Anyone who knows about Seabiscuit probably knows his legacy. But that does not mean that Seabiscuit is a less exciting read. Hillenbrand puts the reader right in the shoes of the jockey, hinting at little images and descriptions that one might not know, or even understand if they are not a jockey themselves.
Hillenbrand's second success is the fact that she teaches those of us who know nothing about horseracing a thing or two. She points out the trials of jockeys, the dangers of racing, and even subtly, the bad habits of betting. She brings to the surface how hard it is to lose, but also what one is faced with when they win.
In the end, we are sad to part with Pollard, Smith, Howard, and of course, Seabiscuit. But all along we knew we had to, as this legacy cannot keep going. The history has already been written, and so the reader has gone into the book knowing that the story must end.
And Hillenbrand gives it to us straight - she doesn't skimp on the details, no matter how depressing they are. When the end comes, we miss Seabiscuit - but so does the racing world, and in that, Hillenbrand succeeds again, in bringing the past to the present.
Article comments
1 - Ed
Wow, it sounds like Hillenbrand did an amazing job on the book. I've already seen the movie but this has definitely made me keen to read the book, I'm actually quite keen to listen to it as an audio book as I found it - it definitely sounds like it will be worth it.