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Book Review - War On Ice
By Scott Young
Scott Young has brought us many
great hockey books, including the very best in hockey fiction. But he also has
had several success with non-fiction titles, such as War On Ice: Canada In
International Hockey.
Young uses his
engaging writing style understanding that
the reader already knows the results of the games so he doesn't try to recreate
the games. Instead he attempts to add to our understanding of them.
In this book he accomplishes
that by giving us an insider's point of view. For example, in the eighth and
second to last chapter of the book, Young tells the story of the 1972
Summit Series through the eyes and words of tournament organizer Alan
Eagleson.
The book was originally
published in 1976, so at the time it would have made for tremendous insight.
Nowadays we are much wiser about Eagleson and his ways, so the book's value does
not lie in the chapter about the 1972 Summit Series. We must read Eagleson's
words with many grains of salt.
The true value of this book lies
in the other tournaments Canada participates in. There isn't a lot of
documentation on many of the teams, the players and coaches or the inside
stories, and Young gives us a good look into the following tournaments in
addition to the 1972 Summit Series:
1954 East York Lyndhursts
1955 Penticton Vees
1956 Whitby Dunlops
1959 Belleville McFarlands
1961 Trail Smoke Eaters
1960's Canadian National Team
1974 WHA Summit Series
Young also covers Canada's decision to breakaway from IIHF events starting in
1969.
If you look at the book as
several mini-books with a great opportunity to learn about each chapter
individually, you'll really enjoy this book. However if you're looking for a
more complete package which ties all these events together with a profound
conclusion, you'll be disappointed. I kind of get the impression the book was
rushed to production, as the book suddenly ends with no real culmination.
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