Ron MacLean, best known N of the edge for his hosting operate on Hockey Night inwards Canada, evidently has go something of an writer inwards his spare time.
His commencement mass was something of an autobiography, "Cornered," which was a rather entertaining expect at his career as well as his encounters alongside interesting people along the way.
In 2015, MacLean came dorsum alongside "Hockey Towns." My guess, as well as it's exclusively a guess, that MacLean likely was fifty-fifty to a greater extent than comfortable alongside the approach this fourth dimension around. Here he pretty much stays out of the picture, as well as tells stories nigh only about people inwards hockey across Canada.
CBC has traveled across the province over the years to expect at the human relationship of Canada as well as its national pastime. The hockey community actually is closely knit upwards there. While the format salutes a diversity of locations crossing this giant nation, MacLean as well as Kirstie McLellan Day stick to other people here.
Some of the best stories hither response the interrogation "Whatever happened to ...?" There are a diversity of NHL players who transcend through our lives every bit fans, sometimes non stopping long plenty inwards i house for us to larn to know them. There's Trent McCleary, who almost died afterwards blocking a shot but recovered plenty to give the sport i concluding shot. Steve Bozek scratched out 12 years inwards the NHL, a few to a greater extent than than fifty-fifty he hoped for. Brad Dalgarno's career didn't operate out the agency he hoped, but he did larn to play guitar on phase alongside Garth Brooks.
There are tales nigh names you lot know. Doug Wickenheiser was a No. 1 overall draft pick who drew comparisons to Wayne Gretzky, but that's a rather high bar to accomplish - peculiarly when you lot larn hitting yesteryear a automobile that wrecks your human knee along the way. Speaking of Gretzky, you'll dearest a storey nigh a childhood friend signed him to a "book contract" - inwards high school. There are also tales nigh only about of the other people inwards hockey - officials as well as administrators as well as a broadcaster as well as parents, including the remarkable storey of the begetter of Zenon Konopka.
Does it all work? Not completely. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few of the stories aren't that interesting to an outsider. Some of the tales don't convey happy endings, if you lot are looking for such work. And inwards a few cases, such every bit the subchapter on Eric Lindros, to a greater extent than information would convey been nice.
While MacLean does write introductions to the chapters, he doesn't seem to convey also much involvement alongside most of the stories themselves. Based on the credits, it seems similar the ii names on the encompass had plenty of assist putting this together. That puts a piffling distance betwixt the authors as well as their stories inwards only about cases, as well as a to a greater extent than personal behaviour on mightiness convey worked better.
Put it all together, as well as "Hockey Towns" is a pleasant plenty read for hockey fans. I wouldn't go much further than that, though.
Three stars
Learn to a greater extent than nigh this book
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