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Ein unvergessliches Jahr im Leben des Fred Pickle
From the author of the internationally acclaimed The African Safari Papers comes a story of a man caught between civic responsibility and sweet revenge.
Meet Fred Pickle. He has a severe brain injury. For the past seven years Fred has lived under the loving guardianship of his uncle Jack on his sheep farm. Fred’s annual creation of a perfect neighbourhood rink is a joyous quasi-religious ritual for him. And his local NHL team means more to him than it would to the average fan; it renews hope and happiness.
So when the team’s owner announces he is moving the team, Fred’s world begins to fall apart. Torn between the law-abiding influence of Uncle Jack and the radical urgings of Badger, an 81-year-old anarchist, Fred must decide whether a plot of vengeance against the owner is a path to independence or oblivion.
The Horn of a Lamb charts an unforgettable year in the life of the incomparable Fred Pickle, a year that begins with the promise of another hockey season, and ends in a way few could have foreseen -- especially the lambs.
Meet Fred Pickle. He has a severe brain injury. For the past seven years Fred has lived under the loving guardianship of his uncle Jack on his sheep farm. Fred’s annual creation of a perfect neighbourhood rink is a joyous quasi-religious ritual for him. And his local NHL team means more to him than it would to the average fan; it renews hope and happiness.
So when the team’s owner announces he is moving the team, Fred’s world begins to fall apart. Torn between the law-abiding influence of Uncle Jack and the radical urgings of Badger, an 81-year-old anarchist, Fred must decide whether a plot of vengeance against the owner is a path to independence or oblivion.
The Horn of a Lamb charts an unforgettable year in the life of the incomparable Fred Pickle, a year that begins with the promise of another hockey season, and ends in a way few could have foreseen -- especially the lambs.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 26, 2019
Just finished this book for the second time and will likely save it to read again a few years from now. During the second read, I appreciated the richness of the Fred Pickle character more (his various relationships, his insights & his positive attitude towards lifes’ challenges). Highly recommend!!
October 6, 2025
Some years ago, probably right around the turn of the millennium, I encountered a list of The 100 Most Memorable Literary Characters Of The 20th Century. Lists were very big then, as people seemed to want to look back and evaluate the century that had just (mercifully) ended, so compiling and tabulating and evaluating were ways in which the last hundred years could be packed away in a box. For the record, Jay Gatsby topped the list. I remember wondering what unforgettable characters were on their way.
Well, here's one, for sure.
Fred Pickle is a former hockey player, one who was on his way up the ranks to the NHL, in Tom Cochrane's words, "My boy's gonna play in the big leagues." That is, until a terrible accident cut short his career--and almost his life--before he could be drafted out of the Brandon Wheat Kings. The result is a boy-man, a survivor of a traumatic brain injury who seems to be living out his life on a sheep farm with his Uncle Jack, living for the first snowflakes every winter so he can perform his own careful magic and create the best hockey rink for himself and his neighbors to skate and play hockey.
Winter also means it's time to watch his beloved home team--the Winnipeg Jets--play another NHL season. Again, that is--that is, until the unscrupulous American owner sees his opportunity to move the team to a better, more lucrative market south of the border. This is a matter of historical record, of course: in 1996, the Jets did leave after an enormous outcry from the fans (including a last-ditch attempt to raise funds to keep them); however, Sedlack's focus on this one fan transforms the whole experience into--well, an experience for us. Fred's injury means he has short-term memory loss, is barely functional on his entire right side, and is plagued by a stutter that interjects "buh, buh" into his colorfully unselfconscious voice that makes wonderful synaptic leaps over his brain injury and turns him into, as I said, one of the most memorable characters in 21st century literature. Wow. That sounds hyperbolic, but it's really not. Hats off--okay, okay, tuques off to Robert Sedlack for creating this guy.
The book isn't perfect, of course; it has to engage in a number of narrative excursions, including a somewhat spontaneous road trip/bike trip to Chicago in which Fred must finish the anarchist work of Badger, his friend, fellow hockey fan, and co-conspirator. That ends well, but not as well as the book itself, which finishes on a wonderfully transcendent note with Fred and Taillon. No, I'm not saying who Taillon is, but after one very traumatic scene earlier (after which I had to put the book down and walk around shaking my head, seriously), it's enormously gratifying to see that he gets through to the end. Yes, that's a bit of a spoiler.
