A Fine Place to Daydream - Racehorses, Romance, and the Irish

Zusatztext “An easy! fluid stylist! Barich writes entertainingly about anything! but in Irish racing he has grabbed on to a good thing. . . . Samuel Johnson could not have said it better.” — The New York Times “Like a horse that senses the ability of its rider and responds accordingly! readers know when they are immersed in the work of a master. Barich makes a winning companion–he's warm! funny and relaxed.” — The Washington Post Book World “Captivating. . . . Mr. Barich recaptures much of the feel and compass of his first narrative of the equine life! once again weaving a broad tartan from scores of interviews with inhabitants of every corner of the horseracing industry.” — The Wall Street Journal “The author! who a quarter century ago in Laughing in the Hills found inherent majesty in the broken-down plugs that race on the Northern California circuit! embraces Irish jumpers with similar enthusiasm.” — Chicago Sun-Times Informationen zum Autor Bill Barich has lived in Northern California for most of his life. For many years he was a staff writer at The New Yorker , contributing fiction and nonfiction alike. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship and inclusion in Best American Short Stories. He is a Literary Laureate of the San Francisco Public Library and currently lives in Dublin. Klappentext Twenty-five years after Laughing in the Hills! his racetrack classic! Bill Barich tells the story of how he fell in love and found a new life in Dublin! where he was soon caught up in the Irish obsession with horses and luck. Barich travels his adopted country and meets the leading trainers and jockeys; the beleaguered bookies who work rain or shine; and a host of passionate! like-minded fans—from Father Sean Breen! the "Racing Priest!” to T. P. Reilly! whose peculiar betting system turns on a horse's looks. Witty! philosophical! and vividly written! A Fine Place to Daydream is a paean to the real Ireland! a moving tale of a surprise romance! and a thrilling account of a hugely exciting season at the track. Leseprobe The Crossing Now through the night come the horses. They come from obscure little villages like Lisaleen and Closutton, Coolagh and Moone, dozing and possibly dreaming on the long, dark ferry ride from Dun Laoghaire across the Irish Sea to Wales. They are Ireland’s pride, the finest jumpers in a country obsessed with jumping, with grand historical leaps over daunting obstacles, so they’ve been prepared for the trip with the utmost care. Some have IV drips to balance their electrolytes, others have been fed exotic Chinese herbs for an energy boost, and almost all have had their lungs checked for infections, their blood tested, and their weight recorded precisely, down to the last ounce, to be sure they have reached a peak of fitness for their annual tilt against the British at the Cheltenham Festival in England. They’ve heard the word Cheltenham countless times, of course, uttered by their trainers in both delighted anticipation and utter despair, so it has some resonance for them. It might even have some meaning. Horses know more than they let on; after all, they’re in touch with elemental things. In the old days, farmers in rural Ireland believed their horses could see ghosts. Whenever one stopped dead and refused to budge, they reckoned a shade was nearby. If you looked between the horse’s ears, you could catch a glimpse of it, the farmers claimed. To prevent the fairies from stealing a good horse, they tied a red ribbon to it, or a hazel twig, or they spat on it. Folklore had it that a wild horse could be tamed by reciting the Creed in its right ear on Friday, and its left on Wednesday, until it came to hand. So the legends go. In truth, horses do live by their instincts, and those on the ferry understand that...

Product details

• Authors: Bill Barich
• Publisher: Vintage USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 13.02.2007
• EAN: 9781400078097
• ISBN: 978-1-4000-7809-7
• No. of pages: 240
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 204 mm x 17 mm
• Subject: Guides > Nature > Horses, riding