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Toller
Book by Elva Oglanby
- GenresFigure Skating
132 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 14, 2018
Toller Cranston is a well known Canadian champion who did much to promote artistry in men’s figure skating in the seventies. This volume, written by his personal manager includes a variety of subject material including Cranston’s life story, a few interviews, some of his sketches, poems, and pictures of his art work. His paintings are very different, marked by unusual subject matter, incredible detail and vibrant colours. The photographs, including the shot of Cranston on the cover are well done and beautifully reproduced.
Cranston has always been an interesting and unusual man and very much his own person. In this volume, the author has tried to capture the nuances of his personality as well as his variable moods, to give us an accurate sense of the person she knew. Cranston has always had a determination to follow his own path whether it be in his life style, his skating, his art work or his personal relationships. He has also had little patience for those who cannot understand or appreciate his way. One gets a good sense of that from what is presented here.
This volume is not one to be read straight through, but one to be perused with a glass of wine on a quiet summer evening or beside a warm fire on a cold winter day. It is an interesting and lovely picture book which would make a fine gift for a friend (especially one who enjoys figure skating) or would be a lovely addition to the coffee table.
Cranston has always been an interesting and unusual man and very much his own person. In this volume, the author has tried to capture the nuances of his personality as well as his variable moods, to give us an accurate sense of the person she knew. Cranston has always had a determination to follow his own path whether it be in his life style, his skating, his art work or his personal relationships. He has also had little patience for those who cannot understand or appreciate his way. One gets a good sense of that from what is presented here.
This volume is not one to be read straight through, but one to be perused with a glass of wine on a quiet summer evening or beside a warm fire on a cold winter day. It is an interesting and lovely picture book which would make a fine gift for a friend (especially one who enjoys figure skating) or would be a lovely addition to the coffee table.
June 23, 2010
An impressionistic combination of David Street's photos of Toller (skating and not skating), Toller's own artwork, and musings on various subjects by Toller.
I also own the Librairie Beauchemin1 French edition of the 1975 illustrated work by/about Cranston. "Adaptation: Marc Chartier." Lacks English edition's rear dust-jacket photo; otherwise it appears to be identical.
I also own the Librairie Beauchemin1 French edition of the 1975 illustrated work by/about Cranston. "Adaptation: Marc Chartier." Lacks English edition's rear dust-jacket photo; otherwise it appears to be identical.
January 3, 2025
Stars in a delirious sky gleam and go out, and you, sweet artist, you and I, we too must die, we too must die.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews