By Lindsey Jacobellis (Memoir, 2023)
By T. Ghezzi
Just like a surfer’s endless pursuit to catch the perfect wave or a snowboarder hoping for the best pow day ever, I have been on the hunt for quality snowboard memoirs or biographies. I have spent over 30 winters riding sideways and consistently stayed immersed in snowboard content. In my opinion, books of our snowboard heroes have yet to be written; literally. Maybe, it’s because the life of snowboarding is still so young or because the publishing companies don’t want to take the financial risk. My list of snowboard memoirs to read is equal to the number of fingers it takes to throw a shake (2), but after reading the “Unforgiving: Lessons From The Fall,” I now have a top three.
This is not the same old story of failure to success either, as Jacobellis is the most decorated snowboard cross athlete of all time. For those who are familiar with her story, there is still a lot to learn from the oldest U.S. female athlete to win a Winter Olympics gold medal. Jacobellis’ journey is a story of self-growth and the resilience it takes to come back from multiple injuries. I believe this book provides inspiration to any athlete or individual looking to overcome adversity or who is chasing down a dream.
Most importantly to me, this book fills my snowboard culture bucket. Jacobellis walks us through the lifestyle of her competitive snowboard career and gives us a sneak peek into the subculture of snowboard cross. I enjoyed this book so much I am going to offer it as a suggested reading in one of the leadership courses I teach at Eastern Washington University.
