If you're a fan of the written-off underdog particlularly race horses winning against long odds you might find Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit:An American Legend an inspiring read.

In the grip of the Great Depression 1930s America an unlikely partnership of three men was forged.  Red Pollard a blind in one eye hard luck jockey, Tom Smith a savvy trainer with mysterious horse whisperer ways and a wealthy, ex-cavalry businessman Charles Howard combined their horse sense and grit to turn a "train wreck" of a three year old colt into a fabled champion.

Hillenbrand makes it plain that this story is not about an overnight transformation of a losing thoroughbred into a consumate winner. The reader gets to "learn the horse" as trainer Smith liked to say and ride along with Pollard on a patient two year journey of  failures and modest successes as they sought to unlock  Seabiscuit's innate racing talents.

The author provides ample chapter notes and a selection of historical photographs to enliven this pauper to prince tale.