Praise for:
Kentucky Derby Dreams: The Making of Thoroughbred Champions.
Louisville Courier-Journal: “Susan Nusser writes of various foalings with all the tension of a John Grisham thriller, alternating heart-tugging reality with medical minutae. She is a gifted storyteller, and the human and animal players in these dramas become friends for whom the reader genuinely feels elation and concern.”
Read the full review: http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012304280028
Washington Post: “Her ambitious, fly-on-the-stall-wall account centers on the multi-million-dollar business of Taylor Made, a thoroughbred breeding operation outside Lexington, Ky.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Bringing a novelist’s descriptive prowess to her reporting, Nusser provides a fascinating tour for the uninitiated, who will learn plenty, whether following a fledging veterinarian up to her armpit in a mare’s hindquarters or a veteran groom running down a wayward colt. In fact, the book may even be an eye-opener for veteran horse enthusiasts.”
Read the full review: http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/susan-nusser/kentucky-derby-dreams/#review
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Nusser’s New Yorker-style immersive nonfiction blends behind-the-scenes sportswriting with plenty of science about horse fertility and anatomy: No NFL running back has had his knees scrutinized the way a thoroughbred has. She also tackles problems of the field head on, including how the economic downturn has made it more difficult to make money racing, and public outcry over fatal injuries.”
Read the full review: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/tracking-kentucky-derby-dreams-from-foal-to-sale-6v56nbi-149542925.html
Shelf Awareness : “However, the real pleasure of reading Kentucky Derby Dreams is in getting to know the horses and experiencing what’s involved in keeping them healthy and happy. Nusser addresses the more controversial as
pects of Thoroughbred racing, too–many believe the recent tragic injuries are a result of the industry’s shift from racing to the more lucrative breeding.”
Read the full review: http://www.shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=86#m1697
Booklist: “For casual fans of Thoroughbred racing, the sport only exists for a few weeks in the spring when the three races known as the Triple Crown take place. But there is also a devoted, reverential group who love the horses, the stables, the foals, and the sport’s overall mystique. Amazingly enough, this carefully researched and lovingly written book will generate interest among both groups.”
In Service to the Horse
"Fresh, wonderfully insightful." --The Chicago Tribune
"A unique look at a world that most readers, even those with horses of their own, know little about..." -- Booklist
"Fans of Laura Hillenbrand, Jane Smiley and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas will eagerly read this work." -- Library Journal