Wednesday, December 11, 2013

"Track Life: Images and Words" A Review, and, A Tiny Bit of My Fiction Sees the Light of Day

Unless you're new here, you know that I look forward to a few days in Saratoga Springs, NY, each summer with some of my artist friends.  This year that plan was foiled thanks to my committed barn help backing out on me without enough time to find an appropriate replacement, so I had to miss out.  Hopefully next year I'll get things back on track, so to speak!

Three years ago, one of the members of our little group, fine art photographer Juliet Harrison, published her first book of photos from the Saratoga experience.  2013 saw a bigger project come to fruition, as she brought together contributions from artists, writers and industry stakeholders to create a combination of her photos, poetry, and prose relating to a variety of experiences involving Thoroughbreds and the track.  I was among the contributors, and a short excerpt from Fifty Sovereigns is part of this publication.  Maybe it's just a small thing, but I find it exciting anyway!

Rather than repeat myself here, I'll share my review from GoodReads.  You can find the book on  Amazon as well as Juliet's website, which I've linked to above.  The book would be a wonderful gift for someone else, or just for yourself. 

Track Life: 
Images and WordsTrack Life: Images and Words by Juliet R. Harrison

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Disclaimer:  I might be somewhat biased as a reviewer, being not only a contributor, but also a friend of Juliet’s – perhaps even a friend who is at least partly responsible for her foray into the world of Thoroughbred racing. That said, I believe this book is a fascinating combination of picures and words that will appeal to a broad range of people.  It offers a glimpse into the world of those of us for whom racing is a passion, perhaps one we question with its long hours of thankless work. It also shares words from those on the other side of the fence – the fans who are in awe of the beauty of these animals, and those who are driven by picking a winner in a sport with a rarely predictable outcome. Saratoga features prominently in many of the stories shared – also being where the photos were shot – and one thing is common among them. The town, the track, is a magical, must-see destination. Will you be joining us next summer?  ☺



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