For Snohomish librarian, Olympic knowledge is golden
Published 1:30 am Saturday, February 10, 2018
SNOHOMISH — From the comfort of her living room, Jennifer Forman was one of the millions of people around the world to tune in to the winter Olympics opening ceremonies Friday, a ritual she has enjoyed since childhood.
There is something special to her about the Olympics, both the summer and winter games. She thinks of family huddled around the TV as moments become memories.
It was that way in 1976 when she watched with her parents as Dorothy Hamill won the gold in figure skating in Innsbruck, Austria, and decades later when her daughters mimicked sticking dismounts during gymnastics events at a summer games.
Forman’s interest doesn’t end with a winning time or a posted score.
In some ways, that is just the beginning. She often wants to learn more about the fleeting figures on the TV screen.
The local library can “fill in the gaps that go along with this person’s 90-seconds of Olympic glory,” she said.
That’s what prompted the Snohomish librarian to offer up a list of of books, DVDs and online resources for fans of the Olympics. Librarians in the Sno-Isle Libraries system often share their recommended lists on fiction and non-fiction works, various literary genres, current events and other topics.
Her Olympic list includes “Speed Kings,” a book about Depression-era American bobsledders and their 1932 pursuit of gold, “Norwich,” a recently published book about a small Vermont town that repeatedly has sent athletes to the winter Olympics and “Of Miracles and Men,” a DVD recounting the U.S. men’s hockey teams remarkable gold medal run in 1980.
She also offered up links to the winter games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, including a profile of each U.S. athlete and a full schedule of events.
For fun, Forman suggests the DVD “Men With Brooms,” a comedy about curling, a sport she has learned to appreciate.
And in a more serious vein, there is “The Games” by David Goldblatt, who writes not only about extraordinary athletes but also gives an in-depth social history of world events surrounding the Olympics, including the politics of Nazi Germany, the Cold War and how the Paralympics started in the wake of World War II.
“I just like that bigger picture,” she said. “I think this is something that happens with any book list that a librarian could create. You are taking a moment in time and showing how much more there is to learn about a particular subject.”
To review the recommendations, go to www.sno-isle.org and click “We Suggest” for lists, blogs and suggestions.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
