Book Description
This highly visual collection of riding exercises will build specific Western riding skills and foster greater communication between horse and rider. Effective step-by-step lessons feature a complete description of gaits and movements, purpose and benefits, analysis and instructions, cautions, and tips for better performance.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-09-29
This book is well presented and the pictures are great. Detailed and well written with understandable instructions. A great book to have.
Practice Lessons.......2007-08-27
This is a great book if you are taking lessons from an instructor and you want additional things to practice. Beginners may not find it as helpful as they were hoping.
Western Practice Book.......2007-03-28
This book was very informative and gives me the proper mindset to bring to the barn for my horse to learn one step at a time. A great reference book and guide.
western practice lessons.......2007-01-19
This book is well written for the layperson with excellent diagrams, and was shipped promptly as promised.
Western Practice Lessons.......2006-08-01
Good information in an easy to read and easy to follow format.
Well organized.
Book Description
"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.
Customer Reviews:
Secretariat: The Making of a Champion.......2007-08-26
This is a WONDERFUL book! Received promptly. Loved every page! Thank you so much! Mia Rose Mahoney
The Heart Of A Titan.......2007-02-25
Ask anyone in the Thoroughbred industry who is 40-ish what was a major factor in getting into the game and I wager one response will be watching Big Red in 1972 and 1973.
Secretariat dominated the sport and captured the oftentimes fleeting attention of American pop culture in his memorable Triple Crown performances and beyond. To show his staying power, there are still hats, T-shirts, mugs, beanie dolls, bobbleheads and other souvenirs that celebrate his iconic career.
Author William Nack presents a truly insider's account of Secretariat through unprecedented access to the team around the racer. The reader rides the unique pace in the barn area, the highs & lows in training & racing and gets a better understanding to the controversial decision to retire Big Red after his three year old season.
The current edition includes a moving tribute to Big Red that initially appeared in Sports Illustrated. Secretariat was euthanized due to complications from laminitis, the malady that ultimately doomed Barbaro.
Secretariat was a larger than life athlete and Nack captures the nuances of what it took to become a champion.
Best I've Read.......2007-02-04
William Nack's book, Secretariat: The Making of A Champion, is the most wonderful, best written, book I've ever read! If you're a horse lover like I am, and if Secretariat is still your "hero", you will love this book. Once you get started reading, you'll find it hard to put down.
I'm an avid reader of non-fiction and this is the only book I've read twice from cover to cover. Somehow I lost the copy I read in 2003 and I had to read it again. I'm so glad I did. I think I enjoyed it even more the second time.
Mr.Nack puts you on Big Red's back throughout every race. You can hear the applause and screams from the grandstands. You can feel the power of that magnificient horse Ron Turcotte felt while in the saddle. You can almost hear his hoof beats on the track and on the turf.
Mr. Nack brings it all alive for you in his pages. He managed to bring Secretariat alive for me once more. My thanks to Mr.Nack for writing such a wonderful book about the horse I loved so much and that I still love today.
Secretariat the Overrated.......2006-12-26
A major, and I mean MAJOR, problem with this book is that there is NO INDEX! Who ever heard of a non-fiction book like this without an index? If you want to find anything, it's impossible. And the chapter heads aren't any help either.
Nack includes a lot of material that I was not interested in. When I bought and read this book, I thought Secretariat was the be-all and end-all of horseracing, and I didn't care to learn all about his background and all about every person who had ever come in contact with him.
There are very few photos, at least in my paperback edition, and these are in black and white, denying me a view of Secretariat's beautiful chestnut coat.
Secretariat, when he was three, had 12 starts, but won only 9, came in second twice, and third, once. He lost 3 races--STAKES races, to average horses. Not exactly a great record. Lots of horses have had better sophomore years. Once he was overtaken in the stretch by another horse, and another time he couldn't catch the leader in the stretch. He was known to run poorly on off=tracks. He was fortunate that all of the Triple Crown races were run on fast tracks. If one had been sloppy--who knows?
