Well, I finished Seabiscuit this week and I was wowed! What a story that is, and what a horse! Ms. Hillenbrand did a great job of bringing it all to life: the era, the horse and the people who cared for him.
For me, the book was like a great novel. I got deeply involved in the lives of all these people and their beloved horse to the point where I got quite emotional at the end when their deaths were described.
Seabiscuit was apparently a horse like no other. Not only did he have lightning speed and tremendous heart, he was also calm, friendly, and tolerant of all the excitement that swirled around him throughout his life. All the people who worked with him fell in love with him, especially his owners, his jockeys, and his trainers.
The public was especially enamored of Seabiscuit. His humble beginnings and eventual triumph was just what the country needed during the dark years of the depression. His was a rags-to-riches story that people could connect with. Though Seabiscuit was descended from royalty (his grandfather was Man O'War), he was early on thought to be a mediocre horse, short-legged with a funny gait who showed no promise of racing greatness. It took a visionary (but initially unpromising) trio of owner, trainer and jockey to bring Seabiscuit to his full potential.
The story Hillenbrand tells is thrilling, filled with treachery and love, amazing races and horrifying injuries. You'd think it would be tailor-made for Hollywood. And indeed, there was more than one movie made about the horse's story. The latest, Seabiscuit, starring Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper and Jeff Bridges, probably did the best job of the three. But there was something missing.
I saw the movie again after I finished the book and was disappointed to see that the filmmakers completely missed the point of Hillenbrand's book: the horse. Oh, sure, they had the horse there and told his story, but the emphasis was upon the three people involved rather than the horse. While their story is interesting, it wouldn't be without the horse. He was the reason for their being there and doing what they did and caring so much about the outcome, but Seabiscuit kind of gets shoved aside. The horse in the movie version of Seabiscuit just doesn't seem all that special.
I guess there just wasn't enough room in the movie to bring out the greatness of the horse. It's a shame, really, because people who saw the movie without reading the book might believe they don't need to read the book. But they do, because in the book is the whole story, the great story of a great horse.
And, I hasten to add, a great writer. I am ready now to read anything by Laura Hillenbrand. The story of the Olympic athlete in World War II (Unbroken) is one I bought for John. He declared it a great book, so I may get around to reading that one in the future.
What to read next? I haven't decided yet, but I think it will be another book of non-fiction.
I'll let you know what I choose in my next post.
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