Hockey

A Global History

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Pub Date 5 Nov 2018 | Archive Date 21 Dec 2018

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Description

Long considered Canadian, ice hockey is in truth a worldwide phenomenon--and has been for centuries. In Hockey: A Global History, Stephen Hardy and Andrew C. Holman draw on twenty-five years of research to present THE monumental end-to-end history of the sport. Here is the story of on-ice stars and organizational visionaries, venues and classic games, the evolution of rules and advances in equipment, and the ascendance of corporations and instances of bureaucratic chicanery. Hardy and Holman chart modern hockey's "birthing" in Montreal and follow its migration from Canada south to the United States and east to Europe. The story then shifts from the sport's emergence as a nationalist battlefront to the movement of talent across international borders to the game of today, where men and women at all levels of play lace 'em up on the shinny ponds of Saskatchewan, the wide ice of the Olympics, and across the breadth of Asia. Sweeping in scope and vivid with detail, Hockey: A Global History is the saga of how the coolest game changed the world--and vice versa.

Long considered Canadian, ice hockey is in truth a worldwide phenomenon--and has been for centuries. In Hockey: A Global History, Stephen Hardy and Andrew C. Holman draw on twenty-five years of...


Advance Praise

"Hardy and Holman provide an original and compelling narrative of the global spread of hockey, drawing upon the scholarly and popular literature from many different countries, cultures, and perspectives. It's ambitious, comprehensive, seamless, and highly readable--an extraordinary contribution."--Bruce Kidd, author of 'Critical Support' for Sport 

"This book is truly amazing! I've been involved in hockey all my life and I didn't realize all of the history behind it. A great read for all hockey fans and anyone wanting to learn more about a sport that speaks to people in all corners of the world."--Karyn Bye Dietz, 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist 

"This book captures the sport of hockey from its beginnings throughout the world and how it has evolved into the great international sport that we have today. A must-read for anyone with a passion for hockey."--Bill Cleary, 1960 Olympic gold medalist 

"Hardy and Holman have produced a classic world overview of our sport. It will unquestionably stand for years to come."--Roger A. Godin, former executive director, United States Hockey Hall of Fame 

"Founded on scholarly research and several years in the making, it should be on the bookshelf of every student of hockey. In four sections it tracks the origins of the sport from pre-1877 folk games to the beginnings of 'corporate hockey' in the 1970s. Based on themes such as 'convergence and divergence,' the two authors are to be congratulated for such an in-depth analysis of key moments in the story of hockey both in North America and internationally."--Martin C. Harris, author of The British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame 

"This study of hockey is an exhaustive history of the nearly 150-year trajectory of Canada’s great contribution to the world. But it is more than that. Hardy and Holman provide a fascinating tour of hockey’s development over time, as it became a truly global sport. In the process, they take the reader to times and places as varied as the old Soviet Union, Finland, and Israel. Hockey: A Global History is full of insights on the politics, economics, and culture of this great game. It’s a fascinating read for players, fans, experts, and novices alike."--Jeff Frieden, Harvard University

"Hardy and Holman provide an original and compelling narrative of the global spread of hockey, drawing upon the scholarly and popular literature from many different countries, cultures, and...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780252083976
PRICE US$29.95 (USD)
PAGES 600

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

This really is the HISTORY of hockey, it starts at the very beginning, even going as far back as the 1500s to look at how all the sports have progressed. The first chapters though deal mainly with the 1800s and the forming of hocking in Canada and how it spread throughout America. Once we get to the 1900s it focuses on the rest of the world as well. As a child I used to skate (ice dance), and I also followed the local ice hockey team (Bradford), however, I have only been an NHL fan for the last few years (I’m from England, where most people follow Soccer, Rugby and Cricket). I found this global history of hockey mesmerising and addictive, I learned so many interesting facts, facts about locations, stadiums, players, and the politics. There is also in-depth information on European and Russian hockey leagues. Extremely well informed and written. It took some reading (definitely not a quick read). Too many dates and facts and figures for them to be absorbed, but still a super interesting reference. The book also touched on women’s hockey, gay and LGBQA hockey, I do however wish they had spent more time on the hockey of today, I would have loved to have learned more about hockey over the last decade or two.

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this book is incredibly interesting. As a fairly recent hockey fan, it was lovely to learn about the history of the game from a global perspective.

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Hockey: A Global History was written by two professors, and it shows: the book is well-researched. But, it might also be a bit dense for the average reader, using words such as "anathema" and "perfunctory."

The book feels like one part love letter to the sport, one part history, and one part criticism. The authors discuss how the game has become "more corporate and more influenced by the NHL," as well as how opportunities are vastly different for women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities. But they also clearly love the sport, and what it can do.

In addition to the book's range, I appreciate that the authors acknowledge that there's never been a golden age of hockey, despite people's predilection for seeing the past with rose-colored glasses. And I feel like they'd be the two to know - I've not seen another book cover this wide an expanse of hockey history. If you want to learn the history of the sport, this is the book to read.

(Full disclosure: I did not finish the entire book. It's long, and detailed! But I read enough to know I'd recommend it for the above reasons - especially how well-researched it is.)

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