Book Description
How does someone turn ice into gold? They skate with the beauty, grace, and power of a champion. Features Dorothy Hamill, Sarah Hughes, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, and many other skating champions. ... Read more

Book Description
By 1942, there were more than 3,000 roller rinks in America, and more than 10 million people skating. That era is captured in this glorious graphic portrait of the country's Golden Age of roller skating (1939-1959), which also illuminates America's rapidly changing society from the end of the Depression through the wartime '40s to the '50s. This provocative look at a pop-culture phenomenon is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs of skate rink memorabilia, including promotional stickers, postcards, advertisements, programs, and matchbooks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Eight wheels and no brakes.
A tip of the hat to Lou Brooks for making this book such a delight to look at!The subject matter is pretty mundane and in the hands of many other book designers 'Skate Crazy' would just look bland but Mr Brooks knows his stuff.He knows how to select the right photos, handle color panels, overlap graphic images, choose a relevant typeface for headings and all the other little design elements that make each page sparkle and this book has 144 of them in a neat square format.

Although much of the material is similar Brooks has managed to split it into sixteen chapters and write a bit about each subject but the book is essentially visual.The four hundred rink stickers are the main pictorial items and nicely the index in the back is a geographical listing of past rinks across America.Strangely, despite a thorough coverage there are no close-up photos of skates, a page or two from a manufacturer's salesbrochure would have been helpful I think.

'Skate Crazy' is a wonderful bit of nostalgia and if you rolled (or danced) around one of the three thousand rinks across the Nation in the Forties or Fifties you'll really enjoy looking at this book.Just super!

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Lou Brooks Is On A Roll!
Lou Brooks is one of America's foremost designer-illustrators and his work has appeared in nearly every publication in America at one time or another. SKATE CRAZY doesn't contain many of Lou's masterful illustrations, but it does have his wacky, inventive mark on every page. Illustrators and designers across the globe are going to be drooling over Lou's delectable choices. Beautiful old advertisements, postcards, signs and stickers abound in this book--lovingly restored in many cases by Lou's wife, Clare (also a first-class artist).

But it's not only Lou's colleagues who are lucky to have Lou's jam-packed gem available. His fun, informative writing will delight anyone on your gift list. Buy a copy for creaky old grannie--she probably spent time in her youth on roller skates, mesmerized by the drone of the Hammond organ. Get a copy for the couch potato of your choice--it's time to bring back those halcyon days and hit the rinks again. Roll off those extra rolls! Send a copy to your kid at college--a great way to discover a nearly-forgotten, but once very important American pastime.

This is one hell of a buy, as well. It is crammed to the gills with photos and graphics and will inform and delight everyone who is lucky enough to get a copy.

If I could, I'd give this one 10 stars! Congratulations, Louie!

Great trip down memory lane!
This book is a great compilation of skating memorabilia from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.The book is full of photos, ad illustrations, and postcards, but the best part is the stickers from individual rinks - there are over 400 of them!The restored graphics are amazing, and the vintage style will make anyone nostalgic for this era of skating.Anyone interested in art or graphics should take a look at the way Brooks updates the stickers, because he truly has done a fantastic job.

A terrific gift - not just for roller skaters
Although this book makes a perfect gift for someone who loves to skate, it's just as good for art students, pop culture buffs, and lovers of quirky, crazy stuff. The infinite variety of roller-skate images is dazzling. "Skate Crazy" belongs on the shelf of every graphic designer. Plus, it's a lot of fun! Some of the old roller-rink photos made me laugh out loud, and the wild assortment of vintage stickers are a joy to look at. I've only been roller skating twice, but I loved this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Updated to include the 2003 Worlds competition.

Today's most exciting figure skaters are spotlighted in this richly illustrated book. Combining grace, incredible athletic ability and artistic showmanship, figure stating is exhilarating and highly entertaining. Anything can happen on the ice and often does. As the fans of competitive figure skating know, beauty and danger add up to the greatest show on ice.

Figure Skating Now covers the men, the women, the pairs teams and the dance teams. This second edition covers the reigning stars such as Timothy Goebel, Sarah Hughes, and Michelle Kwan, and introduces the next generation of competitors: Brian Joubert, Sasha Cohen, the pairs team Oberta and Sokolov and many others. With biographies and statistics, Figure Skating Now is an insider's view of international figure skating at its highest levels.

Customer Reviews (8)

Wonderful Photography, That Glossy Skating Book That's Fun To Browse Through
I only have the first edition of Figure Skating Now, so if I mention some skaters that dropped off the scene around 2001, that's my solid explanation why I did. Figure Skating Now is a better buy than Icestars because of it's wonderful photography and solidly edited profile info, and, after I buy a book, my fetish is to see if the pages "smell" good, and if you're on the same page with me and my fetish, then Figure Skating Now is a top-notch book because of it's forever-glossy smell contained in it's pages. Still, you have to remember that Figure Skating Now is not an informational guide to figure skating, like The Official Guide To Figure Skating, it's simply a book with extremely nice photography, glossy pages, and well-edited if not very informative, profiles of the top skaters in the world today. In that aspect, it's simply classified as a just-so-you-know book that fans of skating, particularly female fans, will love to flip through and chant a chorus of "Ooh!s and Aah!s" about over their favorite skaters. In that sense, it is similar to Icestars, only it's edited much better.
It basically gives profiles of all the four aspects of skating (mens, womens, pairs, and ice dancing) and the top skaters in each category (examples include Evgeny Plushenko, Michelle Kwan, Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, and Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio). Some other previous skaters whose profiles were featured include Alexei Yagudin, Todd Eldridge, Sarah Hughes, Maria Butyrskaya, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat and Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kratz-retired skaters featured in the 2001 edition, the majority who competed in the 2002 Olympics before announcing their retirement. My point is that I would get the more updated version of Figure Skating Now (the 2nd edition) just to be more updated in your knowledge of the biggest stars in figure skating. Overall, this book is fine and is worth the money if you want a glossy skating book with nice profiles of your favorite skaters, if you want a book describing the comprehensive history and knowledge of figure skating, this isn't the one to get, but it doesn't claim to be that. In fact, it succeeds extremely well at what it claims to be.

Difficult to know which edition is which
The second edition (Sept 2003) does feature Sasha Cohen and is up to date - loads of photos very good info for the new or experienced skating fan.

