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2.9 AVERAGE
2.9 AVERAGE
What a lovely story. I'm so glad Joe Layden wrote this story of Tim Synder's life.
I think I likely gave myself a false notion of this book and assumed it would be mostly about the horse Lisa's Booby Trap. The entire first half of the book was actually about Tim Snyder her trainer and his background. From an abusive step father and broken family, to alcoholism he had an incredibly rough upbringing. I respect how honest he was about his struggles. The parts about his wife were also interesting and she sounded like a really amazing woman. I just really was hoping to read a book about a horse, and this was not it. I felt like the author kept reiterating himself to make the book longer which just made it repetitive, and I did not particularly enjoy his style. Tim and some of the other people interviewed were very knowledgeable horsemen and once we got to that part I enjoyed it. It was marred by the author incorrectly saying Lisa's Booby Trap was 17.5 hands tall. There is no 17.5 hands as a hand is a 4" unit of measurement and the decimal does NOT represent a fraction as non horse people would normally assume, it represents the remaining inches, so 17.5 would actually by 18.1.
There felt like too much background about the racing industry and horses as well. This could just be because I assumed this book was wrote for people who already were involved in the horse industry, but it was not, and just felt dumbed down.
Overall I felt this book missed what could have been a great story by saving it for the last 50 pages, and it had a hard time keeping my attention in the 150 pages leading up to that. While it covered the difficulty of grief accurately it also glossed over how detrimental alcoholism and drug addiction is for the people around the addict, and I just wanted a horse book, not all of this.
There felt like too much background about the racing industry and horses as well. This could just be because I assumed this book was wrote for people who already were involved in the horse industry, but it was not, and just felt dumbed down.
Overall I felt this book missed what could have been a great story by saving it for the last 50 pages, and it had a hard time keeping my attention in the 150 pages leading up to that. While it covered the difficulty of grief accurately it also glossed over how detrimental alcoholism and drug addiction is for the people around the addict, and I just wanted a horse book, not all of this.
I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't....even though I read the whole story. There was horses and a love story of sorts but In general I couldn't get behind the main character and his gruffness. Nothing against him as a person but I'm not sure what if anything he go tout of the situation. The poor guy had a rough life and there was no " storybook happy ending" for him. It was jut to sad for me.
I have enough sadness in my life . I don't need anymore.
I have enough sadness in my life . I don't need anymore.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
This books won't be for everyone. While it definitely tells the overal story of Lisa's Booby Trap, it more focuses on the life of her owner and trainer, Tim Snyder. And it's not a pretty life, Tim wasn't necessarily a 'good' man, but the book holds true to his character and his calling to horses and the racetrack. It also follows Lisa through parts of her life too and largely the honest behind-the-scenes of breeding, training and riding race horses. The book tells it all, the rough edges and lows and eventually the fleeting highs.
It doesn't really go into the whole 'reincarnation' story, because honestly that was a media story rather than the belief of Lisa's parents and Tim himself, (they even practically say its rubbish in the book) and the publishers obviously tried to hook onto the fantastical media hyped 'reincarnation' story version as the selling point and blurb, but thats not what the book actual focuses on, so don't expect that going in to it.
But if your interested in horses, the horse racing industry and the honest side of track life, then it's worth the read.
It doesn't really go into the whole 'reincarnation' story, because honestly that was a media story rather than the belief of Lisa's parents and Tim himself, (they even practically say its rubbish in the book) and the publishers obviously tried to hook onto the fantastical media hyped 'reincarnation' story version as the selling point and blurb, but thats not what the book actual focuses on, so don't expect that going in to it.
But if your interested in horses, the horse racing industry and the honest side of track life, then it's worth the read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
I have never heard of Tim Snyder or Lisa's Booby Trap until now. What a wonderful story. I love a feel good story that just warms the heart and leaves me with a big smile on my face. This is what this book did for me. Mr. Snyder and Lisa's Booby Trap needed each other but did not know it until they were united. I have always had a place in my heart for horses. Although I am not as horse crazy as Mr. Snyder or his wife, Lisa was herself. She was truly born to ride horses. Even though I have never met the Snyder's I do believe that Lisa did make good on her promise to come back as a horse in her new life.
This book shows that if you have patience, the will, a big heart, and love that you can achieve anything. I mean it is incredible that Lisa's Booby Trap won her first race. She just needed someone to show her she could do it. I read this book in a matter of a few hours. This book is a keeper. Horse lovers will enjoy reading this book.
This book shows that if you have patience, the will, a big heart, and love that you can achieve anything. I mean it is incredible that Lisa's Booby Trap won her first race. She just needed someone to show her she could do it. I read this book in a matter of a few hours. This book is a keeper. Horse lovers will enjoy reading this book.
Lisa dies of cancer and her husband buys a broken horse that wins at Saratoga.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
The story is more about horse racing than reincarnation
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
So there's nothing really wrong with "The Ghost Horse," aside from the expectations set up by the title and jacket copy. As a straightforward piece of longform sports journalism that examines the unglamorous parts of the horse racing industry, it's effective. As a relatively clear-eyed but affectionate character sketch of a complicated denizen of that world, it's entertaining. But if (like me!) you're really not all that interested in either of those things, and you're hoping the book lives up to the delightfully bonkers premise of "dead woman returns to her widower in the form of a race horse," you will be disappointed.
Oh well. At least I learned some things about horse breeding? 3 stars.
Oh well. At least I learned some things about horse breeding? 3 stars.