Hockey Dreams

by David Adams Richards

With a voice as Canadian as winter, David Adams Richards reflects on the place of hockey in the Canadian soul.The lyrical narrative of Hockey Dreams flows from Richards' boyhood games on the Miramichi to heated debates with university professors who dare to back the wrong team. It examines the globalization of hockey, and how Canadians react to the threat of foreigners beating us at "our" game.Part memoir, part essay on national identity, part hockey history, Hockey Dreams is a meditation by one of Canada's finest writers on the essence of the game that helps define our nation.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

David Adams Richards (born 17 October 1950) is a Canadian novelist, essayist, screenwriter and poet.

Born in Newcastle, New Brunswick, Richards left St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, one course shy of completing a B.A. Richards has been a writer-in-residence at various universities and colleges across Canada, including the University of New Brunswick.

Richards has received numerous awards including 2 Gemini Awards for scriptwriting for Small Gifts and "For Those Who Hunt The Wounded Down", the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in the Arts, and the Canadian Authors Association Award for his novel Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace. Richards is one of only three writers to have won in both the fiction and non-fiction categories of the Governor General's Award. He won the 1988 fiction award for Nights Below Station Street and the 1998 non-fiction award for Lines on the Water: A Fisherman's Life on the Miramichi. He was also a co-winner of the 2000 Giller Prize for Mercy Among the Children.

In 1971, he married the former Peggy MacIntyre. They have two sons, John Thomas and Anton Richards, and currently reside in Toronto.

John Thomas was born in 1989 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick administers an annual David Adams Richards Award for Fiction.

Richards' papers are currently housed at the University of New Brunswick.

Reviews

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a terrible book just not very eventful and a bit confusing. I can get down with some nonfiction.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a bit of everything. It is emotional, heart breaking and tells a story of hardship, friendship and undying belief in Canada and the game of hockey. Even if you did not grow up in the Canada of the 50's and aren't a fan of hockey it will touch you.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat awkward tale of a kid and his friend - hapless hockey players - growing up dreaming of making the NHL and watching international hockey as they age. The games on their pond and TVs take on significant meaning in their lives.

This book WILL give you a great sense of hockey in Canada and what it means to be the best at the game. However, it jumps around a bit too much for my liking, so it stays at 3-stars.

[Nathan DeLong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed reading David Adams Richards’ books. “Hockey Dreams” is a well-written memoir of DAR’s boyhood hockey days as a player who struggled to find his way and was an underdog throughout his youth hockey days. I liked reading about his efforts to go to bat for Canada’s national pastime in his travels too. This is a must-read for anyone who likes reading about old-school hockey and how the game was played among young people from days gone by who had dreams of making the NHL.

[Ryland Anglove · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not surprising he joined the conservative senate caucus, his writing romanticizes the fall of the working class through the Americanization hockey w no awareness other than it makes him mad and it shouldn’t happen

[Jhodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story about how hockey is in the psyche of all Canadians

[Joe Drost]

Tonight we will beat the Americans at our game.

[Reader]

Hockey Dreams beautifully captures the deep connection between childhood, community, and the love of the game—it reminds us how sports can shape who we are

[Andrew Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book. I was expecting it to be much better though. I would give it 3.5 stars if possible. It is basically the author telling about his life growing up on the Miramichi River in New Brunswick and playing pond hockey. It is worth a read if you love hockey and had a childhood filled with hockey. I wouldn't recommend it to someone with no interest in hockey

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and I saw the play based on Richards' book about a month ago. We found it funny and moving. I decided to read the book as well. I enjoyed it and like the play, it brought back memories.

[Kevin Gallan · Rating 5 out of 5]

took me back to a simpler time im my life ...being from the miamichi myself the people are so real to me in davids books

[Barbara Daly]

Not a hockey person so was a bit of a tough one....except for how awesomely Canadian it was! Different pace for Richards, which was kind of neat...but still distinctly his style!