Good for "New" Skate Fans
This is a good introduction to the current stars of figure skating. If you have read books about skating and they have told you about recent stars then this book won't do you a lot of good. It does have a lot of good photography and does include info about some people that you don't normally find in other books. One other thing is, because it reviews figure skaters who did well in the 2001 worlds, it does not include Sasha Cohen considering she was out with an injury that season. It really depends on you if you want to get it or not. If you love reading skating books then this is a great book, but if you'd either only want to read about the champions or read about them once this isn't the book for you.

i thought i would get better
I got this book and was excited, but they wrote about such pointless stuff, its good for a quick ref i guess. They also didn't include skaters such as Sasha Cohen (:}) but oh well, don't buy it!

Great Book of knowledge
I recommend this book to anyone that wants to know the gossip on how the latest figure skaters got to where they are today. With lots of great pictures of all stars including Michelle Kwan, Sarah Huges, Irina Slutskya, Elvis Stojko, Alexei Yagudin and much much more from all around the world. ... Read more

Book Description
A lively inline skating how-to for baby booming women and a personal journey of empowerment in the Babe way, Babes on Blades addresses the specific needs of baby boomers. Recognizing that a 50-year-old body reacts differently to a fall or skill drill than a 25-year-old one, this book will inspire women of all ages to get off the couch and into the streets where they belong. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

excellent
has drawings for the utmost beginner but I still recommend a video to see it in action.

If only I had read this book before falling!
I thoroughly enjoyed "Babes on Blades". The piece that is worth the price of the book is how to get up. It is not so simple when your feet are rolling every which way. Just read a few simple paragraphs, look at the photos and you will be back on your blades in no time. I thought the pictures were very good at explaining things and I appreciated all of the safety hints. For someone over 5, this is a must-read book. If you are younger, just have someone read it to you.

Babes on Blades: Drop Physical, Mental and Spiritual Flab...
The content of this spirited piece is filled with necessary wordy explanations of inline skating moves. The book "shows" as much as it "tells" with full page photographs illustrating the basics throughout. It goes beyond skating, actually, as it encourages all women to get off the couch and "into the streets where they belong." The underlying them is people moving from depression, oppression and personal challenges into the light of acceptance as they expand their personal paradyms. Davis' fun-loving wit and enthusiasm make this book a fast and interesting read.

Dr. Donna, editor, Health and Fitness Magazine, Hostess, Health and Fitness Solutions, a Sacramento television show ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great info & suprising results
Power Skating by Laura Stamm is probably the best investment to make ifyou want to make amazing progrss in hockey skating.In no time at all I hadincredible results after reading this book.A must have for anybody lookingto improve their skating ability. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book was very informative and helpful.
This book was very helpful.However, it gave too much advice about things I am good at.Such as skating, simple shots, etc.This is the ideal book for beginners and those who want to get started. ... Read more

Book Description

The budding Elvis Stojko or Josee Choinard in your family will love this guide with diagrams and instruction on jumps, steps and other recommendations.

Figure Skating School is for people of all ages and abilities. Whatever your level of fitness and sporting ability, you can make great progress with this practical guide. A systematic course of instruction, it guides you from basic steps--skating forwards and backwards -- through the most advanced techniques such as double flip and triple Salchow.

Written by two professional instructors, the clear text is complemented by over 30 full-color figure illustrations. Diagrams showing correct positioning of the feet accompany each illustration, making sure you don't put the wrong foot forward.

Also includes:

• History of Figure Skating
• Guidance on clothing and equipment
• General principles of good skating
• Sections on pairs skating and ice dance

Stunning photographs of today's skating stars complete a figure skating treat for anyone interested in the sport.

Customer Reviews (9)

from one of the best
i think the book is great and i have been awarded several medals and trophies in skating. it has a good technique for beginingto professional. the best of the best!!!!!!

I wish there is a two-and-a-half star rating
Like my title says, I wish there is a two and a half star rating. I have read better skating books than this one, such as " Figure Skating For Dummies" and "The Essential Figure Skater". This book is too vague in some parts of the book and too much information in the other parts. Not a very good guide to figure skating. The beautiful pictures of famous figure skaters are the best parts of this book.

To much covered not enough info!
This book is only 128pgs and covered to much with to little info. With everything covered this book needed to be at least 300pgs. Over all worth reading.

Excellent book for illustrating skating moves!
This book provides step by step illustrations of a range of skating moves from beginners to advance. The placement of the foot patterns is easy to see with arrows to show direction. As a level one freestyle figure skater, I find that the book is missing directions on beginning movements, warmups, and preparation for jumps and spins.Advanced skaters find this book extremely helpful in learning to perform double and triple rotations in jumps and various spins. Written instructions are provided to assist skaters at all levels.

Easy to Understand
I like the ease of understanding of the various techniques involved.Explanation's good. Pictures' very helpful. ... Read more

Book Description

The Figure Skating Book explains the commonly performed jumps, spins and pairs moves. With detailed instructions for each maneuver, and useful line drawings for all the steps involved. The lively text also outlines some of the history of each move, explaining who made it famous and how. For instance, the Axel is named after Axel Paulsen, the Norwegian skater who invented the jump, and Kurt Browning was the first skater to successfully land a quadruple jump in competition.

The first chapter, Getting Started, includes information about buying the proper equipment and clothing. The Basics explains gliding, stopping, backward stroking and cross-cuts. Turns discusses a variety of turns for the beginner skater, while Jumps offers moves such as the waltz jump, Salchow, toe loop, Lutz and Axel. Spins and Field Moves, details pivots and footwork steps, and Dance introduces the reader to pairs moves. The final chapter gives helpful tips on choosing a skating club and coach, as well as fitness preparation and injury prevention.

As Wilkes points out in her introduction, there's just something totally intoxicating about skating. It's magical and lovely, physical yet artistic, fresh and wholesome and with enough speed and power in the mix to make it dangerous. When a skater finally gets control, the sense of accomplishment is enormous. Skaters and fans at all skill and ages will increase their knowledge and understanding by following lessons in this book.

Customer Reviews (1)

The Figure Skating Book
A wonderful guide to figure skating.It's written in a clear, easy-to-read manner and comes with great illustrations and photographs.An excellent book to read and to teach.I taught myself some moves while standing in my skate guards, and my instructor already noticed an improvement in my skating!It's wonderful.I loved it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not a Shoe Fan
I suggest picking up a copy of SKATING SHOES for the ruff-and-tumble young lady of your household.This is the only one of the "Shoe" books that held my attention past the end of the first page -- the other's were just so-o girly!As a kid I put them in the same category as the Little House on the Prairie set (GAG).However, this one caught my attention with the description of Harriet's appearance and her family interaction and it kept me to the end with the antics of competition.

