Johnny Weir

Johnny Weir oli taitoluistelussa kimaltava väriläiskä. Tyyli on muuttunut, jos mahdollista, vielä villimmäksi kilpajäiltä eläköitymisen myötä. Vaikka epäilenkin, että kirja on ainakin osittain haamukirjoittajan eikä Jonnyn itsensä käsialaa, on tekstin ote ja fiilis hyvin Johnnymainen. Kirjassa on sopivassa suhteessa sekä vakavaa pohdintaa luistelu- ja urheilumaailmasta että hillittömiä anekdootteja vuosien varrelta - oma lisänsä on tietenkin sen arvelu tai päättely, kenestä luistelijasta "nimiä mainitsematta" kulloinkin puhutaan.… (meer)

Johnny Weir's 'Welcome to my World' is an enticing, entertaining read, but as a 'tell all' autobiography it falls short. The gossipy, confidential tone draws the reader in, but in the end it goes no further than to confirm some speculation which should be of no surprise to fans of figure skating.

Weir has said that he penned most of the book himself, only dictating when too tired to write, but my speculation is that it was mostly the latter. For a swifty produced book by a sportsman, it does an great job of capturing Weir's tone and style, as comes across in press and media interviews. The structuring of the book is less successful; the mostly linear narrative jumps unevenly forming more of a series of scenes than a fluent whole (for example, his relationship with Alex is poorly conveyed by a series of snapshots), and several loose threads are left abandonned. Weir's childhood pairs partner, Jodi Rudden, is introduced early on, but he does not mention the decision to abandon pairs. Rudden drops out of the narrative and, one would assume, Weir's life - until she pops up again in the acknowledgements as one of his 'inner circle'.

Weir shows flashes of self-analysis, but it tends to get lost in a hectic whirl of accounts of competitions and vaucous celebrity anecdotes. Again, this may be related to the rushed pace of publication to capitalize on Weir's post-Olympics notoriety, but it places the book firmly in 2010, as weir gushes about events, friends and public figures who already have only minor significance.

'Welcome to my World' reveals just enough to make it clear that Weir is a fascinating individual, but leaves the reader unsatisfied by the surface exploration presented here. I don't fault Weir for enjoying the glamorous life while he has the opportunity, but perhaps once he has stepped back from the spotlight he will be able to produce the more considered autobiography, the potential for which is promised here.… (meer)