Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History [Hardcover]

Toller Cranston (Author), Martha Lowder Kimball (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2002

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

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.

About the Author

Toller Cranston was six-time Canadian men’s skating champion and won a bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. He has been a coach and artistic advisor to a number of prominent skaters. He now divides his time between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and Toronto.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart (August 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0771023324
• ISBN-13: 978-0771023323
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #685,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( S ) > Stewart, Martha
  • #53 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Winter Sports > Ice Skating & Figure Skating

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Strawberry King does it again..., September 23, 2002

By 

A. L. Kennedy "sugarplum29" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History (Hardcover)

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History, September 8, 2005

By 

H. Kelsall (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History (Hardcover)

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!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Nausea Inducing, August 11, 2011

By 

M.C (Richmond VA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History (Hardcover)

As a hardcore figure skating fan, this is a fascinating read: It's interesting to read about behind the scene happenings from various competitions, as well as the impressions Toller Cranston has of his fellow skaters. There are not that many figure skating books out there, frankly, and I tend to read all that I can when they do periodically show up. As a skater, Toller Cranston was talented and innovative (and he reminds the reader of that every other page).

This book, however, could have been much more interesting. I really enjoyed Toller's commentary in the 80's and early 90's, as he had insightful things to say about specific programs (and judging). But in "Ice Cream," he comes off as narcissistic, elitist, and not very bright. The book is not beautifully written (I wish he wrote as well as he painted), and Toller comes off as an insecure man (50's going on 19) who is desperate for the world to think of him as an "ARTISTE!" Toller Cranston is no ordinary skater, artist, or even human being, you see; in his own mind, as he repeats constantly, he is just totally misunderstood, fabulous, and a perpetual victim of bad luck and bad judging. Yawn....

He comes off as one of those pseudo-intellectual types you knew in college and secretly rolled your eyes at.

BUT, it is fun to read because there is not a lot out there on figure skaters, and I did learn a few interesting things: For example, Dorothy Hamill always seemed like such a down to earth person (and perhaps she is now), but according to Cranston, she used to be a pretentious, materialistic obsessed Diva (complete with haughty jewelry and first class everything). A bit sad to find out, actually.

Pick it up and give it a read if you love skating, but keep a barf bag nearby.