Seabiscuit is the remarkable tale of a thoroughbred racehorse and down-and-out jockey John "Red" Pollard, an ex-prizefighter. Together they become hard luck heroes for a troubled nation and two of the most celebrated sports figures of the twentieth century.

In 1929, there were few critics of a stock market seeming to rise without limits. Presidents and economists alike confidently predicted that America would soon enter a "New Era" when everyone could be rich. Ultimately the promise of an economic boom disappeared almost overnight. In 1933 President Roosevelt sent legislation to Congress aimed at providing relief for the 1 out of every 4 American workers who were unemployed. This included a proposal...