Books·My Life in Books

5 books that inspired CBC Olympics analyst Kerrin Lee-Gartner

The Olympic champion and CBC Sports host shares five books that she loved reading.

Ryan B. Patrick · CBC · Posted: Jan 19, 2018 1:36 PM EST | Last Updated: February 15, 2018

Kerrin Lee-Gartner is an Olympic Downhill Champion. (CBC)

Retired alpine ski racer Kerrin Lee-Gartner is a three-time Olympian and Olympic downhill champion. She'll be providing expert analysis on the alpine skiing events as part of the CBC broadcast team for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, which is taking place Feb 9-25, 2018.

According to Lee-Gartner, escaping into the pages of a novel has always been her way of stress relief after a busy day. Here, she shares five books that she loved reading.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Ken Follett is a bestselling author. (Oliver Favre, kenfollett.com/Prnguin Random House)

"It only took me a few pages to realize I was in for a real treat with The Pillars of the Earth; the vivid landscapes and human connections took me on a journey to the 12th century. I was entranced by the lives lived back then, the hardships, the battles, joy and love, and I was in awe of the vision, dream and life's work to build a Cathedral. I have enjoyed this one many times over!"

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom is a bestselling author whose inspirational books have been adapted into Emmy Winning TV Movies. (Jenny Risher/Doubleday)

"Reading Tuesdays with Morrie was a messy situation for me! Tears flowed freely as I tagged along with Mitch Albom on his Tuesday visits with his mentor and teacher. At times, I felt I was an intruder as I witnessed the intimate connection formed during the exposure of some of life's greatest lessons."

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Richard Bach is a airplane pilot and author. (Scribner)

"This little treasure was a gift from my husband, Max, back in 1989 with the caption, 'Read when you feel you need a lift.' The first line still draws me in: 'It was morning, and the new sun sparkled gold across the ripples of a gentle sea.' My original copy is literally falling apart, but when I visit the magic within those pages, I still feel like I can fly!"

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Lisa Genova is an American neuroscientist and author. (Simon & Schuster/lisagenova.com)

"I don't plan on reading this one a second time, nor watching the movie, but I recommend it to everyone! Lisa Genova holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University and she portrays the details of living with Alzheimer's disease with frightening clarity. Be ready to really feel. Fear. Sadness. Admiration. Inspiration. Pain. Sympathy. Frustration. Love."

In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick

Terry Orlick is a professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa. (Human Kinetics)

"As a downhill racer, I was very fortunate to learn from sports psychologist Terry Orlick. I had big dreams, some talent and a load of determination! He helped me overcome my doubts, gave my dreams direction, my imagination focus and ultimately led me down the path of success. I am very thankful for Terry and the many life lessons learned throughout my athletic journey."