The Racing Tribe: Watching the Horsewatchers [Hardcover]

Kate Fox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Kate Fox studied the arcane world of horseracing—the whole racing tribe, from race-goers to jockeys, trainers, bookies, and stewards. An unexpected world is revealed from an anthropological perspective. Instead of an amorphous racing crowd, Kate sees enthusiasts, horseys, addicts, anoraks, socials, pair-bonders, suits, and be-seens. Among the racing professionals, she identifies shamans and warriors, scribes and elders, connections and sin-eaters. The author spends time with each of these groups, finding out how to identify them from their dress, body-language and behavioural quirks; learning about their position in the social structure of the tribe, their attitudes and beliefs, their territories and habitats. Every kind of racegoer will be intrigued and entertained by this book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kate Fox, a social anthropologist, is co-director of the Social Issues Research Centre in Oxofrd and a Fellow of the Institute of Cultural Research. She monitors and assesses global sociocultural trends, researching and writing on many aspects of human behaviour, including drinking, flirting and gossip. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 223 pages
• Publisher: John Blake (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1900512696
• ISBN-13: 978-1900512695
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,685,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting in touch with the author, Kate Fox, April 19, 2000

By 

lee w richardson (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Racing Tribe: Watching the Horsewatchers (Hardcover)

If Sally Baker would care to get in touch with me (my e-mail address is [e-mail]) I would be happy to help her make contact with Kate Fox, the author of The Racing Tribe. I commissioned the original research project undertaken by Kate whilst I was marketing director at the British Horseracing Board, and from which the book came to be written. I can't, therefore, review with any real objectivity this book, as I am naturally biaised(!); safe to say it is a truly fascinating read, and successfully debunks various myths associated with horseracing and it's participants.

2.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre, at best, December 1, 2009

By 

A Reader (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Racing Tribe (Paperback)

I read Kate Fox's "Watching the English" some time ago, and it was excellent. Both funny and insightful, and a real joy to read. So, I bought a copy of "The Racing Tribe" with considerable anticipation. Alas, it was very disappointing. Tedious and superficial; filled with crashingly obvious "insights" and uninteresting anecdotes . She obviously "emptied her notebook". Save your money and buy a few of the racing novels of Dick Francis instead. You'll learn more about the racing scene, and have a better time as well.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthroplogical Review, December 13, 1999

By 

Sally Baker (England, Canterbury) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Racing Tribe: Watching the Horsewatchers (Hardcover)

I am currently studying Social Anthropology at the University of Kent. Thus this book was a refreshing change for me - instead of reading about far away, bizarre locations - it was something I could actaully connect with and properly understand. I am also doing a dissertation this year on the topic of Foxhunting: A Rural Ritual - and I would be very interested to somehow contact Kate Fox and maybe get some input from her on the topic. Does anyone know how I might be able to get in touch with her? Her approach to the Racing Tribe is similar to my project - participant observation and interviewing a group of people withing the England - with an equine theme.