The Kerrigan Courage

by Randi Reisfeld

ALL THE DREAMS, ALL THE HEARTBREAK, ALL THE HARD-WON TRIUMPH IN A LIFETIME OF GOING FOR THE GOLD...

Even at an early age, Nancy Kerrigan was blessed with an incredible talent and natural elegance in the rink. She rose at 4:00 A.M. almost every day to skate before high school, sacrificing much of her childhood to pursue her dreams on ice. Yet growing up in the blue-collar town of Stoneham, Massachusetts, was a long, hard way from the glamorous, often grueling, world of professional skating. Possessed of a spirited determination, however, Nancy Kerrigan overcame the odds--to become America's sweetheart.
This is Nancy's inspiring story: her childhood in a loving working-class family, her meteoric rise to stardom, the brutal attack in Detroit, and her courageous recovery. And through it all, Nancy Kerrigan vowed never to give up, always to aim for that personal best, and--both in life and in the Olympics--to go for the gold!

Genres: Figure Skating

189 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Randi Reisfeld has written over 60 books, primarily for ‘tweens and teens; non-fiction (celebrity biographies, two of which have made the New York Times best seller list); and fiction. She wrote the Clueless series, original stories based on the characters in the movie, as well as six books based on the character of TV's Moesha. Her original fiction series called T*Witches is a Disney Channel TV movie, broadcast October 2005. [NOTE: Although Witches is in the title, this series is completely wholesome, compelling, and humorous, and has nothing to do with the occult].

She is an editor at Scholastic, as well.

Reviews

[Charmaine Puzey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to know the rest of the story. Did she win the gold? Was Tonya Harding found guilty? It was written to fast after the incident.

[Megan Harma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had assumed the author was a male but in the end I stood corrected. The book was a well biography that covered the peak of Miss America's Sweetheart, Nancy Kerrigan's figure skating career and background. I enjoyed learning of all her campaigns, trials, her overcoming's. And of family and personal life and the like. I also enjoyed the technical terms of ice skating and the specific titles of the competitions, people and places. A slight something gave me an inkling that the author had something against Miss Kerrigan, from her choice of words on some occasions. Like when she describes Kerrigan's cry as ugly. It certainly changed my perception when I discovered the author was a female. The last thing I would say is I thought the ending was too abrupt and did not wrap up too nicely. It wasn't a fast book too much but definitely I was happy to have read it and was well engrossed in some parts.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. It gave me some insight into Nancy Kerrigan's personal life growing up. I was surprised by the hardships her family faced, as it seemed she had always had an easy upbringing given her attitude during and after the 1994 Olympics. This book makes no attempt to hide its love for Kerrigan, and its dislike for Tonya Harding. It ends before things have settled with the attack on Nancy and before the Olympics have wrapped up. I am not sure why the author didn't just wait a little while longer to be able to give that information. The obvious bias aside, it is a brief, surface-level biography and is best to read if you are looking for a quick summary of Nancy's life before 1994.

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story written up to and including Tanya's husband's attack on Nancy. I found it an interesting look at a woman who truly loved her art.

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another of the "instant paperbacks" that appeared in February, 1994, written by a self-described "big, if recent, fan of figure skating". One can nitpick the occasional silly mistake, but it's not too badly written for what it is.

[Alla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this one while I was in Jr. High. What can I saw, I love ice scating.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s alright. Clearly biased and has some annoying typos but I liked it given its insight of Nancy’s childhood.