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One Jump at a Time: My Story
In this exhilarating memoir, three-time World Champion and Olympic gold-medalist Nathan Chen tells the story of his remarkable journey to success, reflecting on his life as a Chinese American figure skater and the joys and challenges he has experienced—including the tremendous sacrifices he and his family made, and the physical and emotional pain he endured.
When three-year-old Nathan Chen tried on his first pair of figure skates, magic happened. But the odds of this young boy—one of five children born to Chinese immigrants—competing and making it into the top echelons of figure skating were daunting. Chen’s family didn’t have the resources or access to pay for expensive coaches, rink time, and equipment. But Nathan’s mother, Hetty Wang, refused to fail her child. Recognizing his tremendous talent and passion, she stepped up as his coach, making enormous sacrifices to give Nathan the opportunity to compete in this exclusive world.
That dedication eventually paid off at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, where Chen—reverently known as the “Quad King”—won gold, becoming the first Asian-American man to stand at the highest podium in figure skating. In this moving and inspiring memoir Chen opens up for the first time, chronicling everything it took to pursue his dreams. Bolstered by his unwavering passion and his family’s unconditional support, Chen reveals the most difficult times he endured, and how he overcame each obstacle–from his disappointment at the 2018 Olympic Games, to competing during a global pandemic, to the extreme physical and mental toll the sport demands.
Pulling back the curtain on the figure skating world and the Olympics, Chen reveals what it was really like at the Beijing Games and competing on the US team in the same city his parents had left—and his grandmother still lived. Poignant and unfiltered, told in his own words, One Jump at a Time is the story of one extraordinary young man—and a testament to the love of a family and the power of persistence, grit, and passion.
This memoir includes 16 pages of color photographs.
When three-year-old Nathan Chen tried on his first pair of figure skates, magic happened. But the odds of this young boy—one of five children born to Chinese immigrants—competing and making it into the top echelons of figure skating were daunting. Chen’s family didn’t have the resources or access to pay for expensive coaches, rink time, and equipment. But Nathan’s mother, Hetty Wang, refused to fail her child. Recognizing his tremendous talent and passion, she stepped up as his coach, making enormous sacrifices to give Nathan the opportunity to compete in this exclusive world.
That dedication eventually paid off at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, where Chen—reverently known as the “Quad King”—won gold, becoming the first Asian-American man to stand at the highest podium in figure skating. In this moving and inspiring memoir Chen opens up for the first time, chronicling everything it took to pursue his dreams. Bolstered by his unwavering passion and his family’s unconditional support, Chen reveals the most difficult times he endured, and how he overcame each obstacle–from his disappointment at the 2018 Olympic Games, to competing during a global pandemic, to the extreme physical and mental toll the sport demands.
Pulling back the curtain on the figure skating world and the Olympics, Chen reveals what it was really like at the Beijing Games and competing on the US team in the same city his parents had left—and his grandmother still lived. Poignant and unfiltered, told in his own words, One Jump at a Time is the story of one extraordinary young man—and a testament to the love of a family and the power of persistence, grit, and passion.
This memoir includes 16 pages of color photographs.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2022
75 people are currently reading
861 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
July 29, 2024
Nathan Chen is such an amazing skater, I loved his Rocketman routine. I really enjoyed reading about his love of skating.
January 30, 2023
It’s always a bit tricky to know how to rate memoirs, like how do you give a note to someone’s life? But this one was an easy 5*.
I love Nathan both as a skater (he’s my favourite male skater) and a person. Reading this book just confirmed everything that I knew about him from interviews and just watching him compete. He’s a level headed and genuinely humble athlete. Even being the child of immigrants, he had a privileged childhood in many ways and he acknowledges that and feels very grateful for all the opportunities that crossed his path. His family seems to be a great support, and it is so important to be able to rely on a healthy team. His mother especially really deserves a whole other gold medal, her drive and dedication are really incredible, especially considering that she had 4 other kids that she raised and nurtured as well.
Reading Nathan’s hindsight on events that I watched as a fan definitely was really interesting. I loved learning how he felt about some specific competitions and what his general mindset was. It was particularly moving to follow again his journey from a very disappointing first olympic experience to finally achieving his dream (i got so invested that i was actually anxious even though i obviously knew the ending because i’ve watched it live but oh well) and yes i cried in the end.