Maybe the best of the Shoes
After Ballet Shoes, of course, this is my favorite of the Shoes books. And with the recent interest in skating because of Sarah Hughes, I think this one should be reprinted. What I like about this one is that the heroine is a gawky "daddy long-legs" girl who turns out to be a real skating star after being in her friend's shadow. And her friend, Lalla, who is the shining star in the early part of the book suffers from the perils of early success and of a "stage mother" or "skating mom" in a very realistic way. Despite her being a bit of a spoiled girl, we really come to like her. Probably the most balanced and realistic characterizations of the Shoe books. It's formulaic, of course, but we Shoe fans love the formula.

Looking for this title???
I have loved the Shoes series since I first discovered them at my library when I was younger.My favorite is probably Dancing Shoes, but any of these books make wonderful reading for young girls, especially if they dream about being an actress, skater, or dancer.And there is good news for those who wish they could buy some of the books that are out of print in the US.Skating Shoes (also known as White Boots in the UK), Circus Shoes, Party Shoes, and Tennis Shoes are all still in print in England, and can be purchased at amazon.co.uk.

Remember when Meg Ryan walked into Tom Hanks' bookstore?
And the customer asked about the "Shoes" books, and a monologue about the wonders of Noel Streatfeild's "Shoes" books ensued, touching on Dancing Shoes, Ballet Shoes, and Skating Shoes, which is absolutely wonderful? That scene made me break down crying, because I hadnever heard anyone other than myself talk about these terrific books, andthe fact that it is tragic that they are mostly out of print and hard tofind.This book is a wonderful story of working hard for a goal, andaccomplishing it, or at least getting on the road to achieving areasonable, yet magical, goal. If you want a great book for your favoriteelementary school girl, buy this one - then buy the other "Shoes"books (and get a copy of Tennis Shoes for your favorite boy too!) ... Read more

Book Description
The Passion to Skate provides an opportunity to explore the dramatic and demanding world of figure skating. Drawing on her experience as a world-renowned choreographer and former champion skater, Sandra Bezic describes the competitive and artistic strategies behind international gold-medal-winning performances. Bezic's essays, co-authored with award-winning writer David Hayes, join a collection of images from top international figure-skating photographers to create a deluxe book unique in content and style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great pictures, Great insight
I received this book as a Christmas present a few years ago, and it is one of my favorites.Sandra Bezic begins the book by telling about her life as a skater and how she became one of the world's most prominent skating choreographers.She continues by describing what she feels the "passion to skate" is.Bezic takes the reader into the lives of many of the most popular skaters on the pro-circuit today including Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano, Ekaterina Gordeeva and the late Sergei Grinkov, Victor Petrenko, Kurt Browning, and Katarina Witt.She describes some of the competitive highlights these skaters have had as well as some of the projects they were working on at the time of print(Katarina Witt's Carmen on Ice)etc... Toward the end of the book is a small section dedicated to the Celebration of a Life Skating memoir to Sergei Grinkov.This book features many large color photos of all the skaters mentioned above.It is a great book and I highly recommend it.

One of the most beautiful books that I have read in a while
I picked this book up at my local bookstore last christmas and have enjoyed it very much there were so many photos in this book that I had never seen before and that are now my favorites the book gives readers alook at what goes on behind the scenes of many of her specials and ofcourse Stars on Ice....I personally think the book is worth getting justfor the photos...sandra wherever you are thanks for including all thephotos of G&G I adore them

Fabulous photos!!
This book gives an excellent "back stage" look at figure skating. While somewhat self-aggrandizing on Bezic's part, only her shows and those associated with them are included, this book would be anexcellent choice for a variety of ages, skaters, fans, and photo orentertainment buffs.

Always interesting
Noted choreographer Sandra Bezic really gives figure skating fans something new to read. Non-fans will probably want more gossip or more mention of specific skaters, but Bezic's unique perspective gives her book its own distinct flavor.

6.0 for Sandra Bezic!
What an excellent job Sandra has done! This book features great pictures and it is well-written. This book isn't meant to tell you how to spin or jump, but to explain what the sport is all about and what it means to the skaters. Bezic was once a skater herself (although she didn't win any major medals or events) and is now a choreographer and works for Stars on Ice. This book was excellent for the insight it gives to the reader. Anyone who enjoys skating for the beauty and grace should read this book--don't deprive yourself of a good piece of work as this is. ... Read more

Product Description
A humorous yet serious account of a young German immigrant and an adolescent CIA, coming of age together during the Cold War ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A keen edge!
Mixing humor, shock, and sorrow in a memoir format, Carlos Luria's Skating on the Edge held our attention from beginning to end and had us on the "Edge" of our chairs.The author weaves his personal and family struggles into the account of actual incidents of the successes and failures of the CIA in which he served.His respect for that agency is evident in the writing.But that does not dull the edge of his insightful criticism of the metamorphosis of intelligence collection following the cold war in which human intelligence collection activities were overshadowed by reliance on remote technology-based systems.He blames this policy transition for the intelligence failures leading up to the 9-11 disaster.From the hilarious recounting of his own training and that of others to the shocking revelation of the undetected existence of armed nuclear missiles in a part of Cuba missed by U-2 surveillance, Mr. Luria succeeds in sharing his life experiences in an attention grabbing manner.And there is plenty of between-the-lines inference to stoke the reader's curiosity.For example, what was behind the decision to replace much of the human intelligence gathering program with expensive technology?But alas, it is a memoir and, as such, it's a great read.

Marcia and Ted Wallenius, Summit Book Club

Excellent Skate!
Thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Luria's journal. Has a great ability to hold your attention and bring you with him on his jouney through his life in
the CIA and also his time spent in Germany, England and the US. Gave many copies of this book to family and friends as Christmas gifts and have received very good reviews. Mr. Carlos Luria has a special ability to tell stories. ... Read more

Amazon.com
"I am not entirely content with the degree of whiteness in my life. My bedroom is white: white walls, icy mirrors, white sheets and pillowcases, white slatted blinds. It's the best I could do."

