Zero Tollerance : An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Revolutionized Figure Skating

by Toller Cranston, Martha Lowder Kimball

Toller Cranston is: six-time Canadian figure-skating champion, celebrity, costume designer, artist extraordinaire, broadcaster, choreographer of skating routines, raconteur, bon vivant, coach, world traveller, art collector, legend, and enigma. In 1976 he won Olympic bronze (so why did it feel like defeat?). This book tells the story of his life after those fateful games at Innsbruck.

The rise and fall of Toller’s first professional ice show is described in soul-searing detail. His subsequent triumphant tour of Europe as the Skater of the Century is recounted, in contrast, with wicked humour. There are vignettes here of his encounters with the rich and famous from Leonard Bernstein to Pierre Cardin and of his life among Europe’s aristocrats and bohemians. Toller has experienced the high life and the low. He has stayed in the most luxurious hotels, held court in palatial houses, sought seclusion in beautiful estates. But the hard times have taken their toll.

In the early 1990s a combination of circumstances, including a disastrous professional association with out-of-control American skater Christopher Bowman and a lawsuit that dragged on for years (ending in complete victory for Toller), led to a personal crisis from which recovery came slowly. But even in the blackest hours, Toller’s humour and creative powers never deserted him.

This generously illustrated book is an extraordinary self-portrait written by a uniquely gifted individual. Toller’s wit, insight, and delicious way with words will entertain and astound readers whether they are skating fans or not.

Genres: Figure Skating, Memoir, Sports

360 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 1997

Reviews

[Jennifer]

i don't know how to rate this book--it made me cry with laughter, followed by being completely annoyed and bored. i guess a straight-shot inside the head of a self-absorbed misunderstood "artiste". one of the highlights are the footnotes made by a compulsive fact-checking editor who i like to imagine secretly hates having to fact-check this crap. "point of order, brian boitano only skated half of his long program that evening and does not recall the shouting match"

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. You are never going to read another skating bio like this one. He was eccentric, for sure. Was he egotistic or narcissistic? Possibly, but he seemed to have a lot of self-awareness. He admits some of his persona was put on, but I think that might have been a defense because he was clearly so different. But what an incredibly gifted skater he was. It's only a shame that what he did can't be taught to others.

[Ryan Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful memoir from one of figure skating's greatest legends - at times touching, hilarious and dramatic. Much has been said to criticize Toller's books, but if you take them for what they are - memoirs - and appreciate his wonderful wit and storytelling, you're in for a fabulous read.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

for the first 100 pages or so I was just amused by his melodramatic style of recounting his career and the clear embellishments and dramatics that accompany some of his anecdotes. but it evolved into such a candid, frank look at himself, and such an honest evaluation of his path through both his skating career and life that I feel quite affected by it. I think he was catty and judgemental in his judgement of some people and places, but he's never anything but clear-eyed about himself. Often his anecdotes demonstrates incredible generosity for others and love for the skating community, although he's always eager to hide it under something wry or dramatic. The three funerals chapter made me cry, his evalution on the value of winning was affecting and his chapter on underappreciated skaters was very touching. Some of it has aged quite terribly and some of the tales feel unnecessary but I've gained a huge amount of respect for toller cranston.

[Amar Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining memoir from a figure skating champion of the last era. Unlike most professional or "Olympic amateur professional" athletes, Cranston is multidimensional-- he splits his time between painting and skating. Most of the book's stories relate more to the crazy lifestyle he built for himself. His personality is what you'd call 'larger than life.' Mix of drama queen and tortured artiste and single minded athlete and costume designer and decadent hedonist.

In this book, Toller launches right into anecdotes without supplying a ton of background info re: skating. I kind of appreciated, actually, since I'm more interested in Toller's flamboyant antics, party stories, travel tales, etc.

Particularly memorable is his recollection of his crazy house in Toronto, that he eventually had to abandon/sell off because it got overrun with druggies. Apparently the auction in which he sold the thousands upon thousands of artifacts he'd collected over the years is still spoken of in reverent tones.

Jenny Tsui, you should read this book since it's hellsa Canadian and fairly entertaining. Montreal gets quite a bit of time to shine. Also at one point he judges the Miss USA contest... good times

If I had to summarize this book in one word it would be: "dishy"

[Ellen Snyder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably would never have read this book if I hadn't moved to San Miguel where Cranston has a house. Never a follower of figure skatiing, I never heard of him until I saw his paintings here. I don't know him personally and don't think I want to, as his memoirs present him as an obnoxious, insecure, yet arrogant personality. Still the book is interesting as he is quite honest about himself, and he did get to travel around in his skating career, and meet a lot of interesting people.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A genius? A crazy-ass one for sure.

[Surreysmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first volume of the autobiography; includes Holiday on Ice anecdotes, the trials with Christopher Bowman, encounters with the strange and famous, and liberally expressed opinions on everything.

[Jenny Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most incredible book by the most incredible figure skater.