Secretariat's immortality is based on three things:
1) His incredible Belmont, a fantastic feat that no one can take away from him. However, his only real competition, Sham, dropped out early, so he was in essence simply running against the clock.
2) The fact that he was the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. He broke the jinx that had prevented several excellent horses before him from turning horseracing's hat trick.
3) He was a gorgeous-looking horse. How important that is in the TV age! If you watch TV, how often do you see ugly or plain people?
Citation, the previous winner of the Triple Crown in 1948, had 20 starts, with 19 wins and one second (in a stakes TRIAL, with a new rider, Eddie Arcaro, who took full blame for the loss). In the Derby, on a muddy track, he ran down Coaltown, one of the 100 best horses of the century, to win by 3. In the Preakness, again on a muddy track, he won by 5. In the Belmont, on a fast track, he was in first place wire to wire, winning easily by 8 lengths. Then, he won the Sysonby Mile against the best older sprinters in the land. THREE DAYS LATER, he raced in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when it was two miles, beat the best stayers in the country, including Phalanx, the 1947 Belmont winner, by 7 lengths. Then, 2 weeks later, he ran in the 1-5/8 mile Empire City cup in Yonkers and won again, beating older horses. He finished his year by winning two races in California!
Secretariat never did anything in his career to even come close to what Citation did. Yet people deify Secretariat and totally ignore Citation. I hope to rectify this soon by honoring Citation with his own website. Look for it!
Secretariat - The ONE True Champion.......2006-12-23
As a lover of horse racing, you can't help but love Secretariat as well. Secretariat: The Making of a Champion is an excellent read for horse racing lovers everywhere. You learn so much about what went on behind the scenes and how great of a horse Secretariat really was. William Nack provides an excellent narrative from the day Secretariat was foaled by Somthingroyal to the day of his last race.
If you love horse racing and Secretariat, there is no better book than this. You learn about the life of Penny Chenery to the life of this great red horse. You can see every stride he takes as he wins the Belmont by 31 lengths. An absolutely amazing book with great detail and insight.
Book Description
Follows The Blood-Horse's Top 100 list, beginning with Man o' War in the No. 1 spot and ending with Blue Larkspur at No. 100.
Customer Reviews:
very helpful.......2007-09-30
I thought this book was very helpful. I used it for a report that I had to do last week, and I got an A. Not only is it helpful, but also fun to read. The pictures are great!
Racing Industry Killed Its Brightest Star; Then Commits Suicide for Next 32 Years.......2007-07-17
What a joke--Ruffian ranked number 35! Whitely stated she was the best ever and he had Forgo in his stable. Laurin said she was greater than Secretariat. Remember the headlines she would beat Secretariat in head-to-head competition? I do. I also remember the industry hailing her as the greatest ever. Certainly one would have to go back to Eclipse to match her past performances. The whole industry hung their hopes of saving racing on her. And she brought legends of new fans to the track. Of course that was before the Great Match Race (one has to wonder what would have been so great about #35 vs #97). After that an industry embarassed by what its own greed had done reverted to making Ruffian the scapegoat for her own death as well as that of the industry. They also reverted to their old sexist ways. As a result they have been trying to destroy and belittle the legacy of this great horse (do you see her monument at KHP?). Sad thing is the racing industry never understood what brought her fans to the track. It had nothing to do with gambling (no one would get rich given her odds) but everything thing to do with a love of beauty and an appreciation of sheer perfection. Of course, no one expected the show of tremendous heart, courage and determination she exhibited in the match race. That made her immoral to her fans and proved an added embarassment to the industry. If ever the industry would give Ruffian her just due, they just might see her type of fans return to the tracks (and related sites such as KHP) in legend.
