My Racing Heart : The Passionate World of Thoroughbreds and the Track
Author(s): Nan Mooney
When Nan Mooney was seven years old, she sat in her grandmother May-May's living room to watch her first horse race ... And so began a turbulent romance between a woman and a sport.
Part memoir, part journey into the compelling world of Thoroughbred horse racing, My Racing Heart gallops headlong into the wild culture and fabulous creatures that rise up around a racetrack. Nan Mooney looks at the horses, jockeys, and trainers; the gambling and corruption; and racing's age-old history and forever offbeat society. From the dusty backstretch at a small-town track to the stands at magnificent Churchill Downs, Nan Mooney captures the risks and the glory, the excitement and the passion, for horse lovers, sports fans, and anyone who has ever craved a place to run wild.
Review(s):
“[Mooney] is an ambitious writer . . . . she manages to cash her share of winning tickets.”
“Mooney embraces the best parts of the horse world. It’s hard not to join her in this love affair.”
“We’re off on a lovely ride. By the time [Mooney’s] heading for home she’s got us cheering her on.”
“Vivid memoir . . . Mooney escorts us with an unscrupulous, generous eye through her romance with the track.”
“A wonderfully expressive love story. A dazzlingly successful blind date, deeply and unexpectedly satisfying, between readers and Thoroughbreds.”
“Deeply felt. Will prod the curious to investigate what it is about this sport that can inspire such love.”
“Mooney has sliced open her soul and let the horse run free. Her words are intoxicating. Her stories glow.”
“This is a confession and a love story, with all the fear and second-guessing that those bring.”
“An engaging introduction to the lure of the racetrack. [And] a confirmation of horseracing’s gritty glamour.”
“A love poem to racing. . . A fine book and a joy to read.”
ISBN: 9780060958084