Tropic of Hockey

Canadian author and musician Dave Bidini embarks on a global journey to explore hockey culture beyond North America's borders. His travels take him to unusual hockey locations including China, the United Arab Emirates, and Romania. Through interviews and firsthand experiences, Bidini documents the state of hockey in these far-flung regions and connects with local players, coaches, and fans. The narrative follows his attempts to play pick-up games and understand how the sport has taken root in unexpected places. The book combines personal memoir, sports journalism, and cultural observation as Bidini chronicles his encounters with hockey communities around the world. His experiences range from playing on outdoor rinks in remote areas to visiting professional arenas in major cities. At its core, this is an examination of how a distinctly Canadian sport transcends cultural boundaries and brings people together across vast geographical distances. The book reveals universal human connections that emerge through a shared passion for the game.

Readers found Bidini's travelogue entertaining as he explores hockey culture in far-flung locations like China, Dubai, and Romania. Many highlighted the unique angle of examining hockey outside its traditional North American and European strongholds. Readers liked: - Personal stories and interviews with local players - Details about hockey equipment sharing/reuse in developing nations - Cultural observations beyond just sports - Writing style combining humor with journalism Readers disliked: - Frequent digressions from the main narrative - Too much focus on Bidini's own hockey experiences - Uneven pacing between different locations Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Offers a fresh perspective on how hockey connects people globally" - Goodreads reviewer "Sometimes meandering but ultimately rewarding" - Amazon reviewer "Could have used more local voices and fewer personal anecdotes" - LibraryThing reviewer

Playing with Fire by Theoren Fleury, Kirstie McLellan Day A hockey player's raw account of his global journey through professional leagues and personal struggles mirrors Bidini's exploration of hockey culture in unexpected places.

Midnight Hockey by Bill Gaston Chronicles the subculture of beer league hockey across Canada with the same focus on community and grassroots play found in Tropic of Hockey.

The Game by Ken Dryden Examines hockey through a cultural and philosophical lens while traveling through the hockey world, much like Bidini's anthropological approach.

Home Ice by Jack Falla Documents hockey's role in communities from backyard rinks to European venues, paralleling Bidini's investigation of hockey's global reach.

Searching for Bobby Orr by Stephen Brunt Combines travel narrative with hockey history while examining the sport's impact on various communities across North America and beyond.

🏒 Author Dave Bidini embarked on this hockey journey after becoming disillusioned with the NHL, traveling to places like China, Dubai, and Romania to explore how hockey is played and celebrated in unexpected corners of the world. 🌏 In Hong Kong, Bidini discovered players using magazines strapped to their shins as makeshift equipment, demonstrating the universal passion for hockey regardless of resources. 📚 The book was partly inspired by Bruce Chatwin's travel