Finished Lines: A Collection of Memorable Writing on Thoroughbred Racing

Frank Scatoni

The anthology is a curious beast. Someone culls thousands upon thousand of pages of writing that might possibly be included and selects what that person thinks is the best (or most appropriate) of that writing to include. And I can't offhand think of a single anthology where more than an handful of other people agreed with the editor that the writing chosen was, in fact, the best or most appropriate of those thousand of pages.

Finished Lines continues on in that grand tradition. There is some amazing writing here, including some which has been far too long neglected (I pity both horse fans and non horse fans alike who have not yet read Bill Barich's brilliant Laughing in the Hills, excerpted here, even as I envy them the experience of being able to read it for the first time, and racing enthusiasts who have not read David Alexander's brilliant writing on Kelso's career have a real treat in store as well), and some that has achieved a form of immortality only because it was popular back in the day, and is the yesteryear equivalent of, say, a Britney Spears tune (do we really, really need to immortalize the mediocre prose and unreadable doggerel of Damon Runyon any more? Honestly?).

Still, the pearls certainly outweigh the swine, and this one's a great investment for any horse fan. You're sure to find some old friends as well as some wonderful new writing waiting to be discovered. Worth your time.