Alice Park did a great job writing this because it really felt like Nathan’s voice. It was the right balance between inspiring and reminding us that he’s just a human being that also had to deal with his frustrations and disappointment. I loved how self aware he was, and open about his journey on dealing with mental health as an athlete. This was really an introspective story rather than just an account of all the events that led him towards that olympic gold. But it was also frustrating at times, knowing how all these quads took a toll on his body. He was way more often injured than he let on, and that makes you think a bit on the direction the sport is taking. The ISU took a first step in the right direction with raising the age eligibility for senior competitors, but maybe we should go further on quads regulation.
Anyways, what I loved about Nathan is that he was always more than the jumps. He grew to be an artist also, and it was always a joy to watch him on the ice. I was happy to learn that my favourite program from him (the philip glass long program) was also one of his personal favourites.
My only complaint was maybe that it was a bit too "politically correct" as he didn’t talk a lot about his relationships with other skaters/competitors, and the whole russian doping scandal that affected the whole team medal ceremony was basically only a footnote even though it had to impact all the skaters a lot. Maybe it’s still too early for them to be completely open about it, but i hope it will be resolved soon and the usa, japon and canada will get their rightfully earned medals.
I love Nathan both as a skater (he’s my favourite male skater) and a person. Reading this book just confirmed everything that I knew about him from interviews and just watching him compete. He’s a level headed and genuinely humble athlete. Even being the child of immigrants, he had a privileged childhood in many ways and he acknowledges that and feels very grateful for all the opportunities that crossed his path. His family seems to be a great support, and it is so important to be able to rely on a healthy team. His mother especially really deserves a whole other gold medal, her drive and dedication are really incredible, especially considering that she had 4 other kids that she raised and nurtured as well.
Reading Nathan’s hindsight on events that I watched as a fan definitely was really interesting. I loved learning how he felt about some specific competitions and what his general mindset was. It was particularly moving to follow again his journey from a very disappointing first olympic experience to finally achieving his dream (i got so invested that i was actually anxious even though i obviously knew the ending because i’ve watched it live but oh well) and yes i cried in the end.
Alice Park did a great job writing this because it really felt like Nathan’s voice. It was the right balance between inspiring and reminding us that he’s just a human being that also had to deal with his frustrations and disappointment. I loved how self aware he was, and open about his journey on dealing with mental health as an athlete. This was really an introspective story rather than just an account of all the events that led him towards that olympic gold. But it was also frustrating at times, knowing how all these quads took a toll on his body. He was way more often injured than he let on, and that makes you think a bit on the direction the sport is taking. The ISU took a first step in the right direction with raising the age eligibility for senior competitors, but maybe we should go further on quads regulation.
Anyways, what I loved about Nathan is that he was always more than the jumps. He grew to be an artist also, and it was always a joy to watch him on the ice. I was happy to learn that my favourite program from him (the philip glass long program) was also one of his personal favourites.
My only complaint was maybe that it was a bit too "politically correct" as he didn’t talk a lot about his relationships with other skaters/competitors, and the whole russian doping scandal that affected the whole team medal ceremony was basically only a footnote even though it had to impact all the skaters a lot. Maybe it’s still too early for them to be completely open about it, but i hope it will be resolved soon and the usa, japon and canada will get their rightfully earned medals.
March 9, 2023
2.5 stars
I wanted to like this more than I did. Nathan presents his story in a very "This happened, then this happened, then this happened" way. It's very much facts with not a lot of insight or vulnerability or emotion. I wanted more. He is completely allowed to not share what he doesn't want to, but it doesn't make for a very exciting read. As a figure skating fan, I wanted to hear more about his thoughts on things going on in the world of skating during his time. How did he feel about the scoring changes made in the past five or so years in skating? What did he think about his rivalry with Yuzuru Hanyu? Was it just fan and media made? And, most importantly, what was it like to find out Kamila Valieva had doped at the winter games? This does get a slight mention, but it's really just something like "We were on our way to the medal ceremony and were told it had been canceled because a skater had tested positive for a banned substance. We still had competitions to prepare for so we just moved on." That's it! I get that fans and media see things very differently from the athletes, but give me something, anything! After reading this, you would think there was no drama in figure skating and competitions are just kind of there. Where was the passion?
