In I Almost Made It: A Memoir, long-time print and broadcast journalist Peter Graves takes you on a journey through his life in ski racing, the media, and the Olympics. As his ski racing career opened up life-altering opportunities, Graves experienced great highs and lows when he became captivated by the world of sports television and public address announcing around the globe. Graves shares honestly the world he intersected with. You’ll find inside information on the Olympic movement, behind-the-scenes stories from broadcasting, and how he came from the then relatively obscure sport of cross-country skiing, to build a remarkable career, having worked at 13 Olympic games, and countless world cups in skiing and mountain biking. Peter’s drive and determination to make it in two highly competitive arenas, make for compelling reading as he shares observations and stories from his over 50 years as an announcer—from unforgettable personalities to detailed storytelling make for a powerful memoir.
Praise for I Almost Made It
“Peter Graves’ passion for Nordic skiing emerged early, as a high school and collegiate competitor. Then, it led him to become the pioneering announcer and broadcaster for the sport, introducing and educating generations of spectators to the excitement and beauty of Nordic skiing. As a racer or a Nordic enthusiast, you know it’s a big event if Peter Graves is on the loudspeaker, describing the action.”
—John Morton, two-time Olympic biathlete, author, trail designer
“A soul-baring, emotional read. Peter’s is an experience unlike anyone’s. His towering voice and genuine love shaped his favorite sports for the general public. He changed how we in those sports see ourselves. An important, talented, and influential voice across swaths and corners of Olympic sports spanning a fifty-year career, I Almost Made It recalls a storyteller’s lifelong, intrepid drive to bring his favorite sports to a broader audience and appreciation. Told bare, raw with emotion, reflection, and nostalgia, he also pulls a few punches. It feels like a testament to a great love who almost fully reciprocated.”
—Chad Salmela, Ski coach and NBC Olympic analyst
About the Author
For over fifty years, Peter Graves, a native of Bennington, Vermont, has been a storyteller, writer, television sports host, and public address announcer, all put into play by his passion for cross-country skiing at high school and college. Graves has been an assistant coach for the US Ski Team, the Head Nordic Coach at Harvard University, and the Nordic Sports Director for Special Olympics International. He also worked to get the Giants Ridge Ski Area in northern Minnesota off the ground and played a major role in their historic World Cup. For his first Winter Olympic Games, he worked for ABC Sports at the 1980 games in Lake Placid, New York, covering Nordic Skiing. At the time of publication, Graves announced 13 Olympic Games, both Summer and Winter. His work has appeared on ABC Sports, NBC/Universal Sports, ESPN, OLN, CTV, CBC in Canada, and countless podcasts. Graves has two grown children, Kate, and former US Ski Team member in Nordic Combined, Willy. He is an honored member of the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. He resides in the Upper Valley of Vermont.
SPECS
I Almost Made It
Nonfiction
Paperback Original
Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.25
Page Count: 222
Price: $19.95 (CA $26.95)
ISBN: 979-8-9914134-9-7
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
Distributor: IPG/Chicago, Ingram, Bookshop.org
Rights sold: All rights available.
Rights & PR: Dede Cummings, dede@greenwriterspress.com
Distributor: IPG; also available through Follett/Baker & Taylor, Ingram, and other wholesalers.
Individuals can pre-order directly from Bookshop.org, or contact your local, independent bookstore.
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To request an advance reader copy—digital or print—email dcdesignteamvt@gmail.com