Instant Karma: The Heart and Soul of a Ski Bum

by Wayne K. Sheldrake

Cultural Writing. Biography and Memoir. With the beauty and precision of a poet, Wayne Sheldrake examines his place in the close community of ski bums, people who give up "normality" to live on their own terms. Sheldrake's is a life of recklessness and restlessness, dedicated to adventure, courage, and the pure joy of second and third chances. He maps the hidden trails of virgin snow and conjures the rush of hucking off cornices and skiing blind in sudden snowstorms with exacting detail, all the while finding his way to understanding and accepting the powerful bonds of romance, friendship, and learning to let go. In Sheldrake's universe, "instant karma" is what happens when we believe our grandest passion can't be separated from the everyday, and then live in accordance with that faith. Wayne Sheldrake has lived in Colorado for over thirty years, working as a ski instructor, teacher, ranch hand, and river guide. He received an MFA from Antioch University-Los Angeles and has written for magazines such as Writer's Digest and America West. He lives with his wife in Southern Colorado. And he skies.

Genres: Nonfiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2007

Reviews

[Lky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of bloviating.

[Sophie De Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a great book

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring memoir that shares the extreme love one can become obsessed with for outdoor pursuits. Sheldrake reflects on a love of nature and sport, and how this endeavor can be a guide in meeting existential challenges far outside of the sport. The narrative balances well the seriousness of the author's spiritual connection to Mother Nature as well as the light-hearted tone of the archetypical "living to make turns", ski bum lifestyle; even sitting here in the midst of summer, I'm now seriously jonesin' for some deep powder as soon as possible as a remedy for my existential angst as much as a respite from the summer's heat. Sheldrake uses humor, figurative language, and rich imagery to take any reader, whether s/he be a novice adventurer, stepping on boards for the first time, or the old extreme skiing veteran who seeks the near vertical couloirs before feeling challenged, on a literary trip down the ski trails of life, both the bunny hill's mellow routes as well as the extreme out-of-bounds cliffs that will inspire them to live in the Zen moment of existential flows, both those caused by gravity as well as fate and time.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the love of skiing and the ski bum culture.

[Michael Heaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Karma

Really enjoyed this book it was a quick read. Made a hot summer miserable, ready to hit the slopes. Good weekend read.