In the Yikes! Zone: A Conversation with Fear

More than a skiers book on fear. Mermer demonstrates how to tackle fear head on. If you need a book to get you over the edge....this is the one.

Ms. Blakeslee's writing captures the reader with thrills and laughter; she takes the experiences of skiing way beyond the realm of skiing. This book helps the reader to use ANY fearful experience as a learning tool to move forward.

"In the Yikes Zone" provided me with the tools to manage my performance anxiety for a recent Professional Ski Instructor Association (PSIA) exam. Mermer's book is filled with real-life anecdotes that the reader can relate to and transfer to their own experiences. "In the Yikes! Zone" lets you know when to push it and when to back-off, and how to manage your fears and emotions through-out. A definite read for athletes and non-athletes, this book is filled with important strategies to handle the many fears we face in all aspects of life.

Mermer's book gave me much more than I bargained for! As a Professional Ski Instructor for Women's Clinics, I found her perspective on fear invaluable. Fear is real - it's not always rational, but it's real and we learn to deal with it. Males and females will both recognize themselves in this book. It was a big help to me not only as a teaching tool, but also in my personal skiing and most recently in a PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) ski exam. Thanks to Mermer, I was relaxed and comfortable. Whether preparing to audition for a Broadway Play or to ski a steep, icy mogul field - this book helps.

Mermer Blakeslee's book is a refreshing, thoroughly enjoyable, and masterful perspective on working with the fears that prevent us from achieving our goals. She clearly has equal expertise in writing, skiing and fear. Blakeslee teaches how to live with fear without being controlled by it. It is a delightful, well-written book, a great and unusual combination of being helpful without being "self-helpy."