Ice Time: A Tale of Fathers, Sons, and Hometown Heroes (Hardcover)

by Jay Atkinson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Until now, The Game, by Hall of Fame goaltender and president of the Toronto Maple Leafs Ken Dryden, pretty much stood alone in the annals of great hockey writing. Finally, stiff competition comes from New England author Atkinson, whose year-long study of the high school hockey squad from his alma mater is a bona-fide masterstroke. Cynics might cringe at the Rockwellian town Atkinson describes; certainly it does seem odd in this day and age to follow the antics of some 20 teenagers without one mention of pregnancy, drug abuse or violence. Yet that is precisely the lush and heartwarming portrait Atkinson paints of his hometown of Methuen, Mass., a blue-collar Catholic town split between French Canadians and Italians, where hockey is the common language and obsession. The focal point of Atkinson's book is the game itself, which the author sees as a force of empowerment, family values and community, and most importantly, joy. He strives to share this joy with his five-year old son, Liam, whose pure glee at playing the game and worship of the teenaged players of Methuen High is palpable. Atkinson vividly illustrates the mental and emotional impact the sport has on its players and offers lucid descriptions of game action. The themes of the book may seem quaint hard work, dedication, fairness, faith, camaraderie but that does not in any way lessen its impact.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Widely published three-time Pushcart Prize nominee Atkinson tells the story of the Methuen High Rangers and their quest for the Massachusetts state championship in the 2001-2000 season. Although now a professor of English at Salem State College, Atkinson decided to return to his home community and become the assistant coach of the high school hockey team on which he had played 25 years earlier. This is an observant, evocative book for all readers who remember the days of playing shinny on a frozen pond from sunup to sundown and, if the moon was full, into the night or at least until your mom called you for dinner. Following a young team's single season, it is an emotionally charged, heart-warming tale of personal triumphs, both on and off the ice, of friendship, loyalty, perseverance, and dedicated parents. Many a small town in North America can share the same memories. Recommended. Larry R. Little, Penticton P.L., BC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Crown (September 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609607065
• ISBN-13: 978-0609607060
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,410,840 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SKATING AWAY, November 12, 2001

By	"jnumbers" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

I'm not even really a hockey fan but I am a big sports fan and this book resonated on a lot of levels for me. First of all, Atkinson's descriptions are amazing--he got me involved on the first page and I just kept wanting more. Also, his depiction of what it's like to be on a team was dead on. I didn't expect the book's emotional conclusion but that made it all the more powerful for me. The bottom line is that if you like good writing, you'll like ICE TIME.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Ice Conditions, October 14, 2001

By	J. McFarland "jbmcfar" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The most ephemeral and intriguing aspect of hockey is its spontaneity; each rush down the ice blossoms into something different, a new constellation of passes and positioning that happens only once and then melts away, like a snowflake," writes Atkinson in this moving, hilarious and lovingly detailed story of a year in the working life of the Methuen (Massachusetts) High School hockey team. A gifted observer with an eye for character (as in, "Now, there's a character!"), he captures the players, coaches, school officals and parents around the team in living color and salty dialogue. In addition to that, he weaves in memories of his own time as a goalie for the same team 25 years earlier along with his hopes and dreams for his 5-year-old son Liam, whom he is just getting on the ice to participate in league hockey. The mix of spirited reporting and personal memoir, with its evident (but not sappy) love of the sport and everyone involved, is irresistible. For hockey fans, this is a must read. For those who love memoirs, this vivid chronicle of a place many have never been and may know nothing about is a beauty.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recaptured, February 2, 2002

By	Corey Waters (Amesbury, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I played hockey for 14 years in Amesbury. Infact, I was the captain of the Amesbury squad that defeats Methuen on page 214. I was a teammate of Chris Cagliuso (Methuen's star) and Jason Trovato on the Valley Junior Warriors from 1990 to 1993 (ages 9 to 11).

I could not resist purchasing and reading a book "so close to home." Now in college, I have been detached from the rink since 2000. However, my spirit and the splendor of being at the rink has been recaptured because of this book. The moments that seem insignificant during a high school hockey season are acknowledged by Atkinson - moments that, in reality, are so important, and experiences that I can relate to...the atmosphere of the locker room for example.

Participating in a high school sports season is a wonderful experience - one that I enjoyed as a player, and now enjoy as a fan, a reporter, and a coach. Atkinson captures the essence of a high school season, particularly a hockey season. I appreciate his work, and thank him for rekindling so many feelings of my past on the ice and at the rink through his account of the Methuen players.

By the way, that Ryan Fontaine delivered a cheap shot on me when I was a junior.

Also, my father is the "paunchy fellow" Atkinson describes on page 213. My father, a colonel, did not appreciate the description. However, he appreciates the book.

The book touches several topics: athletics, high school life, adolescence, the value of family, youth, reflection, recapturing memories, etc.

I highly recommend it.