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Larry Tracey
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Media
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Book
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Publisher | Corrymann Ltd | ||
ISBN | 9780955161018 | ||
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Reviewer
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Jayne
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Synopsis
This is the story of Katya Schmidt is set in the Deutsche Democratic Republic in the years before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Katya is unwittingly caught up in the Cold War played out on the running tracks of the Olympic Games and must struggle to compete on her own terms and forge her own destiny. "Footprints" is essentially a story of self discovery. Katya's sport is like an extended metaphor of her life. She is always running, pushing herself for other people but finally she runs the race for herself and this is when you know she has chosen the right path in life.
Footprints is essentially a story of self discovery and the trials and tribulations of an unknown athelete trying to compete against a system of people pushing her in ways she would not choose to go.
Review
Footprints in the Water is the story of the rise and fall of Katya Schmidt and is set in the German Democratic Republic in the years before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Katya is an amazing youngster who loves to run, and after being chosen to run for the school in the district and national games she comes home triumphant and is the toast of the village. She is then spotted by one of the national party and requested to attend the Institue for Aspiring National Athletes. Her parents to begin with fight this choice because she is still only 12 years old and she will have to live away from home and they will be unable to see her except for four weeks a year two in the summer and two at Christmas.
In the end they agree that she may go but Katya is unwittingly caught up in the cold war played out on the running tracksof the Olympic games and must struggle to compete on her own terms and forge her own destiny.
I found the storyline, the mystery and the horror of what happened to this young athlete hard to accept in todays world. It is beautifully written and the suspence is enthralling and I have to agree with the two statements on the front cover of the book one by Kelly Holmes MBE which says it is "A triumphant story of a woman's passion and pain" and the other by Sir Steve Redgrave when he says "The search for sporting excellence has great pain and no Shortcuts" to be so true and perfect about the life and sports person Katya Schmidt.
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