Two planks and a passion

the long version

"Roland Huntford's history of the ski begins 20,000 years ago in the last ice age on the icy tundra of an unformed earth. Man is a travelling animal, and on these icy slopes siding began as a means of survival." "This is the story of how siding evolved into a modern recreation from a prehistoric struggle for survival, Huntford puts the history of skiing into its social and political contexts, illustrating its spread across the globe and importance in all facets of life. It is the first comprehensive history of skiing to make use of original Old Norse and Russian sources, as well as using ancient Greek, Roman, Chinese and Arabic works. Huntford draws on his vast knowledge of Scandinavian history and politics as well as his unique insight into polar exploration to produce the definitive history of the ski."--Jacket.