SKU: 84024941883

The Second Mark: Courage, Corruption, and the Battle for Olympic Gold

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The Second Mark: Courage, Corruption, and the Battle for Olympic GoldIt was billed as the greatest event in the history of pair skating: three of the best teams of all time battling for Olympic gold on one night in Salt Lake City. Technical ability was approximately equal. It was the artistic merit score that would decide the gold medal the second mark. Representing Canada, China, and Russia, the three pairs illuminated their distinct cultures. On the second mark, whose culture would triumph? Would it be the beauty of

It was billed as the greatest event in the history of pair skating: three of the best teams of all time battling for Olympic gold on one night in Salt Lake City. Technical ability was approximately equal. It was the artistic merit score that would decide the gold medal -- the second mark.

Representing Canada, China, and Russia, the three pairs illuminated their distinct cultures. On the second mark, whose culture would triumph? Would it be the beauty of the Russians' ballet on ice, the thrill of the Chinese pair's heart-stopping acrobatics, or the Canadians' passionate connection with the audience? In a down-to-the-wire nail-biter, the difference between gold and silver came down to the vote of a single judge. Hours later, a bombshell: the confession of a French judge unleashed a worldwide debate -- and ultimately produced an unprecedented duplicate gold medal.

The Second Mark reveals what an athlete really goes through to become the best in the world, through the riveting stories of unforgettable people. We meet Yelena Berezhnaya of Russia, who survives emergency brain surgery after a near-fatal training accident and makes it back to the Olympics in less than two years. We meet Zhao Hongbo, a young boy skating in subzero weather in remotest China, who will fulfill his coach's twenty-year dream of catching up to the West. And we meet two Canadians, a barista and a concession stand worker, who had almost quit the sport before deciding to give it one last try -- and becoming world champions.

Exhaustively researched by a skating insider, The Second Mark takes readers deep into the world of the Olympic athlete, illuminating the fascinating differences between East and West. From the frozen fields of China to the secret corridors of the old Soviet sports system, from a tiny farm village in remotest Quebec to the judges' backstage world, The Second Mark tells the compelling human
stories behind one of the most controversial nights in Olympic history.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 09/24/2007
ISBN: 9781416578321
Pages: 352
Weight: 1.14lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.79d
Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 86238 / Second Mark: Courage, Corruption, and the Battle for Olympic Gold
Reading Level: 7.4 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 23
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SKU: 84024941883

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MBR15
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
A Timeless Classic That Never Gets Old
Format: Audiobook
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is such a sweet, beautifully illustrated book. The simple story, bright colors, and fun cut-out pages keep little ones completely engaged. It’s perfect for teaching counting, days of the week, and healthy eating in a way that feels playful and memorable. My kids ask for it over and over, and it’s one of those books that adults enjoy reading too. A true classic that every child’s bookshelf should have!
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Lisa Carol
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
One of the best books for babies.
Format: Board book
Great book for a one-year-old! Such a colorful, bright, book about a caterpillar that eats all sorts of things before turning into a butterfly. Terrific book for counting also.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026
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Mrs. Jones
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
One of Eric Carl’s best!
Format: Hardcover
Great book - a classic.
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Victoria D.
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Cute and fun reading
Format: Board book, Format: Board book
Love this book! My toddler loves it too! Perfect for spring reading!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2026
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Julia
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Cute and educational
Format: Board book
Besides being such a cute story, the tactile features in this book hold my one year old's attention span: the different size pages and hole cut-outs. Also good for introducing days of the week, numbers, and fruits.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2026

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