Rating: 
Summary: This book Rocks
Review: I rented telemark gear and bought this book at the same time. It was fabulous. I had never tried telemarking before and had no clue what I was doing. I have skied for 20 year, switch to snowboarding 6 years ago, but the itch to learn something new sprang up again. I wanted to be able to go backcountry, but first I need a mode of transportation. Telemarking I thought, but how in the world do I do that?? It looked so difficult. This book was the answer! I read it cover to cover, that isn't saying much seeing how most of it is drawing and diagrams, but it taught me so much. The picture are worth a thousand words. Every drawing gives you so much information, a visual on what you are supposed to look like. I still have no idea if I look like that, but at least I believe I do. I had actually taken a lesson first, no offense to the instructor, but I got so much more out of the book. It wasn't an hour of information, it was day after day of information, I could read something and try it out. Ahhh that is what I was doing wrong! If you want to learn how to telemark buy this book, if you have been telemarking and still aren't sure what you are doing wrong, buy this book. It is funny and entertaining as well as extremely helpful in learning how to telemark. Good luck and enjoy!!
Rating:
Summary: Drop the knee, not the bomb...
Review: I'm the illustrator of this groovy book. If the following sounds like shameless self promotion...it is. 109 amazing tele-tips, what more could you ask for? I personally subjected my ski partners to my less than subtal research technique, I bugged 'em by asking every concievable question and making 'em try (almost) every tip in the book. The winter of 97/98 involved getting up in the morning and going backcountry skiing, then coming home and drawing bizzare cartoons of what subtal telemark insights I uncovered durring the day. The results are in this little book. People actually stop me on the street and thank me for improving their tele-skiing! If you telemark (beginner or expert, doesn't matter) you need this book; for example there is a funny cartoon of a guy puting a penny in his butt...really! Strange but true, this is a valuable tool to perfect this beautiful style of skiing. 'nuff said...Mike Clelland!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent guide to improving your telemark technique
Review: I've been a telemark skier for over 15 years. Even so, this book has been very helpful in helping me to understand and improve my technique. The book dissects the turn into an incremental learning experience - really giving a skier something to focus on in the quest for tele-turning joy. Understanding that each skier is an individual, the authors don't try to force-fit the reader into a particular mold, instead allowing the skier to find the tips that will most help their skiing. The humorous illustrations and writing make for a refreshingly friendly and approachable book - an improvement upon the usual writing on the subject. The book has been helpful for me, and I don't doubt that tele-skiers of all skill levels will find it just as useful.
Rating:
Summary: All the secrets in one groovy book.
Review: I've been backcountry tele skiing for years, and I wish this book had been around when I started. This book is so accurate and concise in describing subtle issues about tele skiing that it seems almost unfair. The illustration are great.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I've been telemarking badly for a few years, got hold of this book, and all my faults are in there! This is a wonderfully put together collection of tips, structured in a way that makes a beginners' progression through the various parts of a telemark turn simple. The cartoon illustations convey the positioning with humour and accuracy, making clear the text, not that the text isn't clear, far from it. The flowchart at the end is really worthwhile. Can't recommend this enough to a beginner or intermediate telemark turner!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I've been telemarking badly for a few years, got hold of this book, and all my faults are in there! This is a wonderfully put together collection of tips, structured in a way that makes a beginners' progression through the various parts of a telemark turn simple. The cartoon illustations convey the positioning with humour and accuracy, making clear the text, not that the text isn't clear, far from it. The flowchart at the end is really worthwhile. Can't recommend this enough to a beginner or intermediate telemark turner!
Rating: 
Summary: Helpful pocket book to refer to while skiing.
Review: I've skied with this book for one season now and found that the tips are relevant and enjoyable. Both the beginner and expert can learn from this book.
Personally, I've eliminated most of my bad skiing habits and not created any new ones, which is really praise. I've found handy tips on how to explain what I do to others while in class. This book has become an "on hill" teaching tool and stays in my day pack just for that purpose.
This compendium of "illustrations" keeps me fresh while teaching, although the book is by no means intended for an instructor. The graphics are relevant, funny, and, relate the sense of joy that both authours must feel about telemarking.
The book's a giggle to re-read, for me, it can stimulate the sense of being on the snow even during an August heat wave.
Rating:
Summary: hit over the head with subtlty
Review: In a sport where the difference between bliss and biff has a narrow margin, the illustrations of Mr. Clelland show important technical tips that will help all level of free heel skiers. Mike you are my hero. I've spent my decade in NYC - make room for me! John Lee in NYC
Rating:
Summary: Great Reading on the Lift
Review: My copy is getting pretty tattered as it's in use while I ride the lifts. Stuffed in a pocket, dragged acorss the snow on a downhill faceplant, soaked with sweat after a long turn and burn run, I'm ready for another copy. I've found it particularly useful to review mistakes and tips as I ride up the lift for yet another quad burning run. Relatively new to tele skiing, this book offers easy to remmber tips to dramatically improve your tele skills. I've found the humorous text and hilarious illustrations most useful. Allen and Mike get right to the point while avoiding a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo that often confuses and frustrates a beginner like myslef.
Rating:
Summary: All the secrets in one groovy book.
Review: Yes, I still stink at tele-skiing. This is my second season, and when I make a turn with my left leg back, that left leg is indeed "trailing behing like a neighbor's dog..." (tip 18, "Sit on your Heels"). Nontheless, this book has provided many laughs and constant companionship in my pack while I ski. Just read the first review (Posted by Mike Clelland himself) and you've got the tone of the book in a nutshell! The authors make it clear from the start that the book is "nothing more than a bunch of little tips." True, but the authors certainly have a big picture in mind, and each tip serves to drive home the big picture in slightly different ways. For instance, the problem with my left leg is: not enough weight on it. I've tried lots of tips to try to get more weight on that leg, and in the end, one magic tip will likely be the one that fixes my leg, although I haven't found it yet. This book gives many tips for me to try at the resort, and always makes it clear what the purpose of the tip is. I don't think this book will put professional ski instructors out of business, but it will help your skiing if you try the tips they give you.
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