Totally Tara: An Olympic Journal

by Tara Lipinski

At the age of 14, Tara Lipinski became the youngest figure skater to win the World Championship title. Tara's own words, accompanied by thoughts from her parents, coach, choreographer, and others close to her, turn this stunning pictorial into a colorful, remarkably candid visual journey of a skating phenomenon and her Olympic experience

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1998

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

My graphic designer brain kicks in and says this book is very 90s, but overall it was a nice account of Tara Lipinski's journey to the Olympics. I enjoyed the photos, some are a bit grainy but again this is very 90s technology. I especially loved getting the insight of how at the time of her Olympic journey, she was a normal kid living a normal life off the ice. She would always have a friend travel to competitions with her and her parents said they wanted her to feel as normal as possible. That they never wanted to look back and think she didn't have a normal life to be a kid, even if she was a figure skater. Overall very glad I read this one and would recommend it to anyone that loves figure skating, USA Olympic figure skating, Tara Lipinski, or just athlete stories in general.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olympic gold medalist, Tara Lipinski, shares how she prepared for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. It includes her daily practice schedule, how she spends her free time and how she chooses her music and designs her outfits for competition. There are several great photos capturing her life both on and off the ice.

I recently read this during a feeling of nostalgia. I remember watching Lipinski's gold medal winning performance live when I was twelve and being captivated by the beauty of her routine. While the book is dated now, it captures a moment in time that was fun to relive.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an enormous, heavy, coffee-table sort of tome. I got it from the library but wasn't about to lug it home sort I just sort of glanced at it. It looked nice, though.

[Ann Keller · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this pictorial legacy, the reader is treated to the history and triumphant win of Gold Medal winner, Tara Lipinski, the fourteen year old who claimed the highest honor in women’s figure skating in the 1998 Winter Olympics. Simon Bruty’s exquisite photographs showcase the hard work, beauty, grace and poise of this young skater, who claimed the hearts of sports enthusiasts worldwide in that chilly winter in Japan. This book is a real treat to those who love the sport in all of its marvelous facets.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only does Tara tell her story of her accomplishments, and how she chose her programs and costumes for the 1998 Olympic season, but this book has some of the best figure skating photography around.