by Laura Hillenbrand (Author)
In 1936, the habits of 19th-century America were finally consigned to history just as Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" was published. In their place, modern America was born. But what defined this new era? Nothing more than the story of Seabiscuit, a stunted colt with asymmetrical knees that had for two years been hacked around no-good race tracks which led to permanent leg damage. Yet by 1937, Seabiscuit could draw crowds of 60,000 and had more newspaper column inches devoted to him than Mussolini, Hitler or Roosevelt, his popularity peaking during his appearances at the Santa Anita Handicap. America had gone to the races for the first time since the Depression and fallen in love with a misshapen colt of great character. Now it wanted a winner. This text is also the story of three men: Tom Smith, a former Wild West Showman was the trainer; Red Pollard, abandoned by his poverty stricken family at a race track became the rider; and Charles Howard, a pioneer car manufacturer in San Francisco in the 1920s was the owner and the financier. The true story of three men and their dreams for a racehorse - Seabiscuit - that symbolized a pivotal moment in American history as modern America was born out of the crucible of the Depression and the dustbowl, and as America found the courage to bet on itself to win against the odds.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 399
Edition: 1st
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Published: 21 May 2001
ISBN 10: 1841150916
ISBN 13: 9781841150918
Prizes: Winner of William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2001.
'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
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.