Interesting Debate Topic.......2007-05-19
A kindly rebuttal of the Secretariat bashing taking place by some reviewers. 16 victories in 21 career starts, record time in all three Triple Crown Races (his Preakness time was properly edited in 1999 representing the record). As for Hawkster who ran 1 1/2 mile in 2:22 2/5 on TURF in 1989 at Santa Anita on what the announcer described as an "unusually fast surface" (check YouTube), shows the adominable nature of 2:24 in the Belmont. No horse has come within 9 legnths of Secretariat's run in 73' on the dirt. I agree that Secretariat was not the greatest horse in racing history but on that day in 1973 at Belmont Park, he would have obliterated any other horse in the proud history of the sport of kings. Buy the book however and let the debate begin. We have been led to believe that the greatest horses travelled the dusty track in the 1970's, I believe this book challenges that assumption quite well.
Dark Tiger.......2007-02-25
I loved this book. Man O' War is indeed the greatest. There was one thing wrong though. Ruffian is ten times greater then Secretariat! She should be number two!!!! By the way, Kali. Man O' War had 3 world records!! Sec only had two. Get your facts straight before making a comment like that. Also, Sec was always let out while Man O' War never was!!!!!!!!!!!
Not Thorough Enough.......2007-01-07
In my view it is ridiculous to choose a horse to be numero uno if none of the staff ever saw him run. And I was dismayed that they voted for the way overrated Secretariat as second place. When he was three, he lost 3 stakes races out of 12 starts with no excuse (a 75% win record). Many horses in the top twenty had better percentages. And Kali, they, too, set speed records (Swaps has several to his record, so does Spectacular Bid). As Ben Jones said "Time only counts when you are in jail". Contrary to what you wrote, Man o' War broke many speed records in his day. The problem is that speed records are meant to be broken, and they are constantly. Even Secretariat's phenomenal 2:24 in the Belmont has been broken (2:22 and a fraction by a good horse named Hawkster).
In my view, Citation should be number one instead of number three for many reasons. It's almost impossible to compare horses from two different eras, but Citation was Man 0' War's equal in many respects. If he had been retired after his third year, he would have had a lifetime record of 29 starts with 27 wins and two excusable seconds. No horse in the book comes close to that. Against older horses (neither Secretariat or Man o' War raced against older horses as many times as Citation did).
Well, enough of that. The bios of the horses vary in quality, from average to very good. The photos are wonderful though, some even in color. I agree that the fillies are given short shrift here, and some should be much more highly ranked than they are.
But if you are a racing fan, this is a fun book to have. You can re-rank the horses to your own liking. I have.
Book Description
Each chapter tells the story of each champion's racing career, decade by decade, followed by past performances of these Thoroughbred legends. There is a chapter for each decade, recounting a few horses' careers and several memorable races, accompanied by pictures of horses in action and at rest, to celebrate and honor the greatest achievements of the Thoroughbred bloodline.
Customer Reviews:
America's Horse Athletes.......2007-08-29
I bought this book for my husband as a present as we both enjoy horses and horse racing. He couldn't put it down. The book offers easy to read history that would fascinate anyone with or without an interest in horse racing. The reader becomes excited reading about such races as Secretariat and Affirmed. It renews or introduces interest in horses such as Whirlaway and Nashua. This is a readable book with the past performances (which are hard to read for the non-horse race handicapper) that can be used as a reference book, too. The book is nicely organized with chapters representing the great horses of the decades and brings the reader up to the present (2004). If you like sports and admire athletes - here's a book filled with the greatest of them all!
Great gift for the racing fan.......2007-04-13
Bought this as a gift for my Dad. Huge horse racing fan. I guess this is a must have item. I personally have no idea. But he raved and raved about getting it. If you are shopping for a gift also get them the horse racing almanac.
