In the first authoritative biography of Jackson Haines ever written, figure skating historian Ryan Stevens takes a deep dive into the fascinating story of The Father of Figure Skating.
The legend of The Skating King has been one of the most enduring stories in figure skating history.
Jackson Haines left America during the height of the Civil War and toured extensively through Europe. He translated ballet to the ice. He performed for Czars and Emperors. He inspired the formation of many of the world's oldest skating clubs. He changed the world's most exciting winter sport forever and our fascination in him has never waned.
In this meticulously researched biography, figure skating historian Ryan Stevens chronicles Jackson's story from his humble beginnings in New York to his premature death in Finland in 1875 - both on and off the ice. Through extensive study of 19th century archives and unpublished material housed at the K.H. Renlunds Museum and World Figure Skating Museum, Stevens proves that fact can be far more intriguing than fiction.
PRAISE FOR "JACKSON HAINES: THE SKATING KING"
"Jackson Haines in my opinion is one of the most important ice skaters in the history of figure skating. His influence on the art and sport of figure skating should not be underestimated. When you follow the historical journey of ice skating you can see his footprint (or should I say blade print) in today's competitive and artistic skating. He was the father of spins, he populated music with skating and the use of the most elaborate costumes. This book by Ryan Stevens is a wonderful read and insightful account of the man that would be called The Skating King." - Christopher Dean OBE, Olympic Gold Medallist (1984), World Champion (1981-1984)
"I've known the name for many years and I thought I knew his place in history. This book has given me a whole new level of insight to a man who created his own path and helped pioneer the sport I love." - Robin Cousins MBE, Olympic Gold Medallist, figure skating (1980)
"Ryan's journalistic ability to unearth historical details and mix them into a compelling story is first-class! While balancing accuracy and fairness, he reveals a man whose life demonstrated enormous talent and creativity, celebrity and human frailty. You may not like every part of Jackson Haines, but you will definitely marvel at his genius and at the sacrifices he made as an artist and inventor of modern skating." - Debbi Wilkes, Olympic Silver Medallist, television analyst and author of "Ice Time: A Portrait of Figure Skating"
"Jackson Haines, The Skating King, tells the real story of the man considered to be the father of figure skating. Stevens has meticulously researched Haines' life from his upbringing in the United States, to his successful entertainment career in North America and Europe, to his untimely death at 36. Extensive footnotes attest to the accuracy of Stevens' information. Look no further for the truth about Jackson Haines." - Yvonne Butorac
BEHIND THE SCENES BLOGS
RELEASE DATE AND ORDERING INFORMATION
The Kindle e-book edition of the book is available for pre-order now, with automatic delivery on November 1.
Pre-order link (Canada): https://a.co/d/3OhzZGv
Pre-order link (US): https://a.co/d/dBYGtD9
Pre-order link (UK): https://amzn.eu/d/0XKBBDD
Paperback and hard cover editions of the book will also be released on November 1.