His descriptions of the protocols he had to go through with COVID at the games was interesting and his Mom is truly amazing for sacrificing so much so her children could do what they loved. Overall, though, I didn't learn anything new. Another reviewer said it read like a Wikipedia page and I kind of agree. I just don't see the point of the book. It didn't add much of anything to what we already knew. Nathan seems like a great guy and I'm happy I get to see him in an ice show this May, but I wanted more.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Nathan presents his story in a very "This happened, then this happened, then this happened" way. It's very much facts with not a lot of insight or vulnerability or emotion. I wanted more. He is completely allowed to not share what he doesn't want to, but it doesn't make for a very exciting read. As a figure skating fan, I wanted to hear more about his thoughts on things going on in the world of skating during his time. How did he feel about the scoring changes made in the past five or so years in skating? What did he think about his rivalry with Yuzuru Hanyu? Was it just fan and media made? And, most importantly, what was it like to find out Kamila Valieva had doped at the winter games? This does get a slight mention, but it's really just something like "We were on our way to the medal ceremony and were told it had been canceled because a skater had tested positive for a banned substance. We still had competitions to prepare for so we just moved on." That's it! I get that fans and media see things very differently from the athletes, but give me something, anything! After reading this, you would think there was no drama in figure skating and competitions are just kind of there. Where was the passion?
His descriptions of the protocols he had to go through with COVID at the games was interesting and his Mom is truly amazing for sacrificing so much so her children could do what they loved. Overall, though, I didn't learn anything new. Another reviewer said it read like a Wikipedia page and I kind of agree. I just don't see the point of the book. It didn't add much of anything to what we already knew. Nathan seems like a great guy and I'm happy I get to see him in an ice show this May, but I wanted more.
November 28, 2022
Nathan Chen gives the reader a brutally honest description of his struggles in The world of figure skating. As a fan of the sport, I recognize him as one of the greatest skaters who ever lived. After reading this book, I recognize him as a quality human being who is telling his story in order to help others face their own difficulties, whatever they may be.
December 7, 2022
It's a very insightful book about Nathan's journey to Olympic Gold. Especially interesting for those, who know about figure skating ang have been following Nathan's career. As a figure skating enthusiast I was there when the 2016 injury happened, when the hopes were high for the Olympic gold in 2018 and the eventual unfolding and disappointment of the Olympics, the undefeated seasons leading up to 2022 and the eventual gold in 2022 Olympics (an absolute highlight of the Olympics for me). The book gave a lot of insight into what was going on behind the scenes that we just did not know about at the time. The book was well written and flew by quickly. It was especially enjoyable to combine it with rewatching the performances that were mentioned throughout the book.
November 27, 2022
I loved reading about Nathan Chen's skating journey, and while I know he hasn't written the whole book himself, I think the person who helped him did a great job because I really felt like I was listening to Nathan's words.
It made me respect him even more than I already did because, boy, that journey to Olympic gold has been even harder than I thought. The amount of dedication, motivation and sacrifices it took not only from Nathan but also his entire family, is really awe-inducing.
It made me respect him even more than I already did because, boy, that journey to Olympic gold has been even harder than I thought. The amount of dedication, motivation and sacrifices it took not only from Nathan but also his entire family, is really awe-inducing.
November 27, 2022
I wanted to like this book, but I found it boring and formulaic. Nathan describes his ascent as a figure skater in kind of a sterile way that makes me feel like I’m reading a recipe or a science experiment. Maybe later on he talks more about his emotions and thought process, but I stopped a third of the way in and can’t be bothered to continue reading. I still have a lot of respect for Nathan and what he’s accomplished, but can’t recommend this as a good book.
February 17, 2023
So bland. Like he was just saying exactly what he was supposed to say. “I’m so grateful, I’m so appreciative, I’m so honoured…” jeez where’s the tea?! Which skaters do you have beef with? Which skaters get in your way during practice?
