Ski Style : Sport and Culture in the Rockies / Annie Gilbert Coleman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Coleman, Annie Gilbert, author.

Series:

Culture America.

CultureAmerica Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Skis and skiing--Social aspects--Colorado.

Skis and skiing.

Skis and skiing--Economic aspects--Colorado.

Skis and skiing--Colorado--History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 299 p. :) ill. ;

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Lawrence, Kansas : University Press of Kansas, [2004]

Summary:

"Coleman's examination of the history of western skiing and its evolution from a method of transportation to a vast industry supporting a significant portion of the region's economy is both important and a good read. The story of skiing operates as a perfect example of something we perceive as frivolous turning out to be deeply emblematic of modern American culture."-Western Historical Quarterly "Coleman, a graceful writer, breaks a fresh trail through deep powder snow with this history and analysis of the ski culture."-Journal of American History "An imaginative and lively history of skiing in the Rocky Mountains. . . . This book connects the story of skiing in Colorado to the larger issues of the twentieth century: the expansion of the West, the development of a leisure economy, the importance of consumerism, the construction of identity (both personal and regional), the growth of a mass media, the cult of celebrity, and the role of youth culture. At the same time it is rich in detail, full of the kinds of specifics that recreate for the reader the ski towns and the people who lived there. Coleman has mined a wide range of sources-business archives, local historical societies, mass-market publications-and weaves them together in a well-written and illuminating narrative. This is a book that students, scholars, and skiers will all find important and instructive."-American Historical Review "Coleman has written more than a traditional history of the sport. This is the first book to seriously delve into skiing's collective beliefs, internal norms, and the underlying practices of the hobby. . . . Coleman is interested in who skis, why they do it, and how they perceive themselves. Her approach combines the methods of anthropology, museum studies, sociology, and history, and the book's sources include ski brochures, interviews, artifacts, old photos,

and back issues of Ski Magazine. It's an avalanche of information, but the material is always well presented and meaningful."-DCSKI.

Contents:

Snowshoe itinerants and flying Norsemen : early skiing in Colorado

The romance of downhill : Alpine skiing and resort culture in the United States

A shack and a rope tow : Colorado skiing through World War II

Call of the mild : the new ski industry and its landscapes

The white West: ski town image, tourism, and community

Shredding Aspen : resort culture and its critics

Skiing at the beach.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-280) and index.

ISBN:

9780700623723

0700623728

OCLC:

1132671213