Long Shot: My Bipolar Life and the Horses Who Saved Me
Author: Sylvia Harris
Publisher: Ecco
Hardcover:
ISBN 10: 0061714445
ISBN 13: 978-0061714443
Combine Seabiscuit with Manic—throw in a touch of HBO’s “Temple Grandin”—and you get Long Shot, a truly remarkable memoir by Sylvia Harris. A single mother of three, Harris was crippled by bipolar depression, until she discovered the miraculous healing and calming effect of horses—a revelation that ultimately enabled her to manage her illness, conquer the sexism of her field, and triumph as a champion jockey in the male-dominated world of horse racing. A fascinating, courageous, and ultimately redemptive true story, Long Shot has won high praise from Phyllis Chesler Ph.D., author of Women and Madness, who says, “[Harris’s] attempt to find balance, joy, connectedness, and purpose in life constitutes a great adventure story.”
Review
“An edgy, unapologetic account of [Harris’s] race to outrun the illness that consumed her. . . . A tribute to the power of the horse to calm, contain and inspire.” (The Economist)
“Terrifically insightful [and] beautifully crafted, this book pulls no punches. . . . Each page of Long Shot reminds us once again of the adage that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person.” (Lowell Sun)
“Heart-wrenching. . . . Highly recommended for people struggling with [bipolar disorder] and anyone who loves them. . . . [Harris’s] fighting spirit emanates from the page.” (BlackVoices.com)
“[A] truly compelling tale of the havoc mental illness can wreak and how a passion can lead to healing.” (Booklist)
“An inspirational story.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Inspiring. . . . One of the more interesting sports book that you will find.” (Philadelphia Tribune)
“Even if you don’t love horses you will still cheer for Sylvia Harris after reading her memoir. . . . After reading Long Shot, you’ll feel there’s little that you can’t accomplish.” (Essence)
From the Back Cover
Alcohol. Lithium. Buddhist chanting. To quiet the voices in her mind, Sylvia Harris tried all of them. Her bipolar depression brought on bouts of erratic behavior and unsettling delusions. It led her to look for love in all the wrong places and to create a family she had difficulty caring for. But it was at the nadir of her twenty-year battle with this devastating illness that Harris found redemption in the least likely of places—an equine ranch outside Orlando, Florida.
Written with an unflinching eye toward her weaknesses and a reverent wonder at the healing power of horses,
Long Shot is Harris's tale of perseverance in which an underdog in life becomes a champion on the track and her Thoroughbred becomes a beacon of hope.
About the Author
Sylvia Harris is a jockey. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware. This is her first book.
Coauthor Eunetta T. Boone is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and an award-winning sportswriter. She is a writer, creator, and producer of television as well as film.
Coauthor Bill Boulware is also a writer, creator, and producer of television, and has been a freelance writer for The Cosby Show and various PBS programs, among others. He has taught writing at the American Film Institute, USC, and UCLA. He also contributed an essay to the Writers Guild Foundation's book Doing It for Money.