He hints at all these moments dramatic moments (ie. there’s been so many times I wanted to throw my skates at the wall and never put them back on), but doesn’t give any concrete detail? OK TELL ME MORE NATHAN! ….Ok so you kept skating bc your mom told you to?????
And you think you are so cool for wearing laid back casual costumes. OK PATRICK CHAN DID THAT FIRST
Let’s all remember that Patrick Chan is daddy. And Nathan Chen would be nothing without Daddy Chiddy.
I also think it’s funny how they cover teaser calls him the quad king, when there’s literally been so many quad kings before him (eg. Kurt browning, Kevin Reynolds). And not a year after his last competition, Nathan’s quads have been completely forgotten in favour of the new QUAD GOD Mr. ilia Malinin.
Ok I actually rly respect Nathan Chen. I think he’s one of the best of all time. I think his mom is a powerhouse of a woman, some real tiger mom inspiration. This book is just a let down. 2 stars bc the book was blah but I love his skating 💕
He hints at all these moments dramatic moments (ie. there’s been so many times I wanted to throw my skates at the wall and never put them back on), but doesn’t give any concrete detail? OK TELL ME MORE NATHAN! ….Ok so you kept skating bc your mom told you to?????
And you think you are so cool for wearing laid back casual costumes. OK PATRICK CHAN DID THAT FIRST
Let’s all remember that Patrick Chan is daddy. And Nathan Chen would be nothing without Daddy Chiddy.
I also think it’s funny how they cover teaser calls him the quad king, when there’s literally been so many quad kings before him (eg. Kurt browning, Kevin Reynolds). And not a year after his last competition, Nathan’s quads have been completely forgotten in favour of the new QUAD GOD Mr. ilia Malinin.
Ok I actually rly respect Nathan Chen. I think he’s one of the best of all time. I think his mom is a powerhouse of a woman, some real tiger mom inspiration. This book is just a let down. 2 stars bc the book was blah but I love his skating 💕
January 29, 2023
This book was completely amazing to me!
As a competitive figure skater most of my life, I deeply understood his experience and thoughts. The things he went through that we had no idea about blew my mind. Because I had no idea he struggled the way that I have as well.
Figure skating is as much mental as it is physical, and Nathen Chen discusses this in details. I too struggled with my mental health when it came to skating. I had so much fear because of injuries and I had no clue he was struggling with the same thing.
This book might not be for everyone, I know I was only interested because duh its Nathen and I'm also a figure skater. But for me it was a look into how he became who he is today.
This book was relatable, inspiring and motivating for me!
As a competitive figure skater most of my life, I deeply understood his experience and thoughts. The things he went through that we had no idea about blew my mind. Because I had no idea he struggled the way that I have as well.
Figure skating is as much mental as it is physical, and Nathen Chen discusses this in details. I too struggled with my mental health when it came to skating. I had so much fear because of injuries and I had no clue he was struggling with the same thing.
This book might not be for everyone, I know I was only interested because duh its Nathen and I'm also a figure skater. But for me it was a look into how he became who he is today.
This book was relatable, inspiring and motivating for me!
January 20, 2023
I’ve been watching Nathan Chen skate since 2017. This book is a testament to his journey growing as both the person and athlete that I’ve had the pleasure of watching for years. Alice Park does an exceptional job of conveying the manner in which Nathan thinks: subtly emotive, and inspiringly intellectual. I hope that is not lost to readers that perhaps arrived later in his transformative process. I truly loved reading this book, and am amazed by him every day.
February 15, 2023
I first saw Nathan Chen skate live at the National Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, WA when he was ten-years-old. He performed to Peter and the Wolf and was up against Emmanuel Savary, who skated to Super Mario Brothers. Those of us in the audience knew we were seeing something special. Kids who are capable of becoming real contenders emerge in the younger skating divisions every year.
But maybe we didn't know how special Nathan would be then. The third time I saw him compete live was at the National Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City, where he became the first human being to land five quadruple jumps in a single program. Changing the sport.