Timeless classic.......2006-06-07
I don't know how to describe how wonderful this book is other than to say that after reading through this book for a week, I declared to my wife that I could spend an hour a day for the rest of my life reading this and be happy doing it. If you are a fan of the game, this is something you absolutely must have. It not only covers the champion horses organized by decade, but each horse's lifetime past performances are included. Anyone who has ever picked up a racing form should delight to see the history of the game in this format.
Customer Reviews:
Win with Bob Avila.......2001-10-10
This book really addresses the psychological aspect of riding. Avila looks at attitude and professionalism in the sport, and gives keys and words of wisdom that will enable the reader to develop a 'winning attitude'. A very positive book that would benefit anyone wanting to go to 'the next level' with their horse, wether they intend to show or not.
A fine equestrian instructional for serious riders........2001-05-04
A fine equestrian instructional and highly recommended picks for those with more than a casual interest in the sport, Juli S. Thorson's Win With Bob Avila teaches riders how to become champions. From succeeding as a trainer or competitor to understanding horses and building a team which can compete effectively, this provides practical competition savvy for riders. A highly recommended pick.
A MUST READ for all horseman.......2001-04-17
Juli Thorson has years of experience as an editor and contributor of some of the equine world's more popular magazines and breed journals. Her first book, Win with Bob Avila, proves she's got the same magic between hard covers as well. Teaming up with long-time associate and multiple World Champion horseman, Bob Avila, Thorson has created a "how-to" manual that covers everything BUT in-the-saddle training. Many horseman get mired in the under-saddle training process of producing a winning ride, but miss the thousands of details, both conscious and unconscious, that enhance or hinder the hard work and mental and emotional effort that go into presentation and delivery of that winning ride. Thorson and Avila delve into the selection of quality tack, building a support team, selecting the best stock for your program, examining resources and setting realistic goals. Throughout the book you will find thought-provoking questions and worksheets that will entice you to step back and examine your equine endeavors from angles you may not have considered before or learn how to examine them from the eyes of your customers and competition. Even if you already have a shelf full of training manuals, this book's fresh insight into the mind of a champion is a valuable addition to any collection. It will train your eye and skill to all the details that go beyond training and help pave the path to the winner's circle.
Book Description
Cindy McLean's colt, Wonder's Champion, is facing the three most challenging races of his career. To win the Triple Crown, he has to sweep not only the Kentucky Derby but the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes as well.
Cindy has trained Wonder's Champion to become Whitebrook's greatest runner yet. But her work is far from over. Illness and injuries threaten to ruin her colt's chances of winning. And now it's up to Cindy to prove to everyone that her colt is truly a winner.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent........2005-08-26
i myself liked this book. Whitebrook finally has a Triple Crown winner! I love Champion and I'm glad he won. He's the greatest horse ever.
Wonders Champion.......2005-07-19
In Wonders Champion, Ashleighs Wonders foal, Wonders Champion is finally racing again. Months back the colt had been dangerous and out of control. Champion was great on the racetrack but hated almost everything else. Champions whole family has been a champion, his dam Ashleighs Wonder, her foals: Wonders Pride, Townsend Princess, Mr.Wonderful, and now Champion. Cindy Mclean has watched the colt grow up into a beautiful racehorse. After Cindy gave up on her dead colt, Storms Ransom, Cindy mabe made Champions attitude improve. It took a while to let go of Storms lose but when she finally did, the unperdactable colt has changed. Champion loved to run and ran his heart out for his races. Finally his owners Ashleigh griffen and Clay Townsend decides to head towards the Kentucky Derby and the Tripple Crown. Champions jockey Ashleigh Griffen and trainer believes Champion can go that level and race the 3 long races. Can Champion pass the test that his mother couldnt. Ashleighs Wonder, Champion dam was an amazing racehorse. She even ran in the Tripple Crown. Wonder beat the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes but lost in the Preakness by being bumped. Can Champion win the 3 long races? Find out in Wonders Champion. Or just email me at [...]
