hear all the activity the author described. She is one of the very best authors I ever read.
The author has a unique gift: she can write like nobody’s business. The story – thanks to her way with words – just pulls you along page after page after page. I highly recommend anything she’s written.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She is a wonderful writer.
This is one book that everything should read.
It was chuck full of facts so being a great read I learned so much about horses, training of horses and the trill of being at the racetrack.
Maybe you’ve seen the movie and think you know all you need to. As it is with films, they cannot tell even 10% of a great, well researched story. I have enjoyed this author’s subsequent works as well. Another great true horse read is “Sgt. Reckless”, author’s name I cannot recall. The greatest little known horse that ever lived.
A fabulous book!