Nathan is that rare blend of athlete. An innovator. Someone who pushes the sport even from the lead, adding difficulty even when he is already the favorite. And he is a competitor. Someone who delivers under pressure. Time and time and time again. An athlete who at various stages of his career was known for his strong basics, his performance ability, his technical expertise, his cool head, his charisma, and his blunt veracity.
One Jump at a Time is his story of his skating career, his family, and chasing an Olympic dream. The read is not quite as impressive as watching him skate. But the tale is grounding, eye opening, and classically modest. It's not the whole story of his impact on the sport. But told in his words, it is his story.
But maybe we didn't know how special Nathan would be then. The third time I saw him compete live was at the National Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City, where he became the first human being to land five quadruple jumps in a single program. Changing the sport.
Nathan is that rare blend of athlete. An innovator. Someone who pushes the sport even from the lead, adding difficulty even when he is already the favorite. And he is a competitor. Someone who delivers under pressure. Time and time and time again. An athlete who at various stages of his career was known for his strong basics, his performance ability, his technical expertise, his cool head, his charisma, and his blunt veracity.
One Jump at a Time is his story of his skating career, his family, and chasing an Olympic dream. The read is not quite as impressive as watching him skate. But the tale is grounding, eye opening, and classically modest. It's not the whole story of his impact on the sport. But told in his words, it is his story.
December 16, 2022
I listened to this on audio only, so this might be one of those instances where something that was easy to listen to on audio would not really impress me on paper, so it's hard to rate its merit as a book. It felt conversational and maybe not completely well-rounded or organized as a written memoir, but since Nathan was just talking I appreciated his account of his skating career, recent competitions, and everything that went into it. Which was his mom's drive and discipline, hours of training and trying to figure out how to train, coaches and choreographers, physical and mental challenges, COVID precautions, and more. Jumping and twisting on ice feels crazy, and it takes a lot of training to maintain the ability to do so (hence the one jump at a time, which felt like a cheesy title but also accurate). I'm not sure anyone can do quads and not end up with all sorts of injuries, so I'd be totally fine with everyone doing triples... but of course in a competition people inevitably want to stand out and do more. This is a short book by page count (audio always feels long) but I felt like I got a full play by play through the years from Nathan's perspective. 3.5 rounded up.
January 22, 2023
2.5 stars
I am a huge figure skating fan so I was naturally interested in Nathan's memoir; watching him win gold in Beijing as a fellow Asian American was very meaningful to me. Unfortunately, I think maybe this memoir comes too soon after the completion of that Olympic cycle. As a whole, the writing is incredibly dry and I never got a sense that I was getting to know Nathan outside of the persona he projects as a representative of Team USA. The narrative is very polished and streamlined, and I even feel that it was a bit sanitized. Though Nathan isn't obligated to present an unvarnished or raw portrayal of events, the way this memoir was written made it harder to connect to him. Although it's not marketed as one, it feels like a celebrity athlete memoir for young readers because of how clean cut it is. The last couple chapters about him tuning up for Beijing felt more lively than the rest of the book, but I'm not sure every reader will wade through the slow and dry parts to get there.
I am a huge figure skating fan so I was naturally interested in Nathan's memoir; watching him win gold in Beijing as a fellow Asian American was very meaningful to me. Unfortunately, I think maybe this memoir comes too soon after the completion of that Olympic cycle. As a whole, the writing is incredibly dry and I never got a sense that I was getting to know Nathan outside of the persona he projects as a representative of Team USA. The narrative is very polished and streamlined, and I even feel that it was a bit sanitized. Though Nathan isn't obligated to present an unvarnished or raw portrayal of events, the way this memoir was written made it harder to connect to him. Although it's not marketed as one, it feels like a celebrity athlete memoir for young readers because of how clean cut it is. The last couple chapters about him tuning up for Beijing felt more lively than the rest of the book, but I'm not sure every reader will wade through the slow and dry parts to get there.
December 8, 2022
I was rooting for Nathan Chen so hard during the Winter 2022 Olympic Games, and when he knocked it out of the park with Rocket Man, I was thrilled. It was interesting to learn about Nathan's struggles and triumphs on his road to gold, and particularly how much he leaned on his family for support. The unwavering dedication his mom gave to Nathan and his skating career was unfathomable, especially considering she had 4 other children that she also nurtured and encouraged in their interests and pursuits. That woman deserves a gold medal!