Save the Thoroughbred Series!.......2005-02-17
The Cindy and second generation eventing portions of the series were dark days for Thoroughbred. The plots have since switched back to racing and the newest few books have been exceptional. Just as we thought there was hope for the Thoroughbred series to be restored to its former glory Harper Collins has decided to end the series abruptly after #72. With such a dedicated following and online fan base with members from all over the world, this is a classic and beloved series that has inspired many people and provided horse fans with vicarious thrills and adventure. Ashleigh saved Wonder, now it's up to you to help save Thoroughbred. [...]
This book stunk!.......2003-09-01
i think this was the all time most stupid thoroughbred book yet! the end was soo horrible! if Wonder and Pride couldn't win the TC then Champion sure shouldn't. i mean he's just a super duper horse taht will only run for a spoiled super-kid called Cindy. he's barely able to run in a straight line then all of a sudden he wins the Triple Crown? yea right! i think this book is horrible and no one should even consider reading it!
Wonder's Champion is the best!.......2002-05-28
This book is so awesome! Whitebrook has been wanting a triple Crown winner for, like, so long! Wonder won the Derby and the Belmont, and Pride won the Derby and Preakness, but they have never bred and trained a Triple Crown Winner. Until Wonder's Champion. Cindy helps Champion to over come his problems with other horses, and it pays off! after battling through temperment problems and a hoof injury, Champion shows the world that he truly is his name. U have to read this book!
Customer Reviews:
go champion go.......2005-12-21
i love all of wonder's foals but i like champion the best because fo his spirit and wild nature. i also like that he won the triple crown!
Snore.......2005-10-07
This book begins with another of Ashleigh's Wonder's fabulous offspring, Wonder's Champion. Cindy(whom all thoroughbred fans have grown to hate) grows to love Champion, and has faith in him, and blah blah blah. Champion has an uncontrollable amount of spirit, that gets in the way of him doing his best in races. This book is extremely forgettable. And when you're done, you'll think, "So wait, what just happened?" All in all, the series has evolved into a disgrace to all equestrian novels. The series is filled with quick fixes, and happy endings. And Joanna Campbell will never be replaced, as it shows in this book. Thoroughly dissapointing. And it only gets worse. Although, arouns #70, the series is said to pick up, there will never be another thoroughbred book after 72. In my opinion, these books need a long rest out in the pasture.
Champions Spirit.......2005-07-19
In Champions Spirit, Wonders Champion has just started his racing career. Wonders Champion was one of Ashleighs Wonders foals. Ashleighs Wonder was one of the best racehorses in her old racing days. And now she passed her talent to her foals:Wonder Pride, Townsend Princess, Mr.Wonderful, and now Wonders Champion has Wonders talent. But Champion is hard to handle. Unlike his brothers and sister, Champion has strong likes and dislikes, goes after the other horses in the walking ring and balks at the gate. Champion is almost perfect when he runs though. After Storms Ransoms death, Cindy Mclean has missed the grey colt terribiely. Cindy mclean has watched some of the best racehorses Whitebrook Farm grow up. Cindy has grew a bond with the famous track breaking record March To Glory, the amazing Sprinter Storms Ransom, and now will Cindy show that love again for Champion when Storm is dead. Cindy Mclean has watched the beautiful colt grow up into a beautiful racer. The only problem is Champions behavior. The track stewards tell Ashleigh Griffen, Champions jockey, trainer, and half owner and Mike Reese, Ashleighs husband that if Champion doesnt start to behave, they will have to disqualify Champion from his races. Cindy, his groom knows the colt could be a champion if he was given the chance. But will Cindy getover Stroms death to help a unperdactble colt become a champion like his family? find out in Champions Spirit. Or email me at Blades60@aol.com
Save the Thoroughbred Series!.......2005-02-17
The Cindy and second generation eventing portions of the series were dark days for Thoroughbred. The plots have since switched back to racing and the newest few books have been exceptional. Just as we thought there was hope for the Thoroughbred series to be restored to its former glory Harper Collins has decided to end the series abruptly after #72. With such a dedicated following and online fan base with members from all over the world, this is a classic and beloved series that has inspired many people and provided horse fans with vicarious thrills and adventure. Ashleigh saved Wonder, now it's up to you to help save Thoroughbred. [...]
where is glory?.......2004-12-01
I loved this book but I don't understand that glory is there one book but gone in the next. Read Ashleigh's Diary. Thoroughbred rocks!!
