Battleship: A Daring Heiress, A Teenage Jockey, and America's Horse - Hardcover

Ours, Dorothy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312641850 ISBN 13: 9780312641856

Publisher: St Martins Pr, 2013

Synopsis

The youngest jockey, the smallest horse, and an unconventional heiress who disliked publicizing herself. Together, near Liverpool, England, they made a leap of faith on a spring day in 1938: overriding the jockey's father, trusting the boy and the horse to handle a race course called "Suicide Lane."

About this title

Review:

"Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet", Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion."

--Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

"Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain to be enthralled by the richness given to this uniquely American tale of a Man o' War son traveling to England for the world's greatest steeplechase race at Aintree. Dorothy Ours excels as she breathes excitement into a grand bygone era with great style."

--Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, owner and breeder of Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom

"Meticulously-researched and accurately-written...an easy joy to read. I gained a lot of fascinating new background material on the leading characters, while the vivid description of the race itself was both stirringly exciting and emotionally moving. This is a totally addictive book that I just could not put down."

--Jane Clarke, Grand National historian/researcher for Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool and curator of the Grand National Museum
"Author Ours clearly has a deep appreciation for racehorses, their riders, and the people who build their lives around them. Perfect for fans of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" or Bill Nack's "Secretariat."" --"Booklist"""
"Evokes a time when horse racing was not only the sport of kings, but captured the global imagination of millions . . . a companion for Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit."" --"Kirkus"
"Battleship reminds us that many thoroughbreds, like many humans, are only getting started in their Derby days . . . If, like Battleship, we have it in us to try the Grand National steeplechase, we may even rise to 4 miles and 856 yards, jumping 30 fences, leaping as high as our own shoulders while carrying much heavier burdens than the Derby babies bear. And that, more than any Derby victory, should give us hope . . . As Battleship the late-bloomer proved, there's more than one way to the Hall of Fame." --"New York Times" horse racing blog," The Rail"

"Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet," Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion."

--Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

"Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain to be enthralled by the richness given to this uniquely American tale of a Man o' War son traveling to England for the world's greatest steeplechase race at Aintree. Dorothy Ours excels as she breathes excitement into a grand bygone era with great style."

--Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, owner and breeder of Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom

"Meticu

"Dorothy Ours' fresh perspective makes for delightful reading. Straight from the gate, this is a well-researched exploration of Team Battleship, as well as a colorful snapshot of an era when horses could still be national heroes. . . "Battleship" is a moving read by a talented writer, and a worthy addition to any sporting library."
--"The Equiery" magazine
"Author Ours clearly has a deep appreciation for racehorses, their riders, and the people who build their lives around them. Perfect for fans of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" or Bill Nack's "Secretariat."" --"Booklist"""
"Evokes a time when horse racing was not only the sport of kings, but captured the global imagination of millions . . . a companion for Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit."" --"Kirkus"
"Battleship reminds us that many thoroughbreds, like many humans, are only getting started in their Derby days . . . If, like Battleship, we have it in us to try the Grand National steeplechase, we may even rise to 4 miles and 856 yards, jumping 30 fences, leaping as high as our own shoulders while carrying much heavier burdens than the Derby babies bear. And that, more than any Derby victory, should give us hope . . . As Battleship the late-bloomer proved, there's more than one way to the Hall of Fame." --"New York Times" horse racing blog," The Rail"

"Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet," Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion."

--Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

"Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain

"Meticulously researched and beautifully written. Ours masterfully ties the sport of racing together with the outer world that embraces it, all the while presenting a cast of human characters we grow to care about, and whose patience and faith ultimately allowed a horse's greatness to shine through . . . A gifted writer with a great tale to tell." --"Daily Racing Form
""Dorothy Ours' fresh perspective makes for delightful reading. Straight from the gate, this is a well-researched exploration of Team Battleship, as well as a colorful snapshot of an era when horses could still be national heroes. . . "Battleship" is a moving read by a talented writer, and a worthy addition to any sporting library."
--"The Equiery" magazine
"Dorothy Ours knocked this one right out of the ballpark. Written in a similar vein as Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit," "Battleship" evokes a bygone era . . . [Ours] brings Battleship 'home' with a flourish."--"Horse Country"
"Author Ours clearly has a deep appreciation for racehorses, their riders, and the people who build their lives around them. Perfect for fans of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" or Bill Nack's "Secretariat."" --"Booklist"""
"Evokes a time when horse racing was not only the sport of kings, but captured the global imagination of millions . . . a companion for Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit."" --"Kirkus"
"Battleship reminds us that many thoroughbreds, like many humans, are only getting started in their Derby days . . . If, like Battleship, we have it in us to try the Grand National steeplechase, we may even rise to 4 miles and 856 yards, jumping 30 fences, leaping as high as our own shoulders while carrying much heavier burdens than the Derby babies bear. And that, more than any Derby victory, should give us hope . . . As Battleship the late-bloomer proved, there's more than one way to the Hall of Fame." --"New York Times" horse racing blog," The Rail"

"Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet," Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion."

--Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

"Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain to be enthralled by the richness given to this uniquely American tale of a Man o' War son traveling to England for the world's greatest steeplechase race at Aintree. Dorothy Ours excels as she breathes excitement into a grand bygone era with great style."

--Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, owner and breeder of Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom

"Meticulously-researched and accurately-written...an easy joy to read. I gained a lot of fascinating new background material on the leading characters, while the vivid description of the race itself was both stirringly exciting and emotionally moving. This is a totally addictive book that I just could not put down."

--Jane Clarke, Grand National historian/researcher for Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool and curator of the Grand National Museum
Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet," Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion.--Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain to be enthralled by the richness given to this uniquely American tale of a Man o' War son traveling to England for the world's greatest steeplechase race at Aintree. Dorothy Ours excels as she breathes excitement into a grand bygone era with great style.--Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, owner and breeder of Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom

Meticulously researched and beautifully written. Ours masterfully ties the sport of racing together with the outer world that embraces it, all the while presenting a cast of human characters we grow to care about, and whose patience and faith ultimately allowed a horse's greatness to shine through . . . A gifted writer with a great tale to tell. "Daily Racing Form"

Dorothy Ours' fresh perspective makes for delightful reading. Straight from the gate, this is a well-researched exploration of Team Battleship, as well as a colorful snapshot of an era when horses could still be national heroes. . . "Battleship" is a moving read by a talented writer, and a worthy addition to any sporting library. "The Equiery magazine"

Dorothy Ours knocked this one right out of the ballpark. Written in a similar vein as Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit," "Battleship" evokes a bygone era . . . [Ours] brings Battleship home' with a flourish. "Horse Country"

Author Ours clearly has a deep appreciation for racehorses, their riders, and the people who build their lives around them. Perfect for fans of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" or Bill Nack's "Secretariat." "Booklist"

Evokes a time when horse racing was not only the sport of kings, but captured the global imagination of millions . . . a companion for Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit "Kirkus"

Battleship reminds us that many thoroughbreds, like many humans, are only getting started in their Derby days . . . If, like Battleship, we have it in us to try the Grand National steeplechase, we may even rise to 4 miles and 856 yards, jumping 30 fences, leaping as high as our own shoulders while carrying much heavier burdens than the Derby babies bear. And that, more than any Derby victory, should give us hope . . . As Battleship the late-bloomer proved, there's more than one way to the Hall of Fame. "New York Times horse racing blog, The Rail"

Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine Velvet Brown of Enid Bagnold's novel "National Velvet," Battleship's owner, Marion duPont Scott, persisted in her belief that her little American horse belonged in England's greatest and most challenging race over jumps. Ours' cadenced language, both elegant and often exhilarating, recalls the thundering hooves and pounding heart of her champion. Elizabeth M. Tobey, Ph.D.

Anybody with an appreciation of racing's history is certain to be enthralled by the richness given to this uniquely American tale of a Man o' War son traveling to England for the world's greatest steeplechase race at Aintree. Dorothy Ours excels as she breathes excitement into a grand bygone era with great style. Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, owner and breeder of Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom

Meticulously-researched and accurately-written an easy joy to read. I gained a lot of fascinating new background material on the leading characters, while the vivid description of the race itself was both stirringly exciting and emotionally moving. This is a totally addictive book that I just could not put down. "Daily Racing Form""

"Meticulously researched and beautifully written. Ours masterfully ties the sport of racing together with the outer world that embraces it, all the while presenting a cast of human characters we grow to care about, and whose patience and faith ultimately allowed a horse's greatness to shine through . . . A gifted writer with a great tale to tell." --Daily Racing Form

"Dorothy Ours' fresh perspective makes for delightful reading. Straight from the gate, this is a well-researched exploration of Team Battleship, as well as a colorful snapshot of an era when horses could still be national heroes. . . Battleship is a moving read by a talented writer, and a worthy addition to any sporting library." --The Equiery magazine

"Dorothy Ours knocked this one right out of the ballpark. Written in a similar vein as Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit, Battleship evokes a bygone era . . . [Ours] brings Battleship 'home' with a flourish." --Horse Country

"Author Ours clearly has a deep appreciation for racehorses, their riders, and the people who build their lives around them. Perfect for fans of Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit or Bill Nack's Secretariat." --Booklist

"Evokes a time when horse racing was not only the sport of kings, but captured the global imagination of millions . . . a companion for Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit" --Kirkus

"Battleship reminds us that many thoroughbreds, like many humans, are only getting started in their Derby days . . . If, like Battleship, we have it in us to try the Grand National steeplechase, we may even rise to 4 miles and 856 yards, jumping 30 fences, leaping as high as our own shoulders while carrying much heavier burdens than the Derby babies bear. And that, more than any Derby victory, should give us hope . . . As Battleship the late-bloomer proved, there's more than one way to the Hall of Fame." --New York Times horse racing blog, The Rail

"Following her superb biography of America's greatest racehorse Man o'War, Dorothy Ours tells the story of Man o'War's son, Battleship, and his quest to win the Grand National steeplechase. Like the heroine...

About the Author:

DOROTHY OURS is lifelong horse and racing enthusiast who worked for several years at America's National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Her first book, Man o' War: A Legend Like Lightning, was honored as runner-up for Thoroughbred racing's inaugural Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. She has freelanced as a racing journalist and studied Battleship and his world as a John H. Daniels Research Fellow at the National Sporting Library in Middleburg, Virginia. Her B.F.A. in Theater came in handy while exploring the world of Randolph Scott.

About this edition

• Publisher: St Martins Pr
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0312641850
• ISBN 13: 9780312641856
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 360