November 4, 2023
this was a really interesting read, especially since i'm such a huge figure skating fan. it was amazing to read about what was going through his head during his gold medal "rocketman" free skate during the 2022 olympics! i also really appreciated how he wrote about his mental health struggles during the 2018 olympics. however, the writing was a little too "this happened and then this happened and then this happened," but obviously, he's an olympic athlete and not a professional writer. regardless i'm a huge fan of his!
January 3, 2023
As a figure skater reading this book was very refreshing. Sometimes when you’re watching these skaters and looking up to them you don’t realize exactly what they are feeling and go through in practice everyday, they kind of feel like they’re almost always perfect in practice and they’re always motivated etc. Hearing about Nathan’s frustration in the sport really resonates with me, sometimes you’ll go through these bouts where you just don’t want to show up to the rink. Recently I achieved a very big goal of mine and it renewed the love of the sport for me, it makes you realize everything you’ve done is really worth it, which is something Nathan goes over as well. Reading this book is really insightful, if you are an athlete I highly recommend this book.
December 30, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Insightful for anyone who has been involved in the figure skating industry as a coach, choreographer, boot/blade technician, competitive skater, or just skate fan! As I read, I pulled up various skates he talked through on YouTube- that was fun! In fact, I found myself rewatching top three skates of both short and long programs of each event he reviewed.
This memoir follows Nathan from his first time in skates through his career as an elite Olympic gold medalist. You learn bits and pieces of what techniques he feels have helped him the most in being able to find consistency in his technical skating. (Both physical and mental aspects, on and off ice.) It’s fun to read his thoughts in working with various coaches, choreographers. I love how appreciative he is of his village! From the early days through now.
I also appreciate that this is a positive memoir. There is no drama noted between coaches, skaters. It demonstrates how it really does take a village to support an elite athlete reaching for their dreams. Definitely a fun read for those fans of figure skating!
This memoir follows Nathan from his first time in skates through his career as an elite Olympic gold medalist. You learn bits and pieces of what techniques he feels have helped him the most in being able to find consistency in his technical skating. (Both physical and mental aspects, on and off ice.) It’s fun to read his thoughts in working with various coaches, choreographers. I love how appreciative he is of his village! From the early days through now.
I also appreciate that this is a positive memoir. There is no drama noted between coaches, skaters. It demonstrates how it really does take a village to support an elite athlete reaching for their dreams. Definitely a fun read for those fans of figure skating!
January 11, 2023
I like Nathan Chen and think he's a wonderful skater. He's just not a very good storyteller. Everything is very cold and technical (like skating). There's no warmth to his stories. It just feels like bullet points of his life that he wants to hit but doesn't offer any fun anecdotes. It literally felt like a timeline of events with very little behind the scenes emotion about those events.
August 26, 2024
I wasn’t sure about this one, but after reading, I would even recommend it. So, why 4 stars? Well, Chen is only 24, so the book is filled with skate details that weren’t broadly appealing to me. Having said that, the insight on the requirements and pressures on being an Olympic athlete were fascinating, especially just after watching the 2024 Paris Olympics closely. Olympic athletes are truly Olympians, exceeding the limits of human abilities, but it does take a toll on their bodies
December 7, 2022
Ehh....only OK. Narrations can make or break a book for me and this narration was not good. Nathan sounded congested and in places his reading was awkward and didn't sound natural for someone who supposedly was involved in writing the book. Also found it bizarre that he mispronounces names of famous skating people he worked with in his career. ?!?! I have followed this skater since he was a toddler, so am familiar with all of these stories and therefore thought I would enjoy the book more than I did. Disappointed. Maybe just read it---don't listen to this one if you are interested.
December 2, 2022
As a Chinese American and a figure skating fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I followed him as a fan from his JGP till the Olympics. I always thought he has great talent and put in a lot of hard work. He pretty much dominated the last quad. This book really opened my eyes on what goes behind the scenes, and how much hardship Nathan and his mom had to go through. The story is truly inspiring. I really hope Nathan will return to the competitive world!
