Once upon a time in Simland it was here that I usually heard news related to horse racing in some way at first: Laura Hillebrand writing the biography about Seabiscuit, then the film adaption, Jane Smiley’s \u201cHorse Heaven\u201d, the film about Secretariat’s life…<\/P>
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<\/A>And nowadays? If it is not the seemingly infinite debate about awards pro or contra Zenyatta, then there is a lots of silence going on, even so a dark horse won the National Book Award in the fictional category.<\/P> So your personal reporter from Germany has the hard task to spread the news – about a book he does not have a chance to hold in his own hands at present – that Jaimy Gordon received the NBA 2010 for her novel \u201cLord of Misrule\u201d, in which horse racing and life at the race track plays a major role.<\/P> The author herself groomed horses at a race track, so I have the impression that she knows very well what she is talking about.<\/P> \u201cShe even chose to attend graduate school at Brown University \u2014 over the prestigious writing program at the University of Iowa \u2014 because of its proximity to a race track.\u201d (Read the whole portrait by Chris Fusciardi <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT>here<\/SPAN><\/I><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/A>)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/P> Unfortunately, the book is hardly available here at the moment, so I am unable to provide you with a book review. Ironically, I could walk into two bookshops here with a wide range of English books and buy all four of the runner-up from the shortlist, immediately, but have to wait approximately 4 \u2013 6 weeks till the eagerly awaited and wished book will ship in.<\/P> Reducing my waiting period I bred my own Lord of Misrule<\/B><\/I><\/FONT><\/A> by Tapit this week.<\/P> I hope I encouraged some people to pick up the book, and we will read some reviews here soon.<\/P> Maybe it is even possible to start a group read, which could attract some new faces to our game.<\/P> Furthermore high on my wish list is a video review in case Doc Lip has the chance to read the book.<\/P> Here are a few quick links to the new chapter on horse racing and literature:<\/P> excerpts: the opening of the novel<\/I><\/FONT><\/A> and one more here<\/I><\/FONT><\/A><\/P> reviews: by<\/I><\/FONT><\/A> Jane Smiley and by<\/I><\/FONT><\/A> Andrew Beyer<\/P> interview with author Jaimy Gordon: here<\/I><\/FONT><\/A><\/P>
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