A Wild Stab for It: This Is Game Eight from Russia

Description

On the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, a personal and poetic journey into the heart of hockey in Canada As summer turned to fall in 1972, Canada was redefining itself and its place in the world. Politically, a spirited election campaign asked probing questions about the nation's past, present, and future - the nationalist pride of recent centennial celebrations contrasted with the stressed relationship between English and French Canada post-FLQ crisis. In a very different arena, similar issues were raised by the trials and triumphs of the players of Canada's game. On the 40th anniversary of what is arguably the single most important sporting event in Canadian history, Dave Bidini travels back through time to September 28, 1972. By asking Canadians of all stripes - athletes, artists, politicians, and pundits - to share their memories, whether they were there in Moscow's Luzhniki Ice Palace or watching a TV rolled into a classroom, Bidini explores how the legendary Canada-Russia Summit Series changed hockey history and helped shape a nation's identity. Doing what John McPhee's Levels of the Game did for tennis and American culture, Bidini asks: did something about being Canadian influence the outcome of the series, or did the outcome of the series change what it means to be Canadian?

Dave Bidini is a writer and musician. He is a columnist for the "National Post" and the Gemini Award-winning writer of the documentary "Hockey Nomad," adapted from his memoir "Tropic of Hockey." He is also the author of several more books, including "On a Cold Road," "Baseballissmo," and "Writing Gordon Lightfoot." He is a founding member of the bands the Rheostatics and BidiniBand and an avid recreational hockey player. He lives in Toronto. Brian Pickell is a musician and photographer. He has several books to his credit, is a former photographer for the "Toronto Star," and is the front man of the Brian Pickell Band. He lives in Paris, Ontario.

"A great little, nostalgic book for hockey fans that captures the beauty of a series that will never be forgotten." -- NewsTalk 1010