Olympic figure skating star Nathan Chen to release ‘deeply personal’ memoir and children’s book

Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen is set to release a memoir this year followed by a children’s book next year.

On Friday, the three-time world figure skating champion announced his upcoming memoir “One Jump at a Time: My Story” as well as his first picture book in an Instagram post.

“I’ve spent the last few months reflecting on everything — the joys, the pain, the life-changing moments, and the challenges — that have brought me to where I am, and I’m so excited to share those reflections in my upcoming book, #OneJumpAtATime,” the 22-year-old athlete wrote. “This project has been so deeply personal to me and I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to tell my story in this way.”

“One Jump at a Time,” which is co-written by Time magazine writer Alice Park and features a foreword by designer Vera Wang, will be published by Harper on Nov. 22. His first picture book will be released by HarperCollins Children’s Books sometime in February next year.

The book’s official description reads: “Pulling back the curtain on the figure skating world and the Olympics, Chen reveals what it was really like at the Beijing Games and competing on the US team in the same city his parents had left—and his grandmother still lived. Poignant and unfiltered, told in his own words, One Jump at a Time is the story of one extraordinary young man—and a testament to the love of a family and the power of persistence, grit, and passion.”

Chen’s record-setting performance at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics capped an inspiring redemption arc after his failures at the 2018 Games in South Korea.

Chen told People in a statement that the book will cover how he entered the figure skating world at age 3 with the help and support of his family. It will also provide his insight into the sport’s many challenges and how he was able to overcome them.

“Nathan Chen is among the most humble warriors on ice,” said Harper SVP of Creative Development Lisa Sharkey in a statement. “The so-called quad king has written a wonderful account of his life thus far, from his parents’ immigrant story to his comeback from a devastating performance at the 2018 Olympics to glory in 2022.”

She noted that through the book, fans can learn about the sport’s “nuance and emotional narrative beyond the headlines.”

Meanwhile, Chen’s untitled picture book follows “a young boy who learns to find the joy in sports no matter the outcome.”

“Through his perseverance, talent, and exuberance, Nathan inspires us all to remember that showing up, having fun, and doing the best we can in competition already makes us winners, regardless of what the scoreboard says,” said the book’s editor, Megan Ilnitzk.

Featured Image via Olympics (left), Nathan Chen (right)

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