For the Cross-Country Skier

The New Cross-Country Ski Book, Eighth Edition, by John Caldwell (Stephen Greene Press: $10.95).

This new edition reflects the considerable changes in cross-country technique and equipment since the first version of this book was published in 1964.

A section has been added on the skating technique that has become popular in the 1980s. Caldwell discusses the pros (including easier to learn) and cons of skating versus the traditional diagonal stride or classical technique. The book is a brief, anecdote-sprinkled history of cross-country skiing and an illustrated how-to guide.

Caldwell, a former Olympic Nordic skier and U.S. team coach, provides easy-to-follow, illustrated drills in traditional and skating techniques to improve performance. He also tells how to choose the right equipment for either technique and how to care for it. His section on waxing simplifies and demystifies that process.

New England

A Critical Guide to Cross-Country Ski Areas by Raymond Elman (Stephen Greene Press: $9.95).

This is a well-organized, handsomely designed guide to what the author rates as the best cross-country ski areas in New England. Each of the 31 centers that met his criteria for inclusion is profiled and a trail map provided.

Elman details what rental equipment, instruction, safety provisions, and facilities for waxing, food, lodging, and child care are available at each center. He describes the trails and rates the quality of the grooming. Under the heading Gestalt, he provides a more subjective description of each area.

One wishes he would do a companion volume for the West.