After sharing time and space with the rather unlikeable Richard Clark in Sedlack's first novel, it's refreshing, to say the least, to rub shoulders with this cast of characters. He is a first-rate writer and he knows how to engage us with people we really really care about.
Well, here's one, for sure.
Fred Pickle is a former hockey player, one who was on his way up the ranks to the NHL, in Tom Cochrane's words, "My boy's gonna play in the big leagues." That is, until a terrible accident cut short his career--and almost his life--before he could be drafted out of the Brandon Wheat Kings. The result is a boy-man, a survivor of a traumatic brain injury who seems to be living out his life on a sheep farm with his Uncle Jack, living for the first snowflakes every winter so he can perform his own careful magic and create the best hockey rink for himself and his neighbors to skate and play hockey.
Winter also means it's time to watch his beloved home team--the Winnipeg Jets--play another NHL season. Again, that is--that is, until the unscrupulous American owner sees his opportunity to move the team to a better, more lucrative market south of the border. This is a matter of historical record, of course: in 1996, the Jets did leave after an enormous outcry from the fans (including a last-ditch attempt to raise funds to keep them); however, Sedlack's focus on this one fan transforms the whole experience into--well, an experience for us. Fred's injury means he has short-term memory loss, is barely functional on his entire right side, and is plagued by a stutter that interjects "buh, buh" into his colorfully unselfconscious voice that makes wonderful synaptic leaps over his brain injury and turns him into, as I said, one of the most memorable characters in 21st century literature. Wow. That sounds hyperbolic, but it's really not. Hats off--okay, okay, tuques off to Robert Sedlack for creating this guy.
The book isn't perfect, of course; it has to engage in a number of narrative excursions, including a somewhat spontaneous road trip/bike trip to Chicago in which Fred must finish the anarchist work of Badger, his friend, fellow hockey fan, and co-conspirator. That ends well, but not as well as the book itself, which finishes on a wonderfully transcendent note with Fred and Taillon. No, I'm not saying who Taillon is, but after one very traumatic scene earlier (after which I had to put the book down and walk around shaking my head, seriously), it's enormously gratifying to see that he gets through to the end. Yes, that's a bit of a spoiler.
After sharing time and space with the rather unlikeable Richard Clark in Sedlack's first novel, it's refreshing, to say the least, to rub shoulders with this cast of characters. He is a first-rate writer and he knows how to engage us with people we really really care about.
January 18, 2016
This book depicts the life of a young man who was stripped of his talent in an unfortunate accident. Fred Pickle was a Jr hockey division player with an uncapped able amount of talent. Unfortunately the lad is stuck helping his uncle around the farm that they live on. Giving Fred simple tasks allows him to compete them without much struggle to bring his self confidence up. After becoming injured indefinitely Fred hasn't left the sheep farm to do much. Especially not playing the beloved sport of hockey. The writer did an excellent job at capturing the emotion of Fred and putting any reader in his shoes. Even if you do not have a background in sports you will feel as if you were the one who suffered the injury that ended your career. Not many people visit to see Fred Pickle, usually when somebody does show up it's for his uncle. Fred does have a great relationship with the animals around the farm; they were his new friends. This book is very motivational and the story itself is enough to keep you on your seat wanting to read more. Just to know what Fred Pickle is going to do next in his very interesting life. The author did really well in bringing Fred’s emotions out on display for any level of reader. The book was the right amount of pages to display the full story that was present and allowed the writer to complete every thought that was started. The book honestly put you right on the farm seeing Fred’s uncle and all of his farm around him. To the time that he was an all star and at the top of his game. The author directed this book towards others that are in organizing sports that are playing with their friends. It shows what could possibly go wrong even though it is unlikely. The worst possible outcome that doesn't make life worse but just changes what route you were destined to take. All ages with a history in sports will enjoy this read. This book was pretty good in my opinion and manages to surprise you with a story that is quite predictable. Even though it is predictable I enjoyed the story that was created from a young hockey player that goes by the name of “Fred Pickle”. A name that will be remembered through the loins of family for generations to come.
