Figure Skating Now: Olympic and World Stars. 2nd ed.

Marie T. Gillis is a member of the Angus L. Macdonald Library staff at
St. Francis Xavier University.

For those who love it, the sport of figure skating is thrilling to
watch. The combination of technical skills and artistic interpretation,
of music, costumes, and lights, can create moments of magic. Who can
forget the “Battle of the Brians” at the Calgary Olympics in 1988?
Or the beauty of Gordeeva and Grinkov throughout their careers? The
originality of Torvill and Dean?

As its title suggests, Figure Skating Now looks at current skating
stars, including Michele Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Alexei Yagudin, Evgeny
Plushenko, Emanuel Sandhu, Shen and Zhao, and Bourne and Kraatz. All of
these athletes and their competitors have created the magic that
audiences crave. It is unfortunate that this book, which clearly aims to
honour the skaters chosen, fails to reach the same level of
entertainment.

The book is divided into four sections to reflect the four disciplines:
men, women, pairs, and dance. Within these sections, individual skaters
are discussed and evaluated, mostly in terms of competitive standings.
There is very little other information offered, with the exception of
the occasional coaching change or hardship overcome; even these are
glossed over. The daily life of a skater, the discipline and hard work
required, the atmosphere at competitions and exhibitions: all remain a
mystery. Such details would add considerably to the reader’s
enjoyment.

The accompanying photographs, while of high quality, tend to lack
excitement. The book as a whole resembles the programs available at
skating shows. While it may interest a young or inexperienced fan, those
who know the sport and its participants will find Figure Skating Now a
disappointment.