The Game [Hardcover]

An enduring classic, Ken Dryden's The Game has lost none of its luster since its original publication in 1983, and remains the one book every hockey fan must know. Imagine writing that combines the locker-room perspectives of Ball Four and the philosophical musings of both Bill and William James and you have some idea of the scope of The Game. At the height of his Hall of Fame career, goalie Dryden took a year off from the Montreal Canadiens to article for a law firm, and the sabbatical deepened his appreciation for hockey. The Game is funny, acutely observed, and full of insight into human nature and the importance of sport in today's society. Dryden's portraits of his teammates are precise and unforgettable. Catching the balance between banter and seriousness, Dryden describes Scotty Bowman's pep talks; Serge Savard motivating teammates; the river skater Lafleur, in uniform hours early, reappearing and startling everyone into focus with a whack of his stick on the table; Larry Robinson sensing the wrong atmosphere before a game against a weak opponent and resetting the stakes with the unanswerable remark, "Gotta play it--might as well win it."

Dryden also offers the best analysis anywhere of the contentious and eternally unresolved debate on violence in sport. Drawing on well-documented research he disproves the "violence as release" metaphor favored by hockey traditionalists, showing that violence is in fact a learned response and that deliberate abuse of the rules and constant retaliation only leads to more of the same, until the game deteriorates and the sport loses its best qualities. This backstage look at one of hockey's greatest teams remains one of the best books ever published on any sport. --David Gowdey

"The sports book of the year, or maybe the decade, or maybe the century."

—The Globe and Mail

"A work of art that defines and represents our game."

—Hockey News

"[Dryden] has written a very special book, possibly the best [hockey book] I have ever read. His affectionate yet realistic portrait of the players is unrivalled in hockey writing."

—Mordecai Richler

The Game has lost none of its luster since its original publication in 1983, and remains the one book every hockey fan must know….This backstage look at one of hockey’s greatest teams remains one of the best books ever published on any sport."

—David Gowdey

"An enduring classic, Ken Dryden's The Game has lost none of its luster since its original publication in 1983, and remains the one book every hockey fan must know...This backstage look at one of the best books ever published on any sport."

—David Gowdey

Sports Illustrated: One of "The Top 100 Best Sports Books of All Time" (number nine).

· Top hockey book.

· Top Canadian sports book.

· Top book written solely by an athlete.

University of Toronto Review: One of "The Top 100 English-Canadian Books of the 20^th Century."

Named by Sports Illustrated in 2002 as one of the Top Ten in "The Top 100 Best Sports Books of All Time." It was the number-one hockey book on the list.

#9: "Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden was always different. A Cornell grad, he led Montreal to six Stanley Cups, then at 26 sat out a year to prepare for the bar exam. His book is different too: a well-crafted account of his career combined with a meditation on hockey’s special place in Canadian culture."

"The best hockey book ever written."

—Quill & Quire

"If you haven’t seen hockey through Dryden’s eyes, you should."

—The Toronto Sun

"A [hockey] book so rare that there is actually nothing to compare it to."

—Scott Young

"A first-rate discussion of hockey by one of hockey’s first-rate players and first-rate minds….Essential reading for anyone serious about hockey as an important part of Canadian life."

—Hamilton Spectator

"The Game is a beautifully written, insightful, perceptive, revealing look at hockey."

—Toronto Star

"A book about Ken Dryden, about Quebec, about the rest of Canada, and most of all, a loving book about a special sport."

—New York Times

"We always wondered what he was thinking about whenever the play stopped and he struck his characteristic pose resting his chin on his goal stick. Now we know. He was composing one of the best hockey books ever written….There is a ‘you are there’ quality to the prose as the author-goalie lets you see everything through his eyes, spicing his vivid descriptions with personal reflections and observations….The Game succeeds both as an inside look at hockey and a portrait of an articulate athlete who knew when to quit."

