"Secretariat, the Making of a Champion"

In the last couple of years I have rediscovered the excitement of the Triple Crown run. Even though this year there would be no winner of the Triple Crown, I found myself enraptured by the philly at the Belmont Stakes. One of the interviews leading up to the race featured William Nack who was hawking his book "Ruffian". Another interviewer expressed his disappointment that this year would yield no Triple Crown winner and that it has been 29 years since a horse had won this title. I nearly choked on my sushi. I attended the Kentucky Derby when the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed ,claimed the title 29 years ago!! I was in shock. It had never crossed my mind that I was that old. So I decided it was time to commit to the 2008 Kentucky Derby. This means research. So I ordered "Secretariat, the Making of a Champion" by William Mack as well as "Ruffian". I haven't read the latter yet but the book on Secretariat is excellent and very well written. There are lots on characters, people and horses, to keep up with but it is not a heavy read. The descriptions of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes are heart stopping. I could feel Secretariat's massive body and tiny legs carrying him to victory in one of the greatest horse races of all times at Belmont. His record breaking time still stands. This book is a great starting point for understanding the world of horse breeding and racing. If you liked Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" you will love this book.

"The Medici Giraffe"

I am currently reading "The Medici Giraffe and Other Tales of Exotic Animals and Power" by Marina Belozerskaya. It is a collection of vignettes on various animals and their political significance as gifts to various wealthy, powerful people. The book covers the time period from Alexander the Great to the Chinese gift of Pandas in the 1970's. The author is not only an animal lover but also a great story teller. Each story is independent of each other and the stories do not have to be read in order. It is fairly light weight reading and the stories range from 35 to 50 pages each. I would recommend borrowing this from the library or waiting for a paperback printing as I don't think it is worth the $20.00 unless you are a really passionate animal enthusiast.