January 10, 2023
Listened to audiobook. Wanted to like this more but it was unexpectedly dry, like reading a Wikipedia article summary of his career. Had a tiny sprinkling of interesting insights, but the combination of monotone narration and sterile writing made this miss the mark overall.
Regardless, best wishes to Nathan!
Regardless, best wishes to Nathan!
December 18, 2022
I like to read about skating but this book is really intended for children.
December 20, 2022
An ok audiobook read by Nathan Chen in a very monotone voice. His journey to being a ice skating champion is somewhat interesting but I did not find it very compelling or memorable.
June 20, 2025
3.65 stars ✨
Nathan Chen’s Beijing 2022 Olympic free skate program continues to live in my mind rent-free, even three years later.
I enjoyed learning about his figure skating career and the behind-the-scenes insight into the life of an athlete. I loved how much care was put into recognizing the entire team that supported him throughout this long and intense journey.
However, the book mostly reads like an autobiographical school report rather than a memoir.
The beginning and middle are very much “this, this, and that happened.” We start to see some reflection during the 2018 Olympics, then some more during the 2022 Olympics, but I wish this level of introspection was introduced earlier and sustained throughout the book. I understand that a person’s younger years may not be as reflective, but building up this emotional depth earlier in the text would’ve helped the story.
There’s also a little too much technical detail about the jumps, scoring elements, and the history of the sport. For example, a lot of time is spent explaining how jumps are executed, the background of almost every figure skater mentioned, and even the ice rink at Yale.
Overall, there was not enough self-reflection in this book and it felt more like a literal recap of his career. I would recommend this to figure skaters or readers who are particularly interested in the technical side of figure skating, and fans of Nathan Chen—obviously.
________________________________________________
Annotations from the physical book:
Ch 4: I really liked the self-reflection when he’s at the games (2nd half). I just wish we saw more of that throughout the book.
Pg 139: I like when he talks about the artistic elements and choices. It shows his artistry.
Pg 154-155: Love the way he talks about his relationship with his mom and its ties to his skating. Wish we got some earlier glimpses of this.
Pg 156: Love the mental health talk and the gratefulness aspect.
Pg 161-163: Love how the techniques are described.
After reading some of the reviews: Why does everyone else in the reviews want to know about some rumored beef?!?! Y’all this is HIS story, not a gossip site.
Nathan Chen’s Beijing 2022 Olympic free skate program continues to live in my mind rent-free, even three years later.
I enjoyed learning about his figure skating career and the behind-the-scenes insight into the life of an athlete. I loved how much care was put into recognizing the entire team that supported him throughout this long and intense journey.
However, the book mostly reads like an autobiographical school report rather than a memoir.
The beginning and middle are very much “this, this, and that happened.” We start to see some reflection during the 2018 Olympics, then some more during the 2022 Olympics, but I wish this level of introspection was introduced earlier and sustained throughout the book. I understand that a person’s younger years may not be as reflective, but building up this emotional depth earlier in the text would’ve helped the story.
There’s also a little too much technical detail about the jumps, scoring elements, and the history of the sport. For example, a lot of time is spent explaining how jumps are executed, the background of almost every figure skater mentioned, and even the ice rink at Yale.
Overall, there was not enough self-reflection in this book and it felt more like a literal recap of his career. I would recommend this to figure skaters or readers who are particularly interested in the technical side of figure skating, and fans of Nathan Chen—obviously.
________________________________________________
Annotations from the physical book:
Ch 4: I really liked the self-reflection when he’s at the games (2nd half). I just wish we saw more of that throughout the book.
Pg 139: I like when he talks about the artistic elements and choices. It shows his artistry.
Pg 154-155: Love the way he talks about his relationship with his mom and its ties to his skating. Wish we got some earlier glimpses of this.
Pg 156: Love the mental health talk and the gratefulness aspect.
Pg 161-163: Love how the techniques are described.
After reading some of the reviews: Why does everyone else in the reviews want to know about some rumored beef?!?! Y’all this is HIS story, not a gossip site.