Jenny Diski's obsession with the cool purity of white began early in life, when as a small child, she was taken for weekly skating lessons at the local ice rink. Between practicing figure eights, she would watch the Zamboni move across the ice scraping away the pitted, blade-scored surface: "It was all taken away in minutes and underneath was pure, untouched surface again, gleaming milky white, virgin, immaculate ice." This gleaming, immaculate ice stands in stark contrast to Diski's dark and emotionally fraught home life with two abusive parents. Skating to Antarctica is an unusual blend of travel essay and personal memoir, one that uses the phases of a physical journey to trace the trajectory of the inner life. Both journeys begin for Diski when her 18-year-old daughter Chloe decides to search for the maternal grandmother she has never met. It has been 30 years since Diski last saw her mother, and she has no desire to find her; is it merely coincidence that she books her passage to Antarctica shortly after Chloe begins the hunt?

Weaving painful memories of a childhood spent entangled in her parents' vicious sexual psychodramas and an adolescence in and out of mental wards into an account of her slow journey south, Diski imbues both voyages of discovery with a resonance that comes largely from twinning these tales. Like all polar travelers, she has the experiences of Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton before her; instinctively she rejects the "heroism" of Scott's pointless death in a blizzard, embracing, instead Shackleton's pragmatic rescue of his stranded crew. "The will to live was not strong in my family," Diski writes near the end of her book; Skating to Antarctica, however, is proof that this apple at least fell far, far from the tree.Book Description

So writes Jenny Diski of the parent she has neither seen nor heard from since 1966, the year her father died.

In search of an escape from her suicidal sexually abusive parents, Diski spends her teenage years in the oblivion of heavy drug use and psychiatric wards. As an adult she finds a new haven: the boundless, blank iciness of Antarctica where everything "is colored white and filled with a singing silence."

This blistering account interweaves the story of the author's journey to the end of the earth, her daughter's search for Diski's missing mother, and Diski's own search of her memory-hardened heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Two Extraordinary Voyages In One!
"Antarctica. And along with it a desire as commanding as any sexual compulsion that Antarctica was what I wanted, and therefore I had to have it." So writes Jenny Diski in her strange, humorous and often painful memoir cum travelogue to the bottom of the world. "The Arctic would have been easier, but I had no desire to head north. I wanted white and ice for as far as the eye could see and I wanted it in the one place in the world that was uninhabited."

Ms. Diski weaves two voyages into one here - the longed for trip she made a few years ago to the white land of snow and ice and a parallel journey into her own heart, soul and past. Her descriptions of her fellow travelers, boredom, group activities and various ports of call are often quite witty and caustic. Her take on the natural world, elephant seals, variety of birds, penguins, and the barren landscape in different shades of white are vivid and, at times, haunting.

Also explored in "Skating to Antarctica" is Ms. Diski's past - her suicidal and abusive parents, stays in psychiatric institutions, an almost lifelong estrangement from her mother and her own search of her "memory-hardened heart." The reader is saved from depression at these revelations through the author's extraordinary use of humor at her desire to bury her childhood memories under, literally, tons of snow.

Diski's writing style is spare, clipped and very effective. Given some of the painful content it might sound ridiculous to write that I "enjoyed" the book - but I did. Her descriptive narrative of the trip to the world's southern-most continent are fascinating - not just another travel book, and her personal revelations are striking in their honesty.
JANA

Not your stereotypical memoir
In the only 250 pages of Skating to Antarctica, Jenny Diski manages to captivate her audience with stunning anecdotes and descriptions that send the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions until the last page where it ends; plain and simple, just like it began.Behind the guise of memoir she repeatedly lectures to the reader on the value of truth and its many bastardized forms.When all is said and done, this narrative leaves you wanting more, yet glad to close the back cover.
Diski's autobiography sets and maintains its direction right from the start.Her dedication to her daughter naturally flows into the first sentence, "For Chloe without whom...I am not entirely content with the degree of whiteness in my life."From here Jenny springs into her love of everything white, which originated from her time spent institutionalized for mental disorders.In the end she travels to the greatest white canvas on Earth, Antarctica.Diski meshes stories from her past with those of the present in a frame story format that at times is confusing, but portrays and fully explains her actions throughout her troubled years.
Jenny Diski was the child of sexually abusive dysfunctional parents.Her father was a con-artist, her mother a self-serving, mentally ill woman.Jenny's future hung in limbo.Her parents split up multiple times and both attempted suicide at one point or another.Diski's eventual mental hospitalization stemmed from problems at home.This book attracts readers because often the reader can relate to Jenny's desire for a "normal" childhood.Skating to Antarctica brings a person inside the head of one who was subjected to constant sorrow and lack of stability as a child.Jenny's account informs whoever leafs through her memoir of the importance of providing a good home life for one's offspring.Her less than perfect childhood and distaste for her parents is ever-present when numerous times Diski repeats the phrase, "my father died in 1966 and I haven't seen or heard from my mother since that date" (20).I found myself on the rollercoaster feeling sorry for Jenny at these points, but soon climbed to a state of anger when she remains a static character throughout her memoir.
When I think of autobiographies/memoirs, I envision someone's completed life retold to many awaiting viewers.Jenny's "incomplete" account shocked me.I flipped pages in hope that her problems would vanish and she would become a "normal" human being, but was disappointed that when by page 250, Jenny still had emotional and psychological issues.My hopes for a so-called happy ending vanquished, leaving me frustrated and glad to set the book aside.However a disappointment this may be, in hindsight this technique left a lasting impact.This unresolved ending caused me to realize that some things do not and cannot vacate one's psyche, ever!
Within her sorrowful narrative Jenny masterfully weaves imagery at its finest.She can describe white to an extent that it becomes a color or an emotion as she does here in a relapse of depression: "White walls, staring into peopleless landscapes, heading for the snow and ice.Not to stay, but to be in it for a while.Death, of course, as Melville knows, is what it is.A toying with the void that finally toys with us.In the face of the waiting I can't escape, I head straight for its image and rest there for a while" (191).Reading this passage chills me with how well it portrays someone with a mental illness, wanting to visit Death for tea time.Jenny also throws a curveball with some vulgar language in her "accurate" description of seals, which she names the "flaccid [male genitalia] seal."That sure came out of left field.Jenny maintains a delicate, easy-reading prose but then throws in phrases that make the reader do a double-take and reread to see if she actually said that.Words like "[bird poop]" and the "[fudge]-it factor" just jump off the page, but without delay we're back to the flowing narrative leaving me puzzled over what just happened.
Truth and doubt appear be focal points in Jenny Diski's writing.However, I found her views on truth to be almost hypocritical.When each of her parents shares the truths about their spouse, Diski brings up the point that truth is relative to a situation; this I found striking, yet understandable.She also brings up the idea of relative truth in stereotypes.Someone no learned of a particular culture would easily believe a fact from someone they trusted not knowing that it is false.Hypocrisy comes into play when Diski instills doubt in the mind of the reader regarding the validity of her narrative, which I think is bad.She says that there are "infinite ways of evading truth, including non-fiction" (229), and quotes "Malone Dies": "I wonder if I am not talking yet again about myself.Shall I be incapable, to the end, of lying on any other subject?"The reader is led to ponder what is fact or fiction within Diski's autobiography.Maybe she did meet with her mother between 1966 and her death, but chose to leave that out to strengthen her argument of an intolerable childhood.Only Jenny knows.
Despite some unanswered questions about Jenny's insanity, failed marriage, and future, she successfully writes both to relieve her internal pain, and, in my opinion, to inform the reader on the importance of being attentive parents and the value of seeking help when needed.Jenny's experience should never be repeated.Her novel flows taking the reader in and out of intense subject matter in a way that makes it palatable while expressing true emotion.Though jerks exist between mental jumps, Jenny pulls the reader back into her dismal life and continues on.Skating to Antarctica is a thought-provoking memoir that intertwines humor, anger, and sadness with ideas of truth, death, and depression that ultimately leaves the reader in shock and reflection, a reaction typical of this subject matter.My prayer for Jenny to rise above her troubles and become "normal" went unanswered, leaving me grateful to put this book back on my shelf.