Book Description
This book is a groudbreaking and encyclopedic compendium of the greatest racehorses of the last 100 years.
Customer Reviews:
champions yesterday and today.......2004-04-21
What a wonderful book - filled with statistics, stories and sometimes pictures. It takes the champions of the 20th century (American thoroughbreds, for example, Horse of the Year, and tells the stories of their racing careers decade by decade. Each chapter of text is followed by Past Performances, as put together by the DRF. There are stories about long-ago horses I haven't seen since Robertson's History of Thoroughbred Racing in America. It's going to take a long time to read this book - not because it's slow reading, but because I keep going back and forth in time to compare stories and speed fractions.
One thing I'd change - even if they didn't have the space to tell the story of each champion, I wish they'd found the space to have a picture of each one. As they say.....one picture is worth....... I love looking at pictures of the old racers and the newer ones - line them up next to each other and look at their relative build, then go to the track and see who reminds you of the great old geldings or the powerful sprinters. Now THAT's data!
great book.......2004-03-03
i already wrote a review praising this book, but i wanted to leave another to let people know that they don't have to pay the extravagant prices wanted by the thieves selling here on amazon. simply go to drf.com and you can get this book for the list price of $50. i'm not affiliated with them, i just think it's wrong for someone to try and over-charge by 7 times because someone might not know where else they could get the book.
A FANTASTIC REFERENCE TO HAVE ON HAND!.......2003-09-14
I bought this as a birthday gift for my 25 year-old daughter, and it's her favorite of anything I have ever given her! She has always been really good at spouting names, numbers, years, tenths of a seconds, etc. Now she'll be insufferable! This book is absolutely loaded with all the racing stats you could ever think of! She actually WHOOPED when she opened the package!!! She opened it and explained all the racing stats to me--she understood every bit as soon as she saw it (I was still in boondoggled land!) The book DID have some of my favorite recent horses in it (such as Bertrando and Paseana) and it had ALL of her favorites in there! It also contains pretty much all the great horses of the century. One thing even I noticed and really loved in this book, is it tells who the jockey was in each race.
And of course, the unsurpassable Secretariat is in here; all his races. I still think that seeing him win the Belmont and with it the Triple Crown, was the greatest moment in sports history! The reruns are unreal, but there was NOTHING like seeing it happen!
I can't speak as an owner, trainer, or one who bets. But as a "serious fan" of racing, I can truly say this is one extraordinary reference manual to have on hand. WELL worth the price!
Daily Racing Form did a Great Job on this one.......2003-08-04
For all of us in the Horse Racing business as owners, toutes, fans, etc, everyone knows the Daily Racing Form is the key publication for past performance data and news.
The PP's(past performances) of famous champions of the past really open your eyes as you see that some of them ran within days of their last start in Major Stakes races and others ran at tracks that no longer exist, or across the country and both coasts in the same season.
The best of the best are in here, and as DRF did a very good job with arrangement and information. Its like looking at the Breeders Cup Entries of the Immortals !
Best Regards to All, MC - TheStickRules.Com
good book.......2003-07-07
a good book which serves as both an overview of horse racing in the 20th century, as well as offering loads of past performance lines so race fans can compare the greatest thoroughbreds.
