▷▷▷▷▷ Check Out Secretariat: The Making of a Champion for $9.79

Secretariat: The Making of a Champion Review

William Nack, Secretariat: The Making of a Champion 2/E (Da Capo, 2002)

I finished this book back in July, and here it is November. I don't know why it is that I sometimes have problems figuring out what to say about a book to the point where I end up leaving it for four months, and why it is that it's always a horse book (to this day, I still have not reviewed Jane Schwartz' Ruffian: Burning from the Start, which I read in 2004) that causes this sort of blockage, but so it is.

Obviously, this is the story of Secretariat, the horse who wowed a nation in 1972 and 1973. The subtitle should have twigged me to the fact that the later part of his career was going to get short shrift, but somehow I didn't grasp that until I got to the penultimate chapter and we were still only up to the Belmont. Still, it's your basic horse biography--a focus on the horse himself, yes, but also a lot of talking about the horse's connections. Oftentimes, that's not nearly as interesting (at least, for the horse lover), but Nack's writing combined with the momentous events going on around him at the time keep the areas where the book focuses on the human part of the equation almost as interesting as the parts about Secretariat himself. (Prospective authors of horse biographies may be wondering just how much, in fact, readers can take of reading about stall routines, workouts, getting ready for races, cooling down from races, and all the rest of the minutiae of the horse himself. I'm here to tell you that such a book would be my favorite of the horse biographies I've read.)

The new edition of the book published in 2002 also contains, as an afterword, Nack's touching Sports Illustrated essay on Secretariat's death, for which Nack--purely by coincidence--was on hand. Even if you already own the original edition of the book, it's at least worth getting it out of the library to read the supplementary materials in the updated edition. This is very good stuff, as most horse biographies are. ****

Secretariat: The Making of a Champion Feature

ISBN13: 9780306811333
Condition: New
Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Secretariat: The Making of a Champion Overview

"Secretariat is an elegantly crafted, exhilarating tale of speed and power, grace and greatness, told with such immediacy that the reader is lost in the rush of horses and the clatter and ring of the grandstand." --Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit.

In 1973, Secretariat, the greatest thoroughbred in horse-racing history, won the Triple Crown. The only horse to ever break the two-minute mark in winning the Kentucky Derby until last year's winner Monarchos, Secretariat also pulled off one of the most astounding victories in the annals of horse racing by winning the Belmont Stakes by a record-breaking thirty-one lengths. Now William Nack updates his acclaimed portrait with a new afterword that examines the legacy of one of ESPN's "100 Greatest Athletes of the Century," and the only horse to ever grace the covers of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated all in the same week.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

Customer Reviews

The Greatest Thoroughbred of My Generation - Julia A. Andrews - Peoria, Illinois
Some teenagers had Elvis, others the Beatles. I had Secretariat. I must confess I can barely think of "Big Red" or say his name without my eyes welling up in tears. Always a "horse nut" Secretariat touched my heart and spirit in someway no other horse has before or since. Instead of posters of rock stars on my college dorm wall it was ALL and ALWAYS Secretariat. I purchased this book several years ago and thought it was a truly excellent biography. The Brits have their Red Rum, I will always have "Big Red".

I also purchased a DVD of his races that I have smiled through my tears while watching. Highly recommend it for any Secretariat fan. The Life & Times of Secretariat, an American Racing Legend

There is a movie scheduled for release this summer (2010) about Big Red. See you in line at the theater!

Big Red Rules!

A complete synopsis of Secretariat - Lynn Lewis - Olympia, WA
a remarkably well researched and well done bio of one of the greatest race horses. No detail was left out in the life of this horse including his background, breeding, owners, jockeys, trainers, and his influence on racing. I read every word with fascination and could hardly wait to get back to it each day. It was particularly appealing for this life long horse lover and owner of a Thoroughbred breeding farm.

A Nack for Writing - R. A. Cardenas - san antonio, tx
I read this work some years back and considered it as I do now the most comprehensive work on the horse. Bill covers not only Secretariat's pedigree in great depth but also Penny's family ancestry, several generations. In so doing, he covers much of 'whos who' in the ancestry of American racing. Bill covers in depth many of Secretariats races, before and after, all the way through the triple crown events afterwhich he seems to soften up, as if the remaining were just mop-up. I wish he would have added additional material covering his days at Claiborne. If one wishes to become a Secretariat aficionado, this is a must read. There are a number of other works out there but this one I believe is the base from which to start. It is a long read so have fun.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 09, 2010 15:21:04

Books Sports

Thursday, September 9, 2010