Customer Reviews

The Game

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Calling this "the best book ever written about hockey" somehow does not do this work justice. Ken Dryden was one of the best goalies of his time, on one of the greatest teams of all time, and yet this portrayal of a year in the life of that team is much more than "team wins hockey games, gets Stanley Cup." In fact, unless you know what happened in 1979 you may miss that fact. What Dryden aims to do with this book is far more ambitious than to simply describe his last year in the NHL. He wants to discuss the meaning of hockey in the context of his own life as well as that of his country. If this seems a little ambitious, well it is. But Dryden is certainly up to the task.

Written in what amounts to a modified stream-of-consciousness, there are many digressions as Dryden wanders away from descriptions of game days to talk about his early career, the origins of the game, and what it means to Canadians. It's not hard to follow this, but you do have to pay attention. The thing that struck me most was that, while Dryden the author is articulate, thoughtful, and clearly smarter than the average bear, he describes "Ken Dryden the goalie" as a bit of a goof, the last to get locker room jokes, the guy who falls for pranks, who makes himself the target of other, quicker minds. Dryden clearly feels no need to make himself look good to the reading public and when he dissects his playing ability you get the impression that he's being totally honest: he's a Hall of Fame goalie who wishes he could have been just a little better.

(On the other hand, while I agree that popular culture creates images of athletes that they often cannot live up to, I balk at Dryden's insistence that "people think I am smarter than I am, because of this image." When you dissect the NHL's policy on fighting by referencing three psychological theories of human behaviour as well as Monty Python's "Holy Grail" -- well, don't expect me to think you're really Big Bobby Clobber, all right?)

Among the most attractive parts of this book are his descriptions of his teammates. I was a very young hockey fan in the 1970's and we were Habs fans -- absolutely. The names in this book are magical ones to me, and my reaction to reading about them is proof enough of Dryden's remark that "things are never as good as in the old days -- and they never were." In other words, the players you admired as a child are ALWAYS the best. Ken Dryden in the 1970's was never as good as the players he admired in the 1950's, and don't try selling him any silly statistics to prove otherwise. (It's when Dryden writes as a fan that he's especially charming.)

Anyway, the pen-portraits he gives of his teammates alone make the book worth reading. Who knew Guy Lapointe was an incorrigible locker-room prankster? Still, written as it was at the twilight of Dryden's own career, "The Game" has a certain melancholy air in places. Guy Lafleur is clearly not going to be at the top of the league forever -- and then what? Rejean Houle is depicted as someone who has come to terms with himself and will be fine, but I have to admit that even twenty years later I was a little disturbed by the portrait of Larry Robinson. Dryden describes the beloved defenseman as self-doubting and possibly afraid that if he was too good at being the tough guy he would one day wake up and find himself slotted into being a goon instead of a player. He also indicates that in his efforts to remake himself into a more complete player, Robinson may have ended up selling himself short. It's not every day that you imagine Larry Robinson as a tragic figure but after reading this bit I really had to remind myself that at this point he probably does not need my sympathy! (On the other hand, considering that early in his head coaching career Robinson's major problem seems to have been being a little over-sensitive and almost pathologically conscientious, it's interesting to see that he was the same way as a player.)

The team as a group entity is remarkably likable: there is a certain innocence in their silly pranks and teasing. The Habs of the 70's were said to be a remarkably united team and Dryden offers no argument there: in the midst of the rise of the Parti Quebecois Dryden's claim that there was no "French-English problem" on the team rings true when he depicts even the anglophone players as cursing almost entirely in French (and it's oddly endearing.) Guys like "Shutty" and "Flower" and "Pointu" and "Bird" were Canadiens first, everything else after. Even the legendarily unpleasant Scotty Bowman is made a sympathetic character, which I am told is a feat in itself.

Once again, this is not simply a remarkable book about hockey. It's a remarkable book by a remarkable guy who happened to be a remarkable player on a team that was... well, you know the rest.

Ken Dryden: lawyer, father, Cornell and McGill graduate, former President of the Toronto Maples Leafs, Canadian MP and Minister of Social Development, former member of the Montreal Canadiens, winner of six Stanley Cups, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and author. I had the pleasure of watching his last run through the playoffs, winning the Cup one last time, as my introduction to hockey...he became my childhood idol, and was the reason I went into goaltending myself.

I just finished reading his book, The Game, which was a gift from my fiancee.

I don't think I've read many books as good as this. The writing style is conversational, and it relates a snapshot view of Dryden's latter half of his last season, once he had decided to retire from hockey. There are many excellent portraits of team-mates, friends, coaches, family, and even opponents, and even himself; no punches are pulled, but nothing is mean-spirited, and you can tell he had a fondness for his team-mates, even though he felt somewhat separated from them due to his position as goalie. About himself, he relates his introduction to hockey, his self-doubts, his game-time superstitions, and his happy memories.

