Updated 1/23/00
Books about Figure Skating w/Scott Hamilton
Note-I've included links to Amazon.com--an online bookstore where you can buy all of these books at a discount price. I do get a small percentage of whatever is ordered from a link from my page. All the money I make from Amazon.com goes into my husband's memorial fund, which my kids and I use to support our favorite charities.
Landing It - Scott's Biography in his own words
A Glance: Scott Hamilton (Overcoming Adversity) - I've ordered this and will write a review after I read it.
Scott Hamilton : Star Figure Skater (Sports Reports) - Have not read it
Stars On Ice; The Story of the Champions Tour - great photos and story of the history of Stars on Ice
Scott Hamilton : Fireworks on Ice by Linda Shaughnessy
This is a book in a series for youth about famous figure skaters. Although it's written for youth, if you are looking for a good informative biography of Scott...this is it. There are lots of nice pictures in it --Scott as a baby and his family...as well as skating as an amateur and as a pro.
It was written before his cancer diagnosis so there is no mention of it. There are also two inaccuracies that I found--She does say Scott debuted his new costume at the 83 Worlds, but she describes the 84 costume and his 84 music..so it's a bit confusing. Also it claims that he landed a triple lutz/triple toe combination in 1984.
Folks...Scott never did that combination. He did a triple toe right after the triple lutz, but always with a step or turn in between. He did land a triple lutz/double toe in the short program in 1983, and was one of only 3 to land that combo at the Nationals. This is a combination he still does at ISU Pro-Am competitions. The only time I know of Scott landing a triple triple is a triple toe/triple toe in Nancy Kerrigan's 94 special and in "Born to Be Wild" in Upside Down.
But this is a nice book that is not overly sentimental about his hardships and until he writes his own autobiography..this is the best we are going to get.
A Glance: Scott Hamilton (Overcoming Adversity)Old Biography
There was a book written in 1985 by Michael Steere about Scott that began with his approval, but eventually Scott withdrew his approval.
"It wasn't the book that I thought I wanted. It turned out to be something that was not written as well as I would have liked," Scott said about the book in an interview in American Skating World in 1987. "It was negative in a lot of ways ...it's just not want I wanted and I don't feel comfortable with it."
I finally got a hold of this book in library while I was on vacation. It is a rather interesting read. The author followed Scott around with a tape recorder during the 1981-82 season, the first year Scott had to defend his World Title, a year where he was under an extraordinary pressure. He does come off a little high strung, as I think anyone would under those conditions. I also think the author seemed a little obsessed with Scott myself. I can understand why Scott wouldn't want this book to be all anyone knew about him--because it was, as he admitted, the worst year of his amateur career and he says that things did calm down a bit for him.
One of the fun things in the book is a picture of him in an Afro.
The book out of print now but you may run into at a used bookstore or library. If you do find the book, just keep in mind it was one bad year, and the author chose what episodes to include and what not to include and Scott was probably more normal most of the time, but that's not as interesting to write about.
Other Figure Skating Books with mention of Scott Hamilton
The Real McKay- My Wide World of Sports -If you grew up watching figure skating on WWOS -you'll enjoy this book--he talks about all the sports and athletes covered--but has nice things to say about Scott Hamilton
Kristi Yamaguchi has written a book - Figure Skating for Dummies with a forward by Scott Hamilton
Beverly Smith has written 3 wonderful figure skating books--the latest is Talking Figure Skating which is a wonderful look into the various aspects of skating--she has a chapter on choreography where she mentions Sarah Kawahara and her relationship with Scott Hamilton. A Year in Figure Skating goes through the 1995-96 season and mentions Scott Hamilton. Her first book Figure Skating- A Celebration is a brief history of skating--mentioning Scott of course. Wonderful photos. I recommend Beverly Smith as a much more objective and knowledgable figure skating author than Christine Brennan.
There is a great interview with Scott in Pat Summerall's new book Sports In America - worth the price of the book for that alone, in my opinion. I'd order this book right away--as it sounds like the book might go out of print.
I should mention Inside Edge : A Revealing Journey into the Secret World of Figure Skating
This is an interesting book with some inside info on the skating world and quotes from Scott. Just be careful with this book. Brennan is touted as this big figure skating expert but she really is ignorant about a lot of aspects of the sport--especially judging and what she doesn't understand about judging she just writes off as "politics"--still the book is a good read and probably a must for anyone interested in the sport. However her new book "" is a waste of money in my opinion. She really has nothing new--it is all information you could have gotten by following the sport--and fact is mixed up with her own speculations and what to my mind is just plain gossip.
My Sergei : A Love Story by Katia Gordeeva, with E.M. Swift, Warner Books, 1996.
This is a wonderful book in itself...not just for what she says about Scott and she does mention him a bit. The paperback version is now available and it it she has an epilogue mentioning Scott and his recent cancer diagnosis.
Zero Tolerance : -Toller Cranston This is a very interesting book--Toller is a very interesting character in the skating world. He had many dealings with Scott as a pro and mentions him often.
The Encyclopedia of Figure Skating --some basic facts on Scott here--nothing you couldn't find anywhere else. There are SO many factual errors in this book so as to make it nearly useless
Boitano's Edge : Inside the Real World of Figure Skating - by Brian Boitano----lots of nice photos and interesting tidbits about Skating--a little about Scott--one photo.
ROBIN COUSINS By Martha Lowder Kimbal-- another interesting book--interesting info about Robin and Scott's so called "rivalry" at Landover 85-87.
The Passion to Skate : An Intimate View of Figure Skating by Sandra Bezic
More of a coffee table book--lots of good pictures and interesting info about Stars on Ice, and a few pictures of Scott.
Ice Skating : From Axels to Zambonis
An older kid's book about skating--there is a chapter about Scott in there, one black & white photo.
You May Be able to Find these in the Library:
Great Skates by Laura Hilgers, Sports Illustrated for Kids, 1991
Another kids book...very good biographical info on Scott in a chapter on him and some very nice color pictures (including one of him working out with no shirt)
It's got really good info on other skaters, some inaccuracies however.
STARS ON ICE by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, Dodd, Mead, NY1980: .
There's an adorable photo of Scotty in this!
Living With Cats by Gale B. Nemec. This is not a skating book--but about cats but there is a picture of Scott and the author on page 16. His cat was elsewhere at the time. It also mentions that Scott's cat likes water. This book is out of print but I was able to get a copy from Amazon.
If you run across any other books with Scott Hamilton in them, let me know
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