Reviews
What They’re Saying
9/19/09 Howard Schwartz, casinogaming.com
A review in an article entitled Learn the ‘Language’ of Gambling Through Special Books, Dictionaries written by the esteemed Howard Schwartz is here:
7/19/09 Cindy Pierson Dulay, about.com and horse-races.net
“Highly recommended to those with an interest in language and horse racing.” Excerpt from: Book Review: Off to a Flying Start
7/17/09 Paul Daley, Lowell Sun Racing Writer
“Delightful….If you’ve ever wondered about the derivation of such terms as “a shoo-in,” “cheapskate,” “get your goat,” “one for the books”, “out of the clouds,” “start from scratch,” and so many more everyday terms used which originated with horses, this is the book for you.” Excerpt from: Trainer tendencies are key to Saratoga profits.
7/15/09 Mary Forney, blogger, The buzz in California racing
“To someone who finds language infinitely intriguing and amusing, particularly horse racing jargon, this book makes a fun and enlightening read. Excerpt from: Horsing Around the Language.”
7/15/09 Dave Wilton, wordorigins.org
The book is short with some sixty-odd terms explained, and each entry is wonderfully illustrated by Ana Mirela Tache. Best of all, the book is well-researched, with the OED as the primary reference for the origins. It is not a scholarly book; there are no footnotes …, but the authors have taken to heart the philosophy that even a fun book should be accurate. Too many books of etymologies of terms from a specific field, such as nautical terms or various sports, rely on myth rather than fact. This is not one of them. Excerpt from: Book Review: Off to a Flying Start
6/25/09 Mike Brunker, racing columnist, MSNBC.com
“It’s a great read and I enjoyed it very much.”
6/17/09 Dan Illman, columnist, Daily Racing Form
“The language of horse racing is firmly entrenched in our everyday speech. “Off to a Flying Start” is an informative work that can serve as a wonderful introduction into the intriguing world of “The Sport of Kings.”
6/10/09 Marc Malusis, WFAN Radio:
“I love it. It is amazing how many phrases that are used were started in horse racing.”
6/3/09: Jon White, XpressBet:
“I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending “Off to a Flying Start: Horsing Around the Language.” Not only did I find the book entertaining and informative, I enjoyed the illustrations by Ana Mirela Tache…”
Excerpt from It’s Post Time/Items and Comments Column on XpressBet.com
6/1/09: Nick Borg, Racing Analyst
“Off to a Flying Start is the book every horse racing fan should have. It’s smart, it’s insightful and it’s a great read”. -Nick Borg
6/1/09: Anita Lobell, National book Award Finalist, No Pretty Pictures
“Galloping to the finish line, Cook and Tivenan have put together a charming, mini-lexicon which makes complete horse sense.”
