Starred review from September 20, 2021
Hansman (Down River), an environmental columnist for Outside magazine, takes readers on a riveting plunge into ski culture. After sharing reflections on her own years of “living the ‘dream’ ” of putting the “constant sense of chase” of skiing above all else in her 20s, Hansman delivers an entertaining ethnography of what constitutes a ski bum. She defines the lifestyle, describing how prioritizing skiing could lead to “no job, no relationship, no stability,” but paradoxically also foster “deep connections, community, joy.” She weaves in her own experiences, beginning in the “knobby mountains of New England,” where she learned to backcountry ski as a teenager and peaking in Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin, where, in college, she spent her days “hopped up on a mixture of adrenaline, secrets, and the thrill of breaking rules.” In addition to insightful chapters on the psychology and “heady rush” of skiing and the freedom it represents for so many of its participants, Hansman also tackles topics such as ski town economics and the ways climate change threatens to upend the industry (“Can we actually keep doing this if it gets worse?” she wonders). This is as exhilarating as the act of skiing itself. Agent: Zoe Sandler, ICM Partners.
September 15, 2021
In a follow-up to Downriver (2019), about unsustainable waterways, Hansman explores "living the dream" of downhill and backcountry skiing, detailing changes within the ski culture and industry. After describing her childhood in New England, where she learned to ski, Hansman remembers her post-college years in Colorado, where she embraced the life of a ski bum and later became a journalist (she is the former online editor of Powder and Ski magazines and a current columnist for Outside online). This is both a heartfelt account of what draws her back to the mountains and a deep dive into the ski-bum lifestyle and the current "ecosystem" of skiing. Traveling to various mountain towns (Jackson Hole, Aspen, Vail, Taos), she interviews ski diehards, weaving into their stories fascinating discussions of the origins of ski resorts, the commercialization of ski communities, and the current threat of climate change. She leaves us with lingering questions: Has the dream of a "dirtbag ski lifestyle" become a fantasy? Can the sport survive environmental change? This eloquently written memoir is sure to captivate all variety of skiers.
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November 1, 2021
Hansman (Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West) recalls her years as a "ski bum" with a certain wistfulness. Working for minimum wage, scanning lift tickets to have a half day of skiing, she couch-surfed and lived on Pop Tarts and beer. But, as she tells, it's not all tales of "overindulgence and showy unlimited wealth." She takes readers behind the scenes in ski towns, many of which have large Latinx populations who often work in the restaurants and resorts. Hansman is honest about her own privilege and how the growth of the ski industry in the 1960s led to locals being priced out of their towns in favor of wealthy second-home owners and trust-fund babies. "The snow is very white and so are the people," she observes. They are also mostly straight, male, able-bodied, and financially sound. Skiing is an expensive pastime, somewhere between polo and golf. The author advocates for addressing ski-town racism on every level--social, economic, environmental, and political. VERDICT Even for non-skiers, this is an entertaining and eye-opening look at the history and economics of skiing and ski resorts in the United States.--Susan Belsky, Oshkosh P.L., WI
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