Title : Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun
Author : Bode Miller
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Have fun, be bad, be the Bodiest
This is a really interesting quick read. Bode is a fascinating character. The first 53 pages of the book mention little about ski racing and focus instead on Bode's family background and outdoors lifestyle. He comes from a clan of rugged outdoors maverick. The press has described his lifestyle as austere, growing up in a cabin in the woods with no electricity or running hot water. In the book, Bode describes his childhood in enchanting ways. He had a freedom to explore nature, and experience the elements. He loved every minute. Every moment was an opportunity to be challenged and have fun. He never had time to be bored or watch TV. So, it did not matter that he did not have one.
Bode is just an all around world-class athlete. In high school he was the tennis state champion. He also was an excellent varsity soccer player. Later in 2002, he won the CBS Superstars competition beating out a bunch of NFL and NBA pros at various "Survivor-like" events. His ski coaches encouraged him to pursue snowboarding racing instead of ski racing. He placed 2nd in a national snowboarding race. But, his heart was set on skiing. However, his snowboarding adventure would change skiing forever.
Bode was a pioneer in racing on shaped skis. He liked the side cut of snowboards better than the straight alpine skis. He pressured a K2 ski rep relentlessly for K2 to develop the first shaped racing ski. Bode succeeded in getting K2 to manufacture such customized parabolic skis for him. And, the rest is history. Bode and his shaped skis took the world by storm. Because of Bode everybody quickly shifted to shaped skis, as they carved better and faster turns. According to Ingemar Stenmark, the living legend of alpine skiing shaped skis revolutionized racing technique much more than anything else.
Since his early high school days, Bode developed an all out technique that results in many falls, but also many wins. This originally drove his coaches crazy. But, now coaches support this low percentage but high success rate approach.
In the opening of the 2004-05 FIS World Cup, Bode had the best start in the history of alpine racing. He won 6 of the first 10 races. He won in all four disciplines in the same season in just 16 days. Only two other skiers had duplicated this feat, and it took them nearly an entire season to do it. He describes this apex of his career near the end of the book. The book's timing is perfect as it ends on this high note.
Ever since, his career has gone downhill (no pun intended). He still managed to win the 2004-05 FIS World Cup. But, that was because of his 16-day miracle. He skied poorly the rest of the season. The 2005-06 season, including the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics were disappointing. At the Olympics, he looked out of shape compared to the Austrians.
Increasingly weird statements have come out of his mouth. Within the book, he indicated that he might start a pro tour with sponsored teams such as in bike racing that would compete on the FIS World Cup. That was a strange leap. He also indicated that (maybe because of his pro tour concept) he might not participate in the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics. He ultimately did; but performed poorly. Later he accused Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds to take steroids. With hindsight, nobody will blame him for mentioning Bonds. But mentioning Armstrong caused a huge devaluation in his advertising potential.
Bode's ultimate fall from grace does not detract from this very original biography. The book is enjoyable whether you are into skiing or not. Heck, as Bode indicates throughout the book he is more into having fun than skiing (if the two shall meet so be it). That's at the essence of his phlegmatic charisma, his successes, and his downfall. If you enjoy this biography and also like tennis, I strongly recommend John McEnroe's "You Can't Be Serious," Boris Becker's "The Player," and Ilie Nastase's "Mr. Nastase." They are all multifaceted characters.
Title : Allen Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book (Falcon Guides Backcountry Skiing)
Author : Allen O'Bannon
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : The best winter camping guide ever?
There are two types of winter campers: those who have this book and those who need it. Perhaps if you are very very experienced you don't need it but otherwise, get it! Allen wrote a short, but information full book, that is easy and fun to read quickly and jamn packed with a mix of basic functional knowledge, extra tidbits that are good to know, and all kinds of little tricks he has discovered over the years.
Title : The Story of Modern Skiing
Author : John Fry
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Viva la Sport of Skiing
With ski icon John Fry as author and with a delicious poster art "cover" of spectacular ski slopes, any thoroughbred skier will find this book a gem - a fascinating 50 year chronicle of the development of the sport- its ups and downs and inside scoops. You'll feel nostalgic as you read this detailed account and thank John Fry who gives us such a unique, well researched and educated schuss down memory lane. A must for your library!
Sandra Heath
Stowe, Vermont
Title : The Story of Modern Skiing
Author : John Fry
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Tops in Its Field
An exceptionally well-written encyclopedic account that not only becomes the standard in its field, but sets the standard for future historians of any sporting endeavor. Fry's superb book covers the explosive growth of both recreational and competitive skiing with the sharp eye of the veteran insider for telling detail, ranging from the wholesome outdoors to the hedonistic indoors of apres ski.
Title : Harald Harb's Essentials of Skiing (Includes Free DVD)
Author : Harald Harb
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : The Best Skiing Instruction Book, Bar None!!!
I have all of Harald Harb's books on skiing. I discovered them 5 years ago. I immeditely knew that he was teaching something different. I bought his first two books (anyone can be an expert 1 and 2) and now I have this book. In my opinion, this is the best manual on how to ski ever written. It is a treatise on how to carve and on how to ski effectively and effortlessly in all conditions. The book focuses on 5 fundamental movements in skiing which Harald calls the essentals. Each one is discussed in detail and each chapter contains specific drills that will enable the reader to perform each essential correctly. Because of this, the book is of equal value to both beginners and advanced skiers.
In my opinion, these are the tools that every skier needs and without them improvement in skiing can be hard fought. This is not traditional ski instruction!!
As with any sport or disciplne, practice makes permanent!! This book give you the the movements to practice that all great skiers use. If you have skied for years yet still have a stem in steeper or more difficult terrain, this book will rid you of it forever. If you want to ski like the best skiers and racers, parallel in all terrain, in all snow conditions, buy this book. It will give you the fundamentals to make you as good a skier as you want to be.
I highly reccommend this book!!!
![]()
Title : Tao of Skiing : Aide Memoire for Cross-Country Skiing Aficionados (The Way to learn to Cross Country Ski)
Author : Lise Meloche
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Key product
The amazing thing is that... this CD cost me less than a day pass at the local ski site, and saved me years of floundering around on snow. Tao (the way) of skiing is a large web site on a CD-Rom, complete with ample advise (text, images and small movies). The movies were a lot of fun and the text was straight to the point. (The way you would want to be instructed). Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the package and appreciated what it has done for me... and I'm not hung on an occasional Typo.