White Oblivion
Skating to Antarctica
by Jenny Diski

"I am not entirely content with the degree of whiteness in my life.My bedroom is white: white walls, icy mirrors, white sheets and pillowcases, white slatted blinds."(1)
Jenny Diski's book, Skating to Antarctica explores the meaning of whiteness in her life.Jenny clearly states her psychological need to have whiteness all around her, and it annoys her if that isn't so.This whiteness that she desperately wants represents her need to forget her past.Jenny says "White hospital sheets seemed to hold out the promise of what I really wanted: a place of safety, a white oblivion.Oblivion, strictly speaking was what I was after..."The meaning of oblivion, according to the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, means the fact or condition of forgetting or having forgotten.Throughout this book, Jenny searches for this white oblivion by traveling to Antarctica, but her past always seems to interrupt this search for pure whiteness.
Skating to Antarctica is a memoir about a woman who struggles with her sexually, physically, and verbally abusive parents.Jenny tells her story of her past, by weaving it together with her adventure to Antarctica.Eventually, the problems of her past resurface because of her daughter's inquisitive nature.
Through this idea of whiteness, Diski presents the novel in a clear precise, way.She paints the book in images of whiteness, and by doing so gives the reader an idea of the world that Jenny would like to live in, of pure whiteness.Diski sets the reader up to understand this need for whiteness, so her longing to travel to Antarctica does not come as a surprise because of the lack of colors that exist there.
Jenny's comments lead one to believe that a lot of objects that surround her in life remind her of her past.Diski allows the reader to see how color interrupts Jenny's world, and exactly to what extent it interrupts her world.Jenny said, "I wanted my white bedroom extended beyond reason.That was Antarctica, and only Antarctica." (Page five) Jenny's strength is giving her reader the sense of this desperate desire to get away from color, as if color was filling her brain and she needed to escape.By surrounding herself in all white she doesn't run the risk of running into any of those painful memories.
Diski describes the quantum theory of how one is able to put things into a box, and forget about what is in the box and not know if the things in the box exist or not.It is this very box that has interrupted the author's world of whiteness.Diski has creatively used the quantum theory in such a way that it reveals Jenny's state of mind.
On page fifty, Diski focuses on Jenny leaving to see a glacier.But what is interesting about this, is how Diski intricately places a "dead furry thing" (Page fifty) in her path.Diski demonstrates her creative skill of describing how the muscles of the animal are gone and how the legs are cocked at different angles.Jenny is unable to focus on the whiteness but on the problem set before her.One can see how Jenny is unable to get beyond her memories, and that they still interrupt her white oblivion.
After Jenny thinks of her mother, and the possible conclusion that she may be dead, she sees white in the sky."..[A]nd all I could see was a shadowed white out there, unless I raised myself up and then I would see the inky sea and shadowed white." (Page eighty-three)Diski once again, subtly drives the meaning home about whiteness, that it is there, and that it just on the horizon, and she's about to reach that conclusion, that final peace of mind.
Diski's attention to details becomes a key element to this book.She allows readers to know more about the barriers that keep her from reaching oblivion, and how that affects her.On page 177, Diski repels the idea that her parents are caring and loving towards her by focusing on the behaviors and interactions of the penguins.She exudes the emotion that she wants this kind of relationship that the penguins have with each other.Another example of Diski's gift of attention is on page 221.She discusses how the ice burgs are blue and have many different levels making the parallel to her own life.
Diski's biggest weakness is not satisfying the reader's desire to see Jenny in Antarctica.The book has focused on her deep psychological desire to be there, and one is left wondering if she was able to get her whiteness and be engulfed in her oblivion.By stopping at this point, Diski leaves the reader wondering if these memories of hurt and sadness can never be erased, or if she went to Antarctica and embraced the whiteness of the land, and her oblivion.
Diski's grace and her skill of writing is what makes this book work.Her gentle and subtle way of depicting Jenny Diski's desperate desire to be overcome in whiteness and her "passion for oblivion" (Page 235) is relieving in the sense that she doesn't overbearingly reveal all of her emotions and feelings, and leaves room for implications to be made.Diski's ability to paint the world white, and splash color is incredibly delightful.Jenny Diski certainly does bring new meaning to whiteness in her book, Skating to Antarctica.

