Extreme Skiing

Liz Dennett is a public service librarian in the Science and Technology
Library at the University of Alberta.

This series on the very popular topic of extreme sports has been
expanded to include four new books on mountain biking, skiing, skydiving
and wakeboarding. Each of the books follows a set formula: an
introduction to each sport is given, closely followed by a warning that
the stunts shown are done by seasoned professionals and should not be
attempted by amateurs. This is followed by sections on the history and
culture of the sport, and the equipment needed. The different variations
of each sport and a selection of the most common moves and tricks are
explained. The many colour photos provide fascinating examples of the
athletes engaged in these indisputably extreme and sometimes
jaw-dropping activities.

In Extreme Skydiving, the complexities of the individual and team
disciplines are discussed, along with interesting variations such as sky
surfing and swooping. Extreme Mountain Biking provides an introduction
to downhill, XC, endurance, dual cross, and mountain cross racing, as
well as the technical variations of mountain biking: freeride, dirt
jumping, and hill climb. Extreme Skiing covers the basics of freeride,
moguls, and aerials, and their non-competitive cousin, freeskiing.
Extreme Wakeboarding introduces readers to wakeboarding techniques and
the most common tricks, such as spins, flips, grabs, and even tantrums.

Within each of the books, there are also short biographies of the
sport’s most famous athletes (male and female), and each book
concludes by encouraging youngsters to get the proper safety equipment
and coaching before trying these dangerous sports. A glossary at the
back includes words not adequately defined in the text.

These books will have a strong appeal for youngsters who dream of
defying gravity or experiencing the speed of free fall, and parents will
be pleased with the emphasis on safety. Recommended.