—Winnipeg Free Press

"The Game is a brilliant adventure into ourselves. It makes all other books about the sport look preliminary."

—Calgary Herald

"The best Canadian sports book in years."

—Calgary Sun

"An incredible memoir, a poetic journey through the life of Les Canadiens. It rises above being just a book about hockey. It’s a book about people, the fragile, delicate moments on the edge of fame and glory, failure and disillusionment. Dryden’s The Game is the complete hockey book."

—Windsor Star

"As Dryden reminisces, we are presented with a portrait, in broad and vivid strokes, of the players who comprised the best team in professional hockey….All the ingredients of a winner."

—Victoria Times-Colonist

"No one has ever delivered an account of our national sport as deep as this. On a scale of 1 to 10, give the guy his sweater number—29."

—Regina Leader-Post

The Game is acknowledged as the best hockey book ever written, and as one of the best sports books of all time. More than just a hockey book, it has become an enduring classic???a reflective and provocative look at a life in hockey and at the game itself.

Ken Dryden, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, is recognized as one of the greatest goalies ever to play the game. More than that, he is one of hockey???s most intelligent and insightful commentators. In The Game, Dryden captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans.

He gives us vivid and affectionate portraits of the characters???Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman among them???that made the Canadiens of the 1970s one of the greatest hockey teams in history. But beyond that, Dryden reflects on life on the road, in the spotlight, and on the ice, offering up a rare inside look at the game of hockey, and a profoundly personal memoir.

This commemorative edition marks the 20th anniversary of The Game???s original publication, and features a new chapter from Ken Dryden, reflecting on the past two decades in hockey.

Take a journey back to the heart and soul of the game with this timeless hockey classic.

The Game is acknowledged as the best hockey book ever written, and as one of the best sports books of all time. More than just a hockey book, it has become an enduring classic—a reflective and provocative look at a life in hockey and at the game itself.

Ken Dryden, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, is recognized as one of the greatest goalies ever to play the game. More than that, he is one of hockey’s most intelligent and insightful commentators. In The Game, Dryden captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans.

He gives us vivid and affectionate portraits of the characters—Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman among them—that made the Canadiens of the 1970s one of the greatest hockey teams in history. But beyond that, Dryden reflects on life on the road, in the spotlight, and on the ice, offering up a rare inside look at the game of hockey, and a profoundly personal memoir.

This commemorative edition marks the 20th anniversary of The Game’s original publication, and features a new chapter from Ken Dryden, reflecting on the past two decades in hockey.

Take a journey back to the heart and soul of the game with this timeless hockey classic.

 

THE GAME

20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

"The sports book of the year, or maybe the decade, or maybe the century."

— The Globe and Mail

"A work of art that defines and represents our game."

—Hockey News

"[Dryden] has written a very special book, possibly the best [hockey book] I have ever read. His affectionate yet realistic portrait of the players is unrivalled in hockey writing."

—Mordecai Richler

"A book about Ken Dryden, about Quebec, about the rest of Canada, and most of all, a loving book about a special sport."

—New York Times

"An enduring classic, Ken Dryden's The Game has lost none of its luster since its original publication in 1983, and remains the one book every hockey fan must know...This backstage look at one of the best books ever published on any sport."

—David Gowdey

"A [hockey] book so rare that there is actually nothing to compare it to."

—Scott Young

Sports Illustrated:

One of "The Top 100 Best Sports Books of All Time" (number nine).

· Top hockey book.

· Top Canadian sports book.

· Top book written solely by an athlete.

University of Toronto Review:

One of "The Top 100 English-Canadian Books of the 20^th Century."

Ken Dryden played goal for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1970s. In his eight seasons, the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup six times. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

He has authored four best-selling books, The Game, Home Game, The Moved and the Shaken, and In School. He also served as Youth Commissioner for Ontario. He is currently Vice-Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

He and his wife, Lynda, have two children and live in Toronto.