Skating to Antarctica- The Chilling Truth
How long is too long to dwell on something painful?If it is a tragedy that has left your soul in shambles it may be hard to simply turn the memory away.In Jenny Diski's intensely personal tale, Skating to Antarctica, we read of the author's search into her broken past, and the journey she must travel to unveil the truth behind her tragic childhood.In this fascinating memoir Diski ventures to Antarctica to escape the realities that plague her heart.In an "all white, solitary and boundless" land Diski discovers that if she has the will, she can overcome her painful past and begin to experience the future (7).Skating to Antarctica is a brutally honest account of one women's exploration into a cold place; a land few choose to visit, a place too many ignore.
Published in 1997, Diski's memoir became a means of expression for her dispirited voice.Skating to Antarctica is the author's experience, a tale of her liking."There are infinite ways of telling the truth, including fiction, and infinite ways of evading the truth, including non-fiction" (229).Diski reveals only what she wishes to reader, and we are therefore reminded that the book is an individual's report.Her story is unusual; however, her quest for truth in a world of uncertainty is common.Diski's bare writing exposes the significance of our childhoods and their effect upon our lives.
Facing "intolerable blankness" Diski addresses the period in her life where she endured the storms of depression, and touches upon a condition that is prevalent in our society today (190).Every person who picks up this book may not have been diagnosed with depression, but all have experienced feelings of utter loneliness at one time or another.Diski's vulnerability is revealed when she shares early on her desire to head north.She discloses a real helplessness in her opening paragraphs, and does not hold back or conceal these hopeless emotions.Instead, in her completely barren state, Diski shares her feelings and the reader begins to see how she pursues a controlled and simultaneously wavering lifestyle.
This memoir is far-reaching and impressive because it is truthful writing.Individuals who have fought depression or experienced broken childhoods will understand Diski's struggle to confront her past.By viewing this book as an honest report of one women's struggle to find answers, we can admire the author for her honest writing."The choice on offer is the assumption that for thirty years I repressed curiosity about my mother's existence because thoughts of her were intolerable, or that, all unknown to me, I was contentedly, not to say harmoniously, living out a recognized phenomenon of the known physical universe" (24).It is with Diski's open tone that the depth of her pain is revealed, and the reader becomes involved.
One very impressive trait of Diski's style is her direct voice.Because the book examines intense and personal themes: painful memories, depression and guilt, hurt and longing, Diski is specific and concrete in confirming her ideas."I've lived long enough to know it is a fact that most people find activity useful and conforming, but I am not one of those people; on the contrary, I find it alarming and alienating" (64).Diski's very clear and almost obvious style allows readers to peer into her soul, and search through the shattered pieces of the past, beside her.
Skating to Antarctica chronicles Diski's self-searching adventure.As a memoir, the book remains a means through which Diski discloses her thoughts, occasionally selfish or overly dramatic.Although Diski shows little appreciation for her parents, it is important to recall how deep her scars run.The few passages that describe Diski's self-pity are understandable and illustrate her transition into fully understanding her history.It seems only justified to allow Diski the opportunity to listen to her former neighbor, Mrs. Rosen, share memories of her as a child, and it is moving to read of Diski's self-discovery: "someone had been watching, it wasn't just me, myself and I waiting for it to end.I wasn't entirely a figment of my imagination, and up to that point, I could have been" (194).Diski's journey becomes a vulnerable account of the process of facing the truth about herself.
This book is a personal genre of non-fiction.Diski may travel to the end of the world, but if you are looking to learn about an individual's adventures in Antarctica-search elsewhere.The memoir shares not the explorer's experience at her destination, but instead the journey along the way.Skating to Antarctica was not written for the enjoyment of the reader.This book exists because it was Diski's method of breaking down the barriers of her past, and searching through the remains.Her story leaves you with questions, ideas only Diski herself can explain.For this very reason Skating to Antarctica captivated me.

well-written, heartfelt and self-involved
"The one truly generous act of my mother's that I could really put my finger on: her leaving me alone," says Jenny Diski in her memoir, Skating to Antarctica (28).Diski reveals herself to the world by taking the reader on a journey through her troubled childhood with sexually abusive and suicidal parents, drug abuse and psychiatric institutions, her daughter's search for her mother and a trip to Antarctica.It is a well-written and heartfelt, although sometimes too self-involved, book about the search for peace of mind.
The book alternates between Jenny Diski's journey to Antarctica and her past.The balance creates a link between the two stories and allows the reader to understand her thoughts and actions better in both settings.The detailed and approachable way that she describes the setting and her own feelings really helps the reader become immersed in the book.Although a very serious work, it is lightened by Diski's dark humor.She takes her poor relationship with her mother very lightly.She is able to describe a possible meeting with her mother on the street as and encounter with, "a wild, screaming old woman coming down the street, probably with a kitchen knife in her hand, yelling at me," with ease (29).Perhaps this is her way of dealing with bigger problems, but it adds interest and much needed humor to the book.
This memoir is a much more heartfelt and close view of Jenny Diski than her personality is described to be.She continuously reveals her need for nothing and shows her fear of closeness.She says that she avoids waiting, puts things off till another day like Scarlett O'Hara and cherishes distant and superficial relationships like with the Roths (83).Anything that gets too close might hurt her and she stays away from it.However, when reading this book one does not feel any barrier.She is very honest and upfront when telling her story.
A prevalent theme throughout the book is the distinction between memory and truth, fiction and nonfiction.She says, "Memory is continually created, a story told and retold, using jigsaw pieces of experience.It's utterly unreliable in some ways, because who can say whether the feeling or emotion that seems to belong to the recollection actually belongs to it..." (154).She is also very wary of the truth, saying that it is subjective (100-1).Regarding fiction and nonfiction she says, "There are infinite ways of telling the truth, including fiction, and infinite ways of evading the truth, including nonfiction" (229).Diski not only doubts the `truth,' she says that often it doesn't matter.For her, with so many repressed memories, mixed reactions and disbelief, it is better to simply remember things the way she wants to.She portrays this very well in the book so that the reader understands her perspective.
The fact that this is a memoir allows her to share her own reactions and feelings.The memoir genre enables her to express a greater degree of closeness and personal relationship with her audience than other genres would.She is given liberty to give her own interpretations of her memories instead of feeling obligated to stick to the straight facts.I also find her book to be a necessary release from the tension and pressure that her life has created.One gets the impression that Diski wrote this book more for herself than anyone.At times this gets in the way of her writing.
Even though the book is very well written and heartfelt, and Diski's messages are conveyed well, sometimes it becomes repulsively self-involved.At times it is difficult for the reader to relate and not be turned-off by self-pity and her self-involved approach to life.An example of her whiney attitude is shown when she is deciding if she wants to set foot on Antarctica.She says, "The rush of pleasure at not doing what is expected of you, of not doing what you expect of yourself.If it was originally about disappointing other people, it has becomerefined into a matter of pleasing myself" (228).Such self-centeredness can create a distraction for the reader.Despite the fact that it is a memoir and a portal into Diski's personal experiences and thoughts, at times the things she says are better suited for a journal than a publication.
Skating to Antarctica is really about Jenny Diski's search for peace of mind.Does she find it?I think she does.Although she may not completely deal with all of her issues, she definitely comes to a point of peace with her past.She said, "Some things I'll never get away from, not even in the farthest reaches of the South Atlantic, but, with a bit of effort, I can recognize them as a passing wind blowing through me, chilling me to the bone, an act of nature that isn't personal, or not any more.The past can still make me shiver, but no bones are broken" (175). One criticism of the book that I find completely invalid is that it lacks closure.It is true that she does not reunite with her mother and make amends.That is not the kind of closure needed.In addition to the quote on p. 175, on p. 250 Diski expresses contentment in knowing about her mother.This is a true account of a person's life, and it does not end in a fairy tale way.It ends in a manner true to Jenny Diski and true to life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Guide Book for Figure Skating paretns
I bought this book because I have no knowlege of Figure Skating.Up till now, I just like to watch the ice skating competitions and exhibitions.I can not tell what's difference among all these jumps and moves.Now my daughter became competitive skater, this book is just what I looked for.

It gave skater parents a full view of what to look forward in ice skating sports.The detail pictures let me know what each jump should be.I also like his suggestions about how to become a good skater.

In addition to tech info about skating, I like his dry humor.Overall, this is an excellent book which provids enough history and resources for parents like me.The only reason I gave it 4 star instead of 5 was this book is not being updated since figure skating was phased out in 2002 in most internationl competition.The new score system came out after Salt Late Winter Olympic scandals.This book did not update this either. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Helpful for Me
I didn't know how to skate at all, and my instructor thought I didn't care, but I just didn't know the basics!This book really helped me learn to skate.

excellent book on ice skating
I didn't know ANYTHING about skating, but this book made me look good on the ice. Now I can skate, stop, do cross-overs and somebody even asked ME for advice the other day. I really recommend it to anyone getting started in skating.

Ohhhhhhhh boy!
Not the greatest guide to ice skating! There is a lot on what you should wear and look for in skates, but as far as the skating goes. . .There's practically nothing in it!But what's in it is written well. ... Read more

Book Description
272p. Paper, Landscape format, indexed. This book, the most comprehensive text on cross country Ski Skating available today, is written by 11-times World Master Champion (1988-1998) and international Norwegian and Swedish top level coach, Einar Svensson. This superb text-of-choice for teaching, learning and improving ski skating technique on all levels of experience, for one of the fastest growing new winter sports in the world, is UP-TO-DATE, thorough, instructive, informative and easy to understand and follow.

It's 350 color and black/white photos of recent World and Olympic Champion cross country skiers in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, Norway, and 1993 World Championships, Sweden, are presented in action sequences, with physical and mechanical analysis of 17 skating techniques, elaborate graphs and illustrations, and scientific test results.

Topics are:basic skills and exercises, advanced techniques, detailed explanations of poling, skating and downhill techniques, criteria, terminology, ski skating history, environment, and special analyses of mechanics of skiing and skating movements using 72 professional quality illustrations and graphs. Includes results of wind tunnel testing and information on friction, and inertia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Contribution to XC Skiing
Einar Svensson has put an amazing level of effort and care into producing "Ski Skating With Champions: How to Ski With Least Energy," and it shows.

Trying to capture Cross-Country Skiing technique and be comprehensive yet concise, is nearly an impossible task for a written work, multimedia, or video. Einar Svensson has contributed an important work to the sport.

If you are a serious xc skier, then you have to have this book as a reference on your shelf. I do.

David McMahon, 1993 Canadian National Biathlon Champion

Detailed, analytical approach
Mr. Svensson's book presents detailed analyses of 17 skate skiing techniques and more.I really liked that each technique was presented in a several different ways.Anyone who has teaching experience knows that two different students may find different approaches to a subject more effective.As to 'technical errors' found by 'elite skiers' I have a feeling nordic skiiers are like musicians.It is said that the only thing two musicians can agree on is the incompetence of a third.Indeed there are a variety of tweeks and variations on each technique that will prove to be effective for each skiier.This book provides ample material for a starting point.This is a really amazing book.

Extensive Work
A lot of work went into writing Ski Skating With Champions.It dissectsski skating like no other book before it.Many intermediate level skierswill find it thought provoking.

The expert and elite skiers many find avariety of technical errors, or that the text is overly complex - lacks aconsolidated and simple understanding of skiing, but for the sport racerthe book is a good one to have on the shelf. I also recommend "Tao ofSkiing" which takes an entirely different approach. ... Read more

Book Description
Being coached by Eve Perry is the best thing that has ever happened to Lauren, even if the schedule makes her life hectic. And a few low grades at school aren't a big deal - right? WRONG! And to make matters worse, her best friend, Rebecca, is mad at her. Lauren realizes that she had better get her life in balance - and fast! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It's about more than skating
My nine year old daughter loves this series of books. The stories address some of the issues and pressures as well as the joys of skating, including not always having enough funding for lessons or the most expensive dress, trying to keep up with schoolwork and even coping with sometimes fierce competition and petty jealousies. Its about the wonderful bonds of friendship that are made between coach and student as well as between the young skaters themselves. The stories also stress that hard work and commitment will lead to success - very encouraging and positive!

A fun book for the young skating fan and Michelle Kwan fan.
This the second in a series of books about young skater Lauren Wing [Michelle Kwan's middle name is Wing], a fictional character that seemspartially inspired by Ms. Kwan's story. The story is quite good. It isquite insightful into the life of a young skater. The cover's descriptionthat it is for ages 8-10 seems right [although I bet fans of all ages wouldenjoy the story]. It features in the middle of the book a wonderful picturepostcard of Michelle Kwan skating to her A Day In The Life program from the'99-'00 season. The book also features Ms. Kwan's answers to questionsabout her and her skating. Overall, highly recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com
Brian Boitano was a "daredevil roller skater" in Sunnyvale, California, before hismother took him to an ice show at age 8. After that he laced up figure skates instead, and as any of thesport's growing legion of fans know, his dream to win an Olympic medal came true in Calgary in 1988.Boitano's Edge is an insider's look at competitive figure skating. Filled with photographs andreminiscences spanning the gold-medalist's career, it also includes a glossary of skating terms; informationon training, choreography, and the judging process; and even a program diagram.Book Description
This large format, full-color photo essay is the ultimate skating book for fans ages 8 and up.In an accessable and conversational tone Brian Boitano reveals what it is like to move up through the sport and compete at an international level.Brian Boitano's personal stories and anecdotes as well as his lively personal commentary illuminate the sport for young readers and skating fans of all ages.Here's everything you'll ever want to know about figure skating -- with Brian Boitano serving as the expert host. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Great look inside the sport from one of its legends
Brian Boitano pushed himself AND his chief competitor, Brian Orser, in his quest for Olympic gold, and in doing so, both of them elevated the level of the entire sport.

