I enjoyed reading this memoir by Olympic snowboarder Nick Baumgartner. I absolutely love watching the Olympics and am fascinated by the stories of the amazing athletes who compete in these games. The writing in this book is somewhat unpolished and rough around the edges, but I suppose that is fitting to Mr. Baumgartner’s story. He describes his beginnings growing up in a small town in the Upper Penisula of Michigan, how he got into snowboarding, and all the failures and successes of his 17-year career in the sport, culminating with his gold medal at the 2022 games. His story is inspirational and a joy to read. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Though I do not specifically remember watching Nick Baumgartner win gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics, I am pretty sure that I did because whenever the Olympics are on, I am glued to the tv. Most sports I care little about, but the Olympics are my favorite. I am also quick to read any books written by Olympians because I am fascinated by their dedication to their sport, their passion for doing what others deem impossible, and hearing about how they face challenges along the way. Nick’s story is the epitome of this. His book was inspiring to read – but truly, his life and his dedication to the sport of snowboarding over many years was fun to read about. Nick seems like a guy zealous about perfecting what he does, about trying new things, and about his family/community (particularly his son). Though sometimes in his book he came across as a fun, carefree person, his actions demonstrated how serious and devoted he is to what he values. What a legacy to put down in a book! As a distance runner, I can relate to the time aspect required to succeed in sports. I enjoyed reading his book and learning more about snowboarding. My only complaint about the book is that I found the timeline a bit hard to follow in the early sections since he skipped around a bit, but he did provide lots of context within each chapter so that helped. Hope to see him compete in the future, now that I know a little more about his life!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Pure Yooper excellence here. If anyone knows the meaning of Dream Big it’s Nick Baumgartner. I’d known nothing of him when I started reading this book but by the end, I’ll say it. I’m a huge fan.
I grew up in Marquette, just a short drive from where Nick lives. There’s just something about a Yooper. Strong, resilient and persistent and all with a good sense of humor.
I loved so much about this book. Thanks Nick for sharing your story.