Book Description
"Kristina O'Donnelly does it again! Get ready to be swept away in this magnificently written classic novel of history, love, war, suspense, action, bravery and mystery. Kristina's research of history combined with this fascinating tale takes the reader on an exciting fast paced journey. Andromakhe is a well written, hauntingly beautiful story. A must-read epic for all. (It would make a stupendous movie too.) Readers of Mary Renault and Marion Zimmer Bradley are certain to enjoy Andromakhe!" Caryn Day-Suarez, President - POW! Toastmasters - Jacksonville, Host of "The POW Show" - Weekly on WJGR 1320 AM Kristina O'Donnelly takes the immortal tale of Troy - gods, heroes, and battles, but gives us the woman's take. The strong women that are victimized by the violence, yet survive and ultimately rise above it. For thousands of years, Hector and Andromache of the Iliad have symbolized the archetypical loving and loyal husband and wife. Most novels about the Trojan War end with the Fall of Troy. But here, as we dwell in Andromâkhe's life, we have an account that encompasses the main as well as pre and post-Iliad years. Love, hate, greed, war, intrigue, heroes and villains combine with authenticated geography/history, offering an intimate view into the Bronze Age. O'Donnelly has done a great job taking the violent male-centered story of The Iliad and bringing it a female perspective. Men get the glory, women do the suffering (men suffer too, of course, but it's often their choice--women have fewer choices, and had fewer yet in those ancient days). Andromakhe is a powerful novel and the must-read story for 2006.
Customer Reviews:
A different slant on a Greek legend.......2006-11-29
This novel recreates the life of Andromakhe of Greek legend. It covers her marriage to Hector, her life in Troy, and what happened to her after the city's fall. Showing the strength of one woman in a male dominated society, it goes into detail about her doomed relationship with Hector and brutal the death of their son. It is action packed and a fascinating portrait of Andromakhe and the life she might have led. If you are familiar with Greek legend you will recognize many of the characters.
Although the book does not claim to be fact, there is a lot of historical research woven into the plot. The story is beautifully written and it is a creative story of strength and love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.
'FANTASTIC'.......2006-09-05
...(I absolutely adore "Andromakhe"!) I had a little trouble with the names right at first, as they were all foreign to me .. but little by little I was able to put them in their places. It's hard for me to comprehend the detailed research that went into this novel .... I've always been fascinated with mythology and now I know why.... I found myself living in that land and going through the war with Andromakhe... such a beautiful lady....not only in body but also spirit...I could picture each of the characters and her pain on losing Hektor...Just a fantastic story. O'Donnelly has done a wonderful job and I've thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Betty Sullivan La Pierre
Mystery/Suspense Author
A woman's gripping odyssey.......2006-09-05
O'Donnelly's "Andromakhe" gives the old legend a new face, new meaning. In this emotional and literal odyssey, Andromakhe rises high, is loved not only by Hector, Prince of Troy, but also by Helenos, brother of Hector, she is coveted by Achilles, and later by the legendary King Memnon. But it's her destiny to be tested again and again by the Goddess in whom she has an unshakable faith, and she is slammed with the unendurable loss of ALL her loved ones and her country.
Somehow, she manages to endure the unendurable, and fights to make a difference in the overall scheme of things.
Andromache's love for Hector is as strong as in the familiar legend, but she is a fleshed out, independent-minded woman interested in the world she lives in, and its mysteries. She understands her inescapable role in the convoluted games kings play as they battle to extend their dominions. She feels empathy for Helen of Troy, and well, has a talking cat (though she is the only one who can converse with him).
I am not sure if for some readers this is a turn-off, but O'Donnelly narrates the story in 1st person (Andromache's), therefore the battle scenes are viewed from the walls, you are not down in the field, shoulder-to-shoulder with Hector. But the painful sense of helplessness while watching one's beloved husband face up to death and dismemberment day after day, is realistic. The aftermath of Troy's fall as Andromakhe is hurled into slavery (we tour Greece and Illyria, their social and military customs, how the belief in the same Goddess is interpreted there, and learn more about Achilles's son, the equally successful but fully human warrior, Neoptolemus). Aspects such as magic and reincarnation are subtly employed, and in my opinion, add to the spice.