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January 23, 2016 Mess with Fred and his anarchist friend Badger, an 81-year-old man, you get the horns. Junior hockey star Fred Pickle has an unwavering love of hockey, unfortunately, junior is as far as hiss stardom was stretched due to a coma-inducing accident. “The Horn of a Lamb” by Robert Sedlack follows a year in the life of Fred Pickle a middle-aged man with brain damage living with his uncle Jack on his sheep farm.
Hockey was Fred’s life before his accident and he was gifted to the point of a possible career option. After his injury, he went through the process of re-learning all of his basic functions and hockey was out of the question. On Jacks farm, he builds a rink every year as a way to stay connected with the sport. His local team also means the world to him. Hockey is what Fred holds most dearly and when his home N.H.L. team was bought by an American business man he is torn between a passive course of action influenced by his uncle Jack and a radical course of action influenced by his aforementioned anarchist friend Badger. Fred is faced with deciding whether a vengeful retaliation against the owner is a play in the right direction or a goal on his own net.
“The Horn of a Lam” was a decent read, an easy to follow storyline that slowly reveals information throughout the book to keep you caring. There are few twists and is somewhat predictable but all in all Sedlack wrote a good book that is sure to hit a chord with anyone invested in sports.
Hockey was Fred’s life before his accident and he was gifted to the point of a possible career option. After his injury, he went through the process of re-learning all of his basic functions and hockey was out of the question. On Jacks farm, he builds a rink every year as a way to stay connected with the sport. His local team also means the world to him. Hockey is what Fred holds most dearly and when his home N.H.L. team was bought by an American business man he is torn between a passive course of action influenced by his uncle Jack and a radical course of action influenced by his aforementioned anarchist friend Badger. Fred is faced with deciding whether a vengeful retaliation against the owner is a play in the right direction or a goal on his own net.
“The Horn of a Lam” was a decent read, an easy to follow storyline that slowly reveals information throughout the book to keep you caring. There are few twists and is somewhat predictable but all in all Sedlack wrote a good book that is sure to hit a chord with anyone invested in sports.
Read
January 15, 2015Imagine having the thing you love most in life taken away from you. This is what happens to Jr. hockey star Fred Pickle in The Horn of a Lamb. The Horn of a Lamb is the story of Fred Pickle a middle aged brain dead man who lives on a sheep farm with his Uncle.Fred Pickle comes into action when the local N.H.L team is bought by an american business man. He stands up for what he loves and teaches lessons to many other people along the way.The Horn of a Lamb is a symbolic book that shows many life lessons. The Horn of the lamb is a good book, but I think the author could of done a better job of making it more interesting.The book wasn't very compelling. The Horn of a Lamb is a book for all ages, probably recommended to Canadian readers.
October 20, 2010
Totally disappointing compared to African Safari Papers, but there's something to be said for the fact that I did finish reading it. It's not a terrible book, but a lot of it really didn't make a damn bit of sense - Fred smooching on Jiri's wife? Jack and Marilyn's entire relationship? Ryan and the rake incident? Huh? And the final chapter, my God how trite. Skip this one.
February 24, 2013
What a wonderful, wonderful book! Loved it from beginning to end. One of those makes-you-feel-good books. I don't know why it hasn't been made into a Eastwood/Redford movie yet. Certainly has all the makings.
December 29, 2009
I read this a while ago and may pick it up it again soon. I really enjoyed the story. It was very different from my usual mystery fiction. I would recommend it!
August 26, 2011
See my blog review here: http://immabookworm.blogspot.com/2011...
July 5, 2012
Surreal so far... Hockey meets Stand By Me? Intelligent elements and character development but just too Dali for my style. His freshman novel might be better?
December 26, 2017
I laughed, I cried. Superb character development, great themes, wonderful writing; slightly schmaltzy ending but it squeezed a few tears out of me.
January 24, 2016
A touching book I picked up in Montreal.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews