Book reviews

Engaging and at times almost poetic history of Nordic skiing in the American Midwest

January 24, 2023

Daniel Svensson
Department of Sport Sciences, Malmö University

*Ryan Rodgers*
**Winter’s Children: A Celebration of Nordic Skiing**
388 pages, hardcover, ill
Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 2021
ISBN 978-1-4529-6353-2

The long history of cross-country skiing is well-documented and have been the subject of many books, dissertations, and discussions over the years. Much of this literature has focused on the Nordic countries – far less has been written about Nordic skiing in other parts of the world. In this engaging history of skiing in the American Midwest, Ryan Rodgers, a freelance writer and skier from who lives in Northern Minnesota, makes an ambitious and largely successful attempt to do justice to the important ski history in the US.

The book has eight chapters, covering the long history of cross-country skiing in the Midwest from the introduction in the late 19th century to the thriving yet challenged ski scene of today.

Rodgers sets off with a key ingredient: Scandinavian immigrants in the Midwest. Norwegians, but also Swedes and Finns, who had found new homes in the area brought their habit of skiing with them. These immigrant communities formed the backbone of the early ski scene. Important skiers in the Midwest such as Sondre Norheim and the Hemmestveidt brothers are portrayed alongside Nansen and Nordenskiöld, as Rodgers puts US ski history into context.

In chapter two, the geography and technology of skiing comes to the fore. Places like Duluth, St. Paul, St. Croix, Ishpeming, Red Wing, Minneapolis flashes by as the growth of cross-country skiing and ski jumping is described. Norwegian ski makers such as Martin Strand and Aksel Holter settled in the Midwest and contributed to the growth of skiing by making skis more available and affordable. At the time, skiing was still supposedly mostly for men, but Rodgers highlights the many female skiers who played important roles.

The strength of this book lies not so much in its analytical dissection of skiing, as it does in the incredibly rich and engaging portrayal of the many individuals and ski clubs that have contributed to making cross-country skiing an integral part of the American Midwest.

The third chapter gives more details on how skiing in the Midwest became strongly connected to specific places and people. This happened in a political context where outdoor recreation was important enough to be subject of a 1924 National Conference initiated by President Calvin Coolidge. Clearly, winter sports were now on the national agenda.

In chapter four, which covers the 1930s and 1940s, cross-country skiing develops further. New technology such as laminated skis, the rise of alpine skiing and the increasing opportunities for international competitions raised interest in the sport of skiing. Rodgers continues to blend local history with international developments, and one good example is the account of how Seattle skier Grace Carter travelled by a Norwegian apple freighter ship for more than a month to compete in the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen only in the end to be left out of the team. The story offers a bit of perspective when compared to present-day elite footballers sulking over being placed on the bench after having travelled 45 minutes by plane.

Chapter five marks the end of the growth of cross-country skiing. After WW2, alpine skiing took over. The Midwest’s traditional strongholds of ski jumping and Nordic skiing remained important but were overshadowed by the development of luxurious resorts for downhill skiing.

Chapter six marks another turn, as cross-country skiing in general and ski touring in particular became more popular again in the 1960s. With the development of Nordic skiing as a school sport and the reevaluation of gender roles in relation to skiing, things were looking up. The US Ski Association invited Sweden’s two leading female skiers at the time, Toini Gustafsson and Barbro Martinsson, to inspire more girls to pursue competitive skiing. The Scandinavian connection remained important and inspired American versions of the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet and the Swedish Vasaloppet. Paired with American entrepreneurship, the Scandinavian heritage could result in innovations such as Ed Paul’s indoor ski machine NordicTrack, an early predecessor of leading indoor ski equipment in broad use today.

Chapter seven takes Nordic skiing in the US into the modern, highly sportified era. Tensions between the traditional values of cross-country skiing and the commercial boom of alpine skiing became more and more evident and, as in Sweden or Norway, the highly exploited alpine ski resorts differed substantially from the (economically and environmentally) less costly cross-country ski centers. Nordic skiing grew, both as a recreational alternative to alpine skiing and as a competitive sport. This showed in international competitions, as when Bill Koch challenged traditional style with his skating technique in 1982.

The eighth and final chapter starts with the sad fact that while Nordic skiing finally has become popular, the foundation for its practice – cold winters with snow – is under serious threat. Yet there are also many positive signs. Not least the inspirational value of international performances of US skiers, such as the Olympic gold medal won by Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall in 2018. The success of these individuals is built on a long history of skiing.

A man on cross-country skis after a snowstorm in 1924. (Minnesota Historical Society)

Rodgers makes no use of theories from academic sport history. At times, it could have been interesting to analyze the changes in the Midwestern skiing scene in relation to theories about technological development, or by analyzing the organization and specialization of coaches, skiers, and equipment in the light of sportification. However, such theoretical endeavors would probably have alienated a fair part of the potential readership. The strength of this book lies not so much in its analytical dissection of skiing, as it does in the incredibly rich and engaging portrayal of the many individuals and ski clubs that have contributed to making cross-country skiing an integral part of the American Midwest. The present-day success of world-class skiers such as Jessie Diggins is the result of astonishing talent and hard work, but also of a long tradition.

As interesting as the book is, clubs, towns, entrepreneurs, coaches, and skiers pass by in an endless stream that could have overwhelmed a reader without prior knowledge about the Midwest’s geography and history. But with the help of the many photos, maps, advertisements and journal clippings, Rodgers manages to give life to the large number of names mentioned. This is, as the title already told us, a celebration, not only of Nordic skiing in the Midwest, but also of the many individuals who carried this tradition through the years and to the underlying ideals about the benefits of outdoor life, endurance training and experiencing nature on skis. This may not seem to be the most controversial ideas, but in a country and at a time where a leading politician can say that he does not believe in training, hopefully this book can inspire more people to enjoy cross-country skiing. The title of the book – Winter’s Children – is rather accurate as much of what is written is either about kids having fun on skis, or about adults being reminded of their inner child through the joy of skiing. It was said about the legendary skier Sondre Norheim that he “never quite grew up” (p. 21). Maybe that is one of the benefits of skiing?

Rodgers’ writing is engaging and at times almost poetic (I come to think of three of my favorite books on skiing: Gudmund Skjeldal’s Nestbest, Sverker Sörlin’s Kroppens geni and Thor Gotaas’ Først i løypa). He blends oral history with archival sources and personal reflections in a seamless way that makes reading his prose a pleasure. And while his book is indeed celebrating cross-country skiing, it ends on a melancholic note. The already evident effects of climate change threaten the future of skiing, in the Midwest as well as in Scandinavia. But even in a world without snow, it will be important to move through the landscape at a slower pace, with the physical effort inspiring new ways of seeing the world and our role in it. To me, this is the essence of cross-country skiing and Ryan Rodgers’ book is a welcome reminder of that. It may not shift the research front in sport studies, but it will definitely add to the understanding of what cross-country skiing can mean for an individual – and for a community.