Brian gives us a look back at his Olympic triumph and a valuable insider's perspective on the politics of figure skating as well as its technical aspects.

Skaters, skating fans, and anyone interested in this sport will be entertained by Boitano's book. A nice retrospective of this champion's career as well

Brian Boitnano's book on skating
A nicely written book, describing his experiences learning his craft, as well as good insight into the sport.It would beimproved if there were more pictures of the skaters setting up and completeing their moves.Recommended reading for young skaters, as well as their parents.

Boitano Tells it Like it Is!
Brian Boitano has always been my favorite figure skater.When I heard that he had written a book, I quickly rushed to get it.I am so glad that I took the time to read this book because it is a masterpiece.
He begins his book with a forward written by Peggy Fleming and then goes on to tell what it was like being at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, in 1988.That was the year Brian Boitano would come home with an Olympic Gold Medalist around his neck.Brian has dedicated pages to skating terms, slang, and how to judge a skating performance.He also talks about costumes, choreography, and on most pages of his book he has a first in skating history (first person to skate to music, for example).Katarina Witt also takes the time to add to Boitano's book."A Tour Scrapbook" is towards the back with pictures from some of the shows Brian has been in.The back of his book contains the past Olympic and World Champions since the competitions began.In short, "Boitano's Edge" is THE book for the skating fan in your family.

I don't really know
I am a big Brian Boitano fan.I took this book out of the library hoping for a little more on his personal life.I wasn't too disappointed, but I would prefer if he had mentioned more about his family.There was a lot about his skating in it, though, which is what I love about him.He talks a lot about Calgary, which can get annoying because it happened almost 13 years ago!Don't get me wrong--I loved reading about it, but I've already read a lot about it.My favorite part was the tour scrapbook.That was neat to see.I also liked very much that people wrote their own commentary on Brian and about different things.You can read this book for an enjoyable read, but don't expect too much on skating.

My students love this book!
I teach 4th grade, and this book is in my classroom library.My students love this book as it gives them an insight into this sport.The negative reviews about this book totally shocked me, but then I realized that theywere just thinly disguised opportunities for those "reviewers" totake a swipe at Brian Boitano and nothing more.This book was not meant tobe a "tell-all".Its main focus group was children, but it's alovely book for all ages--provided you're not looking for "dirt". What I have gotten out of this book is that Brian Boitano is a dear youngman of integrity, honesty and morals who loves to skate more than anythingelse in the world.He is the epitome of what a role model should be.Thesporting world needs more people like him. ... Read more

Book Description
High-Performance Skating for Hockey provides the very best instruction by one of the world's top skating instructors, Steve Cady. From essential fundamentals to advanced techniques, learn and master every key skating move to gain the confidence, control, and speed you need to excel on the ice.Improve efficiency, power, and stamina quickly using the book's 37 practice drills.

Serious hockey players and coaches know that every split second counts. High-Performance Skating for Hockey will give you the winning edge every time you take the ice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Almost has it all...
I really like the format and the progression from basic skating through advanced skills. The author tried to make it a comprehensive skating resource, but didn't quite make it. If you have some skating experience or have attended a hockey skating school, this book should catapault you to the next level of your game. The drills are excellent and after doing them for a few months, I noticed a HUGE change in my skating style and fluidity as well as my speed incresing.

If you're new to skating, I'd recommendtaking a hockey skating class at your local rink or at worst get the Laura Stamm book (bring with to the rink for practicing) or get your hands on the Robby Glantz "secrets of hockey speed" videos and "dry-land" train yourself while watching them. Those will show you in slow motion and real time on-ice foot and body positioning to make you an efficient skater as well as some advanced skating techniques.

Once you have skating down, you can go full-steam into this book as the descriptions make much more sense and the drills won't feel so uncomfortable. You should notice a change in your skating abilities in no time.

Pales In Comparison To Laura Stamm's Power Skating
This book was extremely disappointing. I expected a book similar to Laura Stamm's Power Skating book, which I already own. However, this book was not even close to the quality of Stamm's book.

My biggest complaint about Cady's book is the lack of detail the author gives about each skating technique. The book is very short and only takes a couple of hours to read. Most of the techniques are covered in about 1 page of text. Then some tips are given, covering about 1/2 page. Then several pages of drills are given. So very little info is given on the actual mechanics of each skating technique. All the techniqes are discussed in a very general sort of way, and all the details which are essential to mastering the technique are missing. Furthermore, the techniques are very hard to visualize since no illustrations at all are provided - only general photographs in which it is hard to see what the author is emphasizing.

If you really want to improve your skating, I would highly recommend Power Skating by Laura Stamm and Herb Brooks. Stamm's book is a masterpiece and goes into great detail on each skating technique. Best of all, Stamm's techniques are very intuitive, so it is easy to apply when you actually go on the ice. Stamm's book is filled with illustrations and detailed photos so that you clearly understand each technique. As soon as I started applying the skills I learned in Stamm's book my entire game improved dramatically. I've been skating for 20 years, and this is by far the best book to teach you how to skate like a pro.

Good fundamentals
Everyone who has played hockey knows that the most important aspect of the game is skating. This book and Laura Stamm's book on power skating are must reads for anyone seriously picking up hockey for the first time. Even players who have been slogging around the ice for some time will find his or her skating will improve after reading this book.

This book goes into step-by-step detail on forward stroking, backwards stroking, forward and backwards crossovers, hockey stops and transitions from forwards to backwards skating. If you read this book and practice hard you'll be the top player on your hockey team next season.

The best book I ever read
When I started hockey I wanted to be very good. After my first hockey season I got this book in Toronto. I used this book over the summer and now I'm one of the two fastest players on my team. This book concentrates on key points like good form and bad form. I would recommed this book for anyone who wants to be better.

Very helpful for the first time skater.
As a first time hockey player this book made all the difference! The book is set up in such a way that you can progress at a good pace. The instruction on stopping was worth (to me) the cost of the book. As Iprogress the other drills will help all areas of ones skating. This book Iwould recommend without hesitation. ... Read more