I've read two others books by Kristina O'Donnelly, The Horseman and Trojan Enchantment (which is a 21st Century, companion novel of Andromakhe), and I've been wondering about when, at long last, O'Donnelly will leave the Aegean region and write a novel about Ireland!
A different strokes for different folks, kind of Andromache.......2006-09-04
"Andromakhe" is an interesting, well-researched, but for some readers, quite unusual take on an old legend. While O'Donnelly is reasonably faithful to the original storyline, meaning this novel is not "alternate history," therefore Andromache does marry Hector, he is the love of her life forever, she does have an existence apart from what we are generally familiar with. For example, she is a scribe, loves reading and researching, from philosophy to history, has ESP, ponders reincarnation, communicates with animals, and trains herself to wield the sword. But she is not exactly an amazon warrioress a la M.Z. Bradley's Cassandra in The Firebrand, but neither is she the spoiled, selfish brat from Kolchis, Andromache is portrayed as in The Firebrand. Well, I happen to like The Firebrand, so this is not a putdown of Bradley's novel, just an observation of how different authors can interpret familiar characters differently. For example, in David Gemmel's excellent novel, Lord of the Silver Bow (Book I in Gemmel's Troy series), Andromache is presented as a (comparately speaking) mature woman in her twenties, a priestess with the skill of an amazon in how she uses bow and arrow, sexually liberated (or a swinger, depending on your p.o.v on these matters) who enjoys sex with women but falls in love with Aeneas, Prince of Dardania, then agrees to love and marry Hector.
In the opening of "Andromakhe", we meet her at the age of 13, as a loving daughter in her father's palace in Anatolian Thebe, and we start walking in her shoes (and her soul). We get acquainted with the era, customs, locale, her parents and her complex relationship with them. Andromache has a close-encounter with what seems to be the Goddess, and later, during a near-death experience (while out of her body) has an ethereal meeting with the man who might or might not have been a brother of hers during a past life.
Another deviation from the legend is her relationship with Helenos, Hector's brother (according to various legends, the man she weds many years after Hector's death, while they are in exile in Greece). They are still teenagers when a tender love springs between them -- long before she is promised to Hector. But when the "game of empire" demands that the heir of Troy takes her to wife, Andromache, dutiful (albeit somewhat rebellious, as befits a teenager) daughter that she is, is obligated to go along with it.
What I found believable is how Hector and Andromache ultimately fell in love with each other, with a devotion that transcended time and space.
The writing style is not heavy-handed, with good historical details that illuminate the "backstage" of the great war, politics and psychology. Overall, Andromakhe the Novel covers a lot of new ground with a plucky heroine who has willpower, stamina, faith, and thus, triumphs in her own way.
Disappointing.......2006-09-02
I bought this book with high hopes, and I have to admit I was disappointed. The characters aren't entirely realistic, the descriptions are lacking, and I found it extremely difficult to like Andromakhe, who is one of my favorite characters in the legend. For me, this strayed too far from Homer, Virgil, and the playwrights who wrote about Troy. I have read much better stories about this topic. Bottom line, I read it simply because Hector and Andromache are my favorite characters from the legend, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would.
Average customer rating:
- Begining Gymnasts, You Will Love This Book
|
Gymnastics: The Pommel Horse and the Rings (Compete Like a Champion)
Joanne Mattern
Manufacturer: Rourke Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
 Gymnastics
| Sports
| Sports & Activities
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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Gymnastics
| Individual Sports
| Sports
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ASIN: 0865935688 |
Customer Reviews:
Begining Gymnasts, You Will Love This Book.......2001-03-31
This is a verry good book for gymnasts who are just getting started in the sport or for kids who want to learn a few skills. There are lots of delightfull, colorfull pictures.
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