Finnie Walsh: A Novel [Paperback]

Steven Galloway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2006

"Finnie Walsh will forever remain in my daily thoughts, not only because of the shocking circumstances of his absurd demise, but because he managed to misunderstand what was truly important even though he was right about almost everything else." So begins Steven Galloway’s critically acclaimed first novel. The story is told by Paul Woodward, Finnie's best friend and the only good child in a long line of delinquents. Hockey is one of the few things they have in common: Finnie’s family is rich and snobbish, while Paul’s father works the night shift at the local mill owned by Finnie’s father. One fateful day, the boys noisily play hockey in the Woodwards’ driveway, keeping Paul's father awake. This seemingly innocent activity triggers a shattering chain of events. Finnie Walsh has been compared to the work of John Irving, but Galloway’s voice, most particularly his unforgettable portrait of the title character, is uniquely his own.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

2001 Amazon.com/Books in Canada First Novel Award Shortlist: As a hockey player, young Paul Woodward is a few steps behind his best pal, Finnie Walsh. Both boys, however, have hockey coursing through their veins. Finnie, the son of the local mill owner, and Paul, the son of a mill worker, forge a fast friendship through endless hours of shooting, stickhandling, and passing. It is hockey that holds them together as they grow into young men. Along the way, they must deal with Paul's eccentric father, his withdrawn sister, and the uncomfortable disparity in their socioeconomic status. As a sports novel, Steven Galloway's first effort leaves a bit to be desired, since it doesn't capture the frantic intensity of the game. As a tale of friendship, however, Finnie Walsh is sweetly endearing and filled with charming quirks and unexpected twists. --S. Duda --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Two fundamentals must be mastered in any successful sports novel: one is a penetrating knowledge of the sport in question; the other is skillful characterization. Galloway exhibits the former in spades, but the latter is less evident in his promising but uneven first effort. Paul Woodward, son of a mill worker in a small northern Canadian town, grows up playing and practicing his position as defenseman with his best friend and goalie, Finnie Walsh, son of the mill's owner. Their unusual friendship transcends class boundaries and develops through a series of accidents and near-supernatural coincidences that unfold over 14 years. Both eventually make it into the minor leagues, playing on the same team for a while, but when they meet up later on opposing sides of the ice, a foolish but loyal act leaves one of the two permanently sidelined. Some of the supporting characters--including Paul's younger sister, who is always wearing a lifejacket and receives premonitions from her bedside lamp, and a one-armed janitor who keeps losing his prosthesis--are quirkily engaging, but while this bittersweet first novel is workmanlike, it never quite captures the imagination or the heart. Intrusive editorial comments about the state of professional hockey and some rather clumsy attempts at armchair psychoanalysis hobble the narrative, which slips and slides aimlessly in the second half--although in the concluding pages it recovers some of the momentum promised in the opening section.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Raincoast Books; 2nd edition (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551928353
• ISBN-13: 978-1551928357
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,207,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven Galloway was born in Vancouver, and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia. He attended the University College of the Cariboo and the University of British Columbia. His debut novel, Finnie Walsh, was nominated for the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award. His second novel, Ascension, was nominated for the BC Book Prizes' Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and has been translated into numerous languages. His third novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, was published in spring of 2008. It was heralded as "the work of an expert" by the Guardian, and has become an international bestseller with rights sold in 20 countries. Galloway has taught creative writing at the University of British Columbia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finnie Walsh is Amazing!, December 5, 2001

By 

elise (London, ont., Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finnie Walsh (Paperback)

Finnie Walsh in my opinion was an eye opening experience it is by far the best book I have ever read and everything about it made me feel more interested. There is not a single bad thing I could say about it! The characters alone made the book, how you understood how they felt at diferent times, how they were perfectly described! This book made me laugh, cry and made me feel emotions that have never occured before in my mind! I couldn't put it down and I will continue to read it over and over again because everytime I am sure that I will recieve more and more happiness sadness and information from the text! I am getting it for everyone for Christmas and I hope that everyone will enjoy this story as much as I did!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Story!, November 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Finnie Walsh (Paperback)

I picked up this book mainly because of my job working with high school teachers and students and ended up reading parts of it out loud to my own kids during a car trip. My 12 year old son was hooked, he read the book, then I finished it. It was amazing to have that 'secret book conversation' with my son. I/we both loved the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spanky Read!, October 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Finnie Walsh (Paperback)

Are you looking for a spanky good read? Look no further than this sly little Canadian book about a couple of kids living in the middle of the province of British Columbia who play hockey. This book is a swift, delicious thing that has a devilish way of not letting you free of it. You'll want to read it until you arrive at the last page--it is, in the classical sense of the hyphenated word, a "page-turner". I loved it. It was touching, heartfelt, and uncommon. A novel with an elegant plot, developed synchronously with its characters' motivations. Galloway is a secret talent ready to explode on the scene.