I Almost Made It - by Peter Graves (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In I Almost Made It: A Memoir, long-time print and broadcast journalist Peter Graves takes you on a journey through his life in ski racing, the media, and the Olympics. As his ski racing career opened up life-altering opportunities, Graves experienced great highs and lows when he became captivated by the world of sports television and public address announcing around the globe. Graves shares honestly the world he intersected with. You'll find inside information on the Olympic movement, behind-the-scenes stories from broadcasting, and how he came from the then relatively obscure sport of cross-country skiing, to build a remarkable career, having worked at 13 Olympic games, and countless world cups in skiing and mountain biking. Peter's drive and determination to make it in two highly competitive arenas, make for compelling reading as he shares observations and stories from his over 50 years as an announcer-- from unforgettable personalities to detailed storytelling make for a powerful memoir.

Review Quotes

"Peter Graves' passion for Nordic skiing emerged early, as a high school and collegiate competitor. Then, it led him to become the pioneering announcer and broadcaster for the sport, introducing and educating generations of spectators to the excitement and beauty of Nordic skiing. As a racer or a Nordic enthusiast, you know it's a big event if Peter Graves is on the loudspeaker, describing the action." --John Morton, two-time Olympic biathlete, author, trail designer

"A soul-baring, emotional read. . . . An important, talented, and influential voice across swaths and corners of Olympic sports spanning a fifty-year career, I Almost Made It recalls a storyteller's lifelong, intrepid drive to bring his favorite sports to a broader audience and appreciation. . ." --Chad Salmela, Ski coach and NBC Olympic analyst

About the Author

For over fifty years, Peter Graves, a native of Bennington, Vermont, has been a storyteller, writer, television sports host, and public address announcer, all put into play by his passion for cross-country skiing at high school and college. Graves has been an assistant coach for the US Ski Team, the Head Nordic Coach at Harvard University, and the Nordic Sports Director for Special Olympics International. He also worked to get the Giants Ridge Ski Area in northern Minnesota off the ground and played a major role in their historic World Cup. For his first Winter Olympic Games, he worked for ABC Sports at the 1980 games in Lake Placid, New York, covering Nordic Skiing. At the time of publication, Graves announced 13 Olympic Games, both Summer and Winter. His work has appeared on ABC Sports, NBC/Universal Sports, ESPN, OLN, CTV, and CBC in Canada, and countless podcasts. Graves has two grown children, Kate, and former US Ski Team member in Nordic Combined, Willy. He is an honored member of the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. He resides in the Upper Valley of Vermont.