Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History

By Toller Cranston and Martha Lowder Kimball

Book Overview

The skaters included in this book all made a strong impression on the skating world, contributing to the development of the sport through commanding athletic prowess, unusual aesthetic characteristics, or sheer force of personality. They reflected and illuminated their times and environments. Certainly none of them could be called boring, the deadliest sin in Toller's lexicon. In many cases they are skaters who elevated figure skating to an art form, but some altered the course of the sport in a way that may have been negative. Each chapter starts with a short biography and then Toller contributes his well-honed and very personal assessment. Finally, Toller brings the book right up to date with his Epilogue: A Salt Lake City Retrospective. Readers and fans are aware of Toller Cranston's way with a quip, his flamboyant personality, and his outspoken opinions. In Ice Cream, they will also learn more about his deep knowledge of skating, his sensitive artistic judgement, and his acute observations of fellow skaters. But make no mistake, the Toller we all know is here in spades.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0771023324
• ISBN13: 9780771023323
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History

Fans of Toller Cranston's other books will have some idea of what to expect here. Toller isn't frightened to say what he thinks or be controversial! As it says in the introduction - take your blood pressure pills skating fans. I found it a great read, and Toller's obvious love for the sport/art of figure skating and its history shines through. You may not agree with the opinions he has of some of the skaters listed but he expresses his opinions in a very entertaining way. Martha Kimball as always provides good introductory factual information on each skater before Toller lets loose!

The Strawberry King does it again...

I don't know what I love more: Mr. Cranston's brilliant portraits or his skating knowledge! He has hit the trifecta with his latest tales of fame, fortune, and famine in figure skating by illustrating the more personal points of 25 of the most interesting skaters of our time. Honest, witty, laugh-out-loud funny, and exasperating, Toller tells all. Notable chapters include the "real" Dorothy Hamill, Gary Beacom, and the Queen of Spin, Lucinda Ruh. If you enjoyed his first two books, you'll devour this one with equal joy. Love him, hate him, agree or disagree, this is a thought-provoking look at some of the world's greatest skaters from one of Canada's most colorful personalities. I've been in the sport 26 years and I must say I have a clearer picture with regards to the skaters/artists I've watched and admired. A must read for any serious skating collection.