Open Ice

Open Ice chronicles journalist Jack Falla's lifelong relationship with hockey, from backyard rinks to professional arenas across North America. Through a series of interconnected essays, Falla recounts his experiences as a player, fan, and writer covering the sport. The narrative moves between Falla's personal story of building and maintaining his backyard rink in Massachusetts and his travels to significant hockey locations. His journey takes him to Montreal's hallowed rinks, Minnesota's passionate hockey communities, and remote Canadian towns where the sport remains central to daily life. Falla explores hockey's deep connections to family, community, and cultural identity while examining how the sport has evolved. His observations about players, coaches, and devoted fans paint a complete picture of hockey's impact beyond the professional game. The book transcends standard sports writing by revealing how a single passion can shape a life's path and create lasting bonds between people and places. It stands as both a celebration of hockey culture and a meditation on finding purpose through devotion to a game.

Readers connect with Falla's personal hockey stories and reflections on building backyard rinks. Many note his authentic writing style and ability to capture both the nostalgia and current state of hockey culture. Liked: - Strong storytelling about hockey's impact on family relationships - Details about backyard rink construction and maintenance - Mix of memoir and hockey journalism - Writing style that balances emotion with facts Disliked: - Some essays feel disconnected from the main narrative - Hockey knowledge needed to fully appreciate certain chapters - A few readers found the backstory sections too long Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (31 ratings) Sample review: "Falla writes about hockey the way Roger Angell writes about baseball - with deep knowledge, clear eyes and an understanding that the game means more than what happens on the ice." - Amazon reviewer Many readers discovered the book through Falla's earlier work "Home Ice" and note this as a worthy follow-up.

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🏒 Jack Falla was not just an author but also a respected sportswriter and taught sports journalism at Boston University for two decades. 🏒 The book explores the author's deep connection to hockey through a series of personal essays, including his experiences playing pond hockey well into his 60s. 🏒 "Open Ice" was published in 2008, just months before Falla's unexpected passing at age 64 while working in his garden. 🏒 Falla built and maintained his own backyard ice rink for 26 years, which he lovingly called "The Bacon Street Omni" - it became a neighborhood institution and inspired his earlier book "Home Ice." 🏒 The book's journey takes readers from Montreal's hallowed Bell Centre to Minnesota's outdoor rinks, examining how hockey connects to deeper themes of family, aging, and community.