the winner of this year's canada reads, "king leary" is a gem of canadiana that i'm grateful is being rediscovered. of course panelist dave bidini, author of many an ice-sport related book of his own (including a stellar collection of short story hockey erotica), would choose this tale of an aging hockey star as he remembers his days of glory from a small town ontario nursing home. i couldn't think of anything i'd rather do less than read about hockey, but paul quarrington's storytelling is hilarious and vivid and flows seamlessly from past to present.
percival leary, the "king of the ice", was a hockey great in the early days of professional hockey. now, he shares a room with the cantankerous blue hermann, a former newspaperman who, coincidentally, spent much of his journalistic life, chronicling leary's career. the plot follows the two, along with their bizarre nurse, iain, as they embark on a trip to toronto where leary is to film a commercial for his drink of choice, canada dry ginger ale. however, this plot is secondary to leary's recollections of his career in professional hockey and the zany characters of his past.
a quick and enjoyable read, "king leary" is a wonderful reprieve from the often dire and isolation-themed annals of can lit.
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