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Laughing in the Hills | 
 enlarge | Author: Bill Barich
Publisher: DRF Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $8.47
You Save: $6.48 (43%)
New (20) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $2.76
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 143187
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 228
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.4
ISBN: 1932910875
Dewey Decimal Number: 798
EAN: 9781932910872
ASIN: 1932910875
Publication Date: May 25, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ships immediately! Perfect and New! 2007 Paperback.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Barich debuted in 1980 with this magnificent meditation on horse-racing, yet the rich, full portrait he paints of the track and its colorful citizenry--human and hoofed--is only prelude to the work's enduring appeal. It is really a finely crafted memoir about loss and longing, renewal and affirmation. Its opening is irresistible: "For me it did not begin with the horses. They came later, after a phone call and a simple statement of fact: Your mother has cancer." Barich copes with that horrible reality as best he can, losing his pain in the drama of the track, and finding himself in a pilgrimage through Renaissance literature and the memories of an earlier part of his life lived in Florence, Italy. If the combination seems a longshot at best, remember: the greater the odds, the better the pay-off, and Laughing in the Hills pays off staggeringly.
Product Description
This wonderful 1980 horse racing classic never loses its luster or charm. Author Bill Barich explores explores the day-to-day internal world of horse racing-- from the backside to the backstretch. This entertaining story of the lives and tribulations of various racetrack personalities is sure to extract every human emotion. The author's summer adventure after a family tragedy finds him living the life many diehard racing enthusiasts wish they could. Barich's adventure discovers more than he could ever imagine about something much bigger than racing-life itself.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Behind the scenes November 22, 2007
What a great book this is! Barich goes behind the scenes at the racetrack in his real life attempt to become a professional handicapper. On his journey, he interacts with the usual characters from the track and brings their personalities to life- their charms, their flaws, and their love of the game. If you ever think of making a life at the races, you should read this first.
Good view into the day to day racing world! April 13, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book gives a very well written view into the day to day world of horse racing, only from behind the scenes with the common folks and common horses. It is one mans' summer adventure after a family tragedy to live the racing from betting to finding out all the Sport of Kings offered. The thoughts of the author as he went from day to day in this world was educational, calming, and realistic - including non-exciting. If you're looking for action, read "Seabisquit" or other more fast paced books about this area. If you're looking for the deep thoughts about the people, places, and things, you've found a winner. Cash it in!
Highly regarded sports book April 7, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book was listed by Amazon.com as one of the 10 Best Sports Books of the 20th Century. It was also chosen by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 100 sports books of all-time.
 If it's by Bill Barich, it's worth its weight in gold November 28, 2003
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
After I read Barich's New Yorker essay "At the Fountain," I (A) gave a copy to every one of my friends, and (B) pilgramiged to read and know the other published work of this amazing author.
'Laughing in the Hills' could have been about how beans are canned, and it would still be a classic. This book is in a class with the best of Constantine, Auster, and Hardy - and they should consider THEMselves lucky to be compared with Barich.
Please read this book January 25, 2002
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I'm not even finished with this book yet, but I got online to see what kind of response it has received. I'm staggered to see it is not ranked higher and had only a few reviews. This is one of those books where every page brings insights so painful, or so beautiful, I shake my head in amazement. I'm reading it slowly, lovingly, and I'll tell all my friends about it. I'm a writer, and have written a novel about horse racing. I've explored this same territory. I almost wish I'd written this book. It is filled with truth and sadness and many, many fine portraits of the people that hang around on the backside of the track.
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