Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team… by Nikki Nichols

Although the loss of the 1961 figure skating team occurred before I was born it still surprises me that I had never heard of the incident before I saw the book offered on the Early Reviewer program. And, although I can’t even stand on skates and have little if any interest in the sport of figure skating, I was fascinated by the stark reality of how this would have affected the sport, the competitors, the survivors and the fans. That the photos of Laurence Owen were so appealing and her smile so engaging only made it more intriguing, because the truth is that tragedy is that much more compelling when those involved are young and beautiful. So my knowledge with regard to figure skating was minimal when I began the book and I am sad to say it still is. Although I would certainly not expect the author to provide a comprehensive history of the sport for the benefit of those who don’t follow it, I also understand that a book needs to appeal to more than a limited range of fans who likely already know most of what was in this book. Overall it IS interesting. I enjoyed the all to brief biographies of the lost skaters and what they sometimes gave up for their sport. A comparison to today’s athletes brought into sharp focus the differences in how athletes are perceived and treated 50 years later. The problems with the book, none so bad as to not recommend it, are disappointing. Making direct reference to events that occurred more recently only works for readers who follow the sport and know the players and events involved. 1. For those who might read in order to learn more it’s jarring and confusing. 2. I understand the benefit of focusing on one or two main families, it gives the book a reference point and a focus, but I would have liked to have known more about some of the others skaters beyond a minimal biography and some of the coaches were not discussed at all with the exception of a single line or two prior to boarding the plane. 3. Making the decision to include what is essentially a chapter of fiction in order to “fill in” the events that occurred in flight to Belgium, was in my opinion a foolish choice. Although the author was careful to state that this was speculation, it was a bit like dressing up the dead. it was, in a word, tawdry. That they were mostly kids, that they were excited, scared, and nervous goes without saying. Allowing the reader to imagine what that last trip must have been like is more than sufficient for readers of non-fiction. These are not readers who need to be walked through everything, they understand that the imagination can be the best tool for “seeing”.
My last criticism is one built entirely of personal disappointment. I read non-fiction to KNOW more, to UNDERSTAND more. What were the real implications of the crash? Did the loss of the 1961 team affect how the media covered the sport? Did the American public take more interest in the sport because of the crash? Were they drawn to it in part because of the compelling images of promising young lives ended before they could become stars? What of the young skaters who were now thrust to the front of the line, did some leave because the pressure was too great? What were the affects, if any, on national teams from other countries? We know that the team no longer flies together on a single plane and that a fund was set up to help young aspiring skaters but beyond that the book fails to go. And for that I’m sorry. ( )