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Open Ice: Reflections and Confessions of a Hockey Lifer
written by Jack Falla
Studio : Wiley
by Wiley
Publisher : Wiley
Released : 2008-10-06
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780470153055
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 4 reviews)
List Price : $24.95
Our Price : $15.60
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Product Description |
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OPEN ICE In this new collection of exquisitely crafted essays, veteran sports writer Jack Falla writes about hockey as he has seen and experienced it over the past fifty years. Reflections on the game, its personalities and arenas, and twenty-five years of commitment to creating his backyard rink are woven into family memories and other fond remembrances. A heartwarming and amusing collection, Open Ice is sure to touch every hockey fan and all those who have grown up loving the game. Praise for Jack Falla's Previous Collection of Essays, Home Ice “literary hot chocolate that will warm your heart.”
—The New York Times “While Home Ice may be a book about hockey and the charm of backyard rinks, it is more than that, too. It is a book about relationships—between fathers and sons, husbands and wives—and how the game can bridge the gaps that commonly occur between generations in a family... It's a treasure and one that readers will be happy they searched out. Possibly the best hockey book since Ken Dryden's The Game.”
—The Globe & Mail “A gentle and powerful book.”
—Dave Bidini, Author of
Tropic of Hockey and The Best Game You Can Name. |
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Gift for Husband |
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Just wanted to leave a quick review... I purchased this book (and Falla's other 2) for my Husband for Christmas and he really enjoyed them! If you are or know an avid hockey fan this will be a good buy =) |
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Another good one from Jack Falla |
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I read Saved first, so I just had to get Open Ice. Another great book by Jack Falla. Anyone interested in hockey should read this book. |
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Excellent work, made even more touching by his recent death... |
Being the hockey fan I am, I was drawn to Open Ice: Reflections and Confessions of a Hockey Lifer by Jack Falla mainly by the title. Born and raised on the west coast, I knew nothing of Falla's history as a sportswriter, but I can understand the mindset of someone for whom hockey is a definition of their life. This turned out to be an excellent, thoughtful read, made even more poignant when I learned that Falla passed away in September, a month after the book was written...
Contents:
A Death in Montreal; Short Shifting in Fantasy Land; Skating the Rideau Canal; New Skates; Passing the Torch; "Excuse me, Mr. Delvecchio..."; Back to the Barns; Requiem for the Cucumber; Much of What I Know about Life I Learned Tending Goal; The Rink Rat; Unknockable; Searching for Hobey Baker; Goodbye to the Backyard Rink?; Acknowledgments; About the Author
Falla wrote and covered hockey for Sports Illustrated in the 1980's, but his attachment to hockey goes far deeper. Like many of that time, he grew up following and idolizing the Orrs, Richards, and Beliveaus, the names that made hockey what it is today. But even deeper than that, the game became part of his being, from visiting the ice rinks of the "original six" to building his own backyard outdoor rink every winter. Open Ice is a series of his stories and thoughts about his attachment to the game, and what he's done to uncover the stories of the legends. In some cases, it's attending the funeral of Maurice Richard in Montreal, even though he had to travel halfway across the country to do so, just because it seemed like the right thing to do. Other stories revolve around his quests to discover the deeper personal stories behind old-timers like Hobey Baker and Georges Vezina. In the process, I as the reader get to know and understand the real person behind the historical image that we have left after so many years.
The stories that affected me most were his personal anecdotes. For instance, he talks about how he snuck out of college one day to watch the Red Wings practice at the old Boston Gardens. Detroit skated out, and seemed to be missing a goalie. Falla played goalie growing up, and thought it would be an incredible experience to be on the ice, if even for just a practice session. He mustered up all the courage he had and asked Alex Delvecchio if they needed a practice goalie. Even thought they didn't need him, the lessons he learned about pushing past fear to take a chance resonated deeply. Same with the last story about his backyard rink and his struggles to continue the tradition as he got older. Even though he always felt as if it was "the last year" he'd do it, the tradition and continuity it provided him, his family, and his friends would always provide the last-minute motivation to redig the post holes and set the boards up one more time.
If all you want are stories about hockey players, Open Ice will be a disappointment. But if you are in a reflective mood and enjoy reading about things that drive people on in life, Open Ice is an excellent read, guaranteed to make you feel warm and connected. |
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RIP Jack Falla |
I read this the other day and it is great.
Jack will be missed, I talked with him many times about my own back yard rink. I will miss that this winter.
RIP Jack. |
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