Nicholson once again has discerned and described the many ways the sport of Thoroughbred racing can respond to, reflect, and perhaps even advance American attitudes and ambitions. He provides another highly intriguing and lively narrative which will grasp and entertain readers, whether new to the subject of racing or already familiar with the historic sport.
Nicholson's storytelling is layered, presenting events with enough historical details and texture to reveal the players' motivations. He conveys the minute-by-minute tension of horse races and their stakes, and captures American horse racing, and the gambling and doping scandals that almost wrought its demise, showing the complex role that shady politics played in saving the sport.
Jamie Nicholson's Racing for America is a captivating exploration of a critical moment in American racing and how a match race run nearly a century ago influences our era of horse racing. He weaves together the disparate forces and personalities that come together to bring post-war America the diversion of the Old World versus the New, and, in the process, creates a portrait of a sport overcoming its near-death experience to rival baseball for America's favorite sport. Come for the story of this legendary horse race and stay for an engrossing examination of how modern spectacles like the Breeder's Cup came to be.
"James C. Nicholson returns to the track, with his signature blend of compelling insight and elegant prose. In these pages, he vividly depicts 1923's international match race as an electrifying contest and as a window into the turbulent history of the United States after World War I." — Katherine C. Mooney, author of Race Horse Men: How Slavery and Freedom Were Made at the Racetrack
"Jamie Nicholson's Racing for America is a captivating exploration of a critical moment in American racing and how a match race run nearly a century ago influences our era of horse racing. He weaves together the disparate forces and personalities that come together to bring post-war America the diversion of the Old World versus the New, and, in the process, creates a portrait of a sport overcoming its near-death experience to rival baseball for America's favorite sport. Come for the story of this legendary horse race and stay for an engrossing examination of how modern spectacles like the Breeder's Cup came to be." — Jennifer S. Kelly, author of Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown
"Nicholson once again has discerned and described the many ways the sport of Thoroughbred racing can respond to, reflect, and perhaps even advance American attitudes and ambitions. He provides another highly intriguing and lively narrative which will grasp and entertain readers, whether new to the subject of racing or already familiar with the historic sport." — Edward L. Bowen, author of 22 books on Thoroughbred racing
"Nicholson's storytelling is layered, presenting events with enough historical details and texture to reveal the players' motivations. He conveys the minute-by-minute tension of horse races and their stakes, and captures American horse racing, and the gambling and doping scandals that almost wrought its demise, showing the complex role that shady politics played in saving the sport." — Foreword Reviews
"Nicholson…has masterfully chronicled the developments and potpourri of inimitable characters associated with the match race between 1923 Kentucky Derby winner Zev and 1923 Epsom Derby winner Papyrus." — Horse Racing Business
"A seminal work of original and meticulous scholarship that will have a special appeal to horse racing enthusiasts. This remarkably and impressively detailed, documented and informative history is particularly recommended for community, college and university library American Sports History and 20th Century American Biography collections." — Midwest Book Review
