A Spectator's Guide to Figure Skating

Virginia Gillham is university librarian at Wilfrid Laurier University.

One of Canada’s best known and most knowledgeable figure skating
commentators, Debbie Wilkes, who was herself an international
competitor, has written a book that armchair fans and parents new to the
sport have been asking for years. It begins with a clear explanation of
the six basic jumps and four basic spins on which all figure skating
moves are built, and goes on to explain all of them in detail. Verbal
descriptions are augmented by stopped-motion diagrams and explanations
of takeoff and landing feet and edges. Pair moves are covered in a
separate section, and information is summarized in chart form. The book
concludes with an explanation of both judging and marking that may help
to dispel the “fix is on” mentality popular among the uninformed.

A Spectator’s Guide to Figure Skating will enlighten both casual
observers and more serious followers of the sport.