Interspersed with this are thoughts on the business of hockey: the grind of going from city to city to play night after night, how trades affect the team's spirit, injuries and illness and retirement, how a player's ego and the skill level of his team-mates affect his play, the NHLPA, and the effects of TV and expansion and the WHA on the NHL and the game. He also talks about the historical development of the game, how rules developed (including the development of the red line, and the forward pass) and how the game play and rules have produced a not-inevitable environment for fighting, the Soviets and how they showed us that there's more than one style of game that works, and how Gretzky changed the style of game play.

It's a very discerning, and piercing look at the game. Yet, it's told with love, and in a style that took me right back into the 1970s, a time in my own life which I barely remember.

I have a memory of Ken Dryden coming out to drop an opening puck at one of the Canada Cup games, in Hamilton Ontario...he received a 10 minute standing ovation from the fans in the arena. He is well-loved throughout Canada, in memory of his skill, and for his intelligent love of the sport of hockey. This book betrays that love, and have to heartily recommend it to fans of the sport.

Now, I just have to convince my fiancee to take the time to read it, or at least try...

The combination of a person who is both highly educated and a 6 time Stanley Cup Winner can only produce an extraordinary book that goes beyond other sports biographies. Here we deal with a person who is consciously making an end to a very successful career and upon doing so reflects on his personal past, but also the experience of being part of a team and playing hockey in a legendary hockey town, that is unique in its own political and linguistic division. He then proceeds to review the history of the game, explaining the difference between European style hockey and Canadian and ultimately in the new edition comparing his perspective at the time to the current state of the international and expanded NHL. Particularly with regard to the recent lockout this new epilogue is extremely interesting. This is a really unique book, but what makes it most attractive is that any hockey player will recognize the description of locker room and team behavior, no matter what level you play at. Canadiens fans will love the stories about his legendary team mates and goalies will recognize his views on being a goalie. This is a very special book...

Ken Dryden has written was many would say as the greatest hockey book ever written. Written during the latter stages of his career he reflects and gives insights on some of the greatest hockey legends that we have ever seen - Scotty Bowman, Guy Lefleur, Steve Shutt, Bobby Orr and others. Any hockey fan would appreciate what he writes, something he does better than almost anyone else!

The game by Ken Dryden provides a unique view of the Montreal Canadiens during their 1970's reign as the premiere ice hockey team of the NHL and arguably of the world. Dryden's perspective of the team as a whole,the individual players and himself are a fascinating analysis of what made the team "gel" in both good and bad times. In particular, Dryden's critical self-appraisal of his career as it came to a conclusion is a revealing testimonial to his strength of character and his love for the game. A highly cerebral and entertaining reading experience.

I read this book expecting to read the standard sports book, what I found was a book that was not only about hockey but about life. Even those who are not hardcore hockey fans can appreciate many of the messages and opinions on life.
From the beginning to the end I was caught in the words, it made me think and feel. Reading The Game somehow enriched my life, and I recommend it to all. Ken Dryden was not your average hockey player, he was an intelligent man who will always be known as the man who wrote the greatest book about the game of hockey.

Ken Dryden, one of the NHL's best goalies, writes about his last year with the 1970's Canadiens, one of the greatest teams in NHL history. He provides more than a day by day account of playing but talks about other aspects of the game. From traveling to playing in his hometown to life as a celebrity and a Canadian, Dryden shows why he should be the Commissioenr of the NHL. If you have ever spent a summer in a rink, driven to a 6AM practice or know the words to "Oh, Canada." then "The Game " is for you.

Ken Dryden has dared to tell us a warts and all account of a career in the NHL. As a hall of fame Goalie he was well postioned to observe the play of his team mates on the ice. Granted special status as the team's goalie he was then well place to observe the team off the ice too. He has written an honest account of the impact of long seasons of play both on himself and his team mates. Most revealing are his observations on specific players including Guy LaFleur, Bobby Orr and Larry Robinson. I wonder if his friendships with these men survived these opinions? Thoroughly recommended for all sports fans even non hockey fans.

For a fan of Hockey, Dryden's book provides a fascinating inside look at the life of a prefessional NHL team even though the 70's were a much different era in Hockey and sports in general. Detailing not just game highlights and statistics but really concentrating on the day to day travel and practice grind, the book really get's inside the dynamics of a great team.

Dryden interweaves the narrative of the Montreal Canadiens with his personal story of family and growing up playing Hockey in Ontario that reveals just how ingrained hockey is in the lives of Canadians.

Sports have changed due to big money. Last years NHL strike being just the latest symptom. Dryden's book captures a love of the game and competition that is truly refreshing in this day and age.

One word "Dry". I tried to like this book. I really tried to like this book. I am sorry, I just can't. Everyone always say that this is the best hockey books ever written. Some say one of the best sports books ever written. I just don't see it. To that I must say that there just must not be any competition for it. I give it a 3 of 5 because I don't hate it. I guess I don't understand it. I recommend you get it and see for yourself it's a classic and worth your time.