Author(s): Laura Hillenbrand

History

This is the true story of three men and their dreams for a racehorse - Seabiscuit - which encompasses a pivotal moment in American history: its resurrection from the Depression. In 1936, as Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" was published, the habits of 19th-century America were finally consigned to history. 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. Yet, by 1937, Seabiscuit could draw crowds of 60,000 and had more newspaper column inches devoted to him than Mussolini, Hitler or Roosevelt. During an appearance at the Santa Anita Handicap, his popularity peaked. 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.