Sunday, July 10, 2011

What is Brendan O’Meara reading?

The current featured contributor at Writers Read: Brendan O’Meara, author of Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Filly Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year.

His entry begins:
I’m a nonfictionist. I love that when I read nonfiction, what I see in dialogue happened, and, if the reporter/writer is to be trusted, verifiably true. There’s something about that that draws me into the orbit of nonfiction. That said, I read a ton of fiction.

I finished White Teeth by Zadie Smith, a book about the tangling of three families and a struggle to find identity. I read Yann Martel’s Beatrice and Virgil, a Holocaust allegory that was very layered, to keep it short. These are all gripping from a character sense. And when the transition is made back to nonfiction, you quickly realize you’re nothing without...[read on]
Among the early praise for Six Weeks in Saratoga:
“O’Meara fell for a magical place and magnificent horse, which is a lovely malady that often befalls horse people, and with a great deal of heart he tells us how and why. You’ll never forget his Six Weeks in Saratoga, either.”
—Joe Drape, author of Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen

“Brendan O’Meara tells the story of this proud horse with verve and great historical insight. Six Weeks in Saratoga marks the debut of an exciting new talent.”
—Wil Haygood, author of Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson

“Brendan O’Meara’s Six Weeks in Saratoga is a victory to be savored by those who treasure good writing in general and tales of the track in particular. Horses may win races, but they also win hearts as this impressive book proves beyond doubt. A memorable, sure-footed debut.”
—Madeleine Blais, author of In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle
Learn more about the book and author at Brendan O'Meara's website and blog. Follow the author on Twitter, and "like" Six Weeks on Facebook.

The Page 99 Test: Six Weeks in Saratoga.

Writers Read: Brendan O’Meara.

--Marshal Zeringue