February 6, 2023
I was fortunate enough to be watching skating live (on TV) when Nathan Chen was dubbed the Quad King, and since then he's been one of my favorite figure skaters. So, naturally, I had to read this book. It's also in the negatives now — or at least it was when I started writing this, so there's no better time for a book like this.
As much as I admire Nathan Chen, though, and think he is one of the most down-to-earth Olympians out there, like many other reviewers I think that storytelling isn't among his strengths. The book by itself is pretty flat, the text is rather dry, and he takes you along his journey as if he were reading a bulleted list.
That's not to say I didn't get anything out of it. The insights into how intense and involved an athletes career is — and how it's a journey of many people, not just the person competing — were very interesting. I also very much enjoyed whenever he spoke of his mother; that's when I felt the most emotion from him.
It's not a book for someone who isn't interested in the nitty-gritty details of how the points system works in skating, or how each jump breaks down into little parts, etc. You are kind of walked through each of his thought processes in every skating season.
But for a fan of the sport and a fan of this athlete in particular, it was a nice book to read once.
As much as I admire Nathan Chen, though, and think he is one of the most down-to-earth Olympians out there, like many other reviewers I think that storytelling isn't among his strengths. The book by itself is pretty flat, the text is rather dry, and he takes you along his journey as if he were reading a bulleted list.
That's not to say I didn't get anything out of it. The insights into how intense and involved an athletes career is — and how it's a journey of many people, not just the person competing — were very interesting. I also very much enjoyed whenever he spoke of his mother; that's when I felt the most emotion from him.
It's not a book for someone who isn't interested in the nitty-gritty details of how the points system works in skating, or how each jump breaks down into little parts, etc. You are kind of walked through each of his thought processes in every skating season.
But for a fan of the sport and a fan of this athlete in particular, it was a nice book to read once.
February 21, 2025
Probably the most well-recognized modern US figure skater, Nathan Chen chronicles his journey in competing in the Olympics. Chen is a talented figure skater but behind that talent, there was a lot of dedication, determination, and time to get where he is. At the heart of it, his mom’s sacrifice and belief in his ability really propelled his success. Chen is candid about his experience dealing with injuries, times when he thought it may be the end of his career, and how many times he had to fall in order to master a technique or jump. At the same time, his voice is optimistic and appreciative towards all of the coaches who dedicated their time, efforts, and generosity to help him succeed.
I’m always surprised when a memoir is written by a young person, but Nathan has a litany of amazing accomplishments and is wise beyond his years. This is a very wholesome memoir that would be compelling or inspiring for youth readers who aspire to become a successful figure skater and want to learn about the process, as Chen goes into a lot of details of all the coaches, competition, and even help he had along the way and what the results were.
I’m always surprised when a memoir is written by a young person, but Nathan has a litany of amazing accomplishments and is wise beyond his years. This is a very wholesome memoir that would be compelling or inspiring for youth readers who aspire to become a successful figure skater and want to learn about the process, as Chen goes into a lot of details of all the coaches, competition, and even help he had along the way and what the results were.
May 30, 2023
it’s a comeback sports story so of course i cried but i’m so glad i picked this up. my library had it in the “new books u shld borrow” section and the cover kept catching my eye. the prose is a little stark, but that’s okay; i had a rly good time with this. it was interesting to see certain lines that hinted at Something More dramatic happening, but i didn’t read this for a tell-all and was impressed with the way he owned his mistakes and growing up process. the stuff about mental fortitude was rly interesting and frankly inspiring, too. rec for sports fans of all kinds, not just figure skating fans.
January 3, 2023
I had heard of Nathan Chen, but since I don't follow sports I wasn't super familiar with his story. It's kind of weird to read this because he is so young and has so much more life to live, but I enjoyed reading about how he learned to not push himself too far (he references Simone Biles pulling out of the Olympics) both physically and mentally.
February 4, 2023
I, like everyone in the world, became obsessed with Nathan Chen after his gold winning performances at the 2022 Winter Olympics, so when I found out he was releasing a memoir of his journey I didn’t hesitate to pick up a copy. The audiobook was great - Nathan is a great narrator and to hear what he was going thru while delivering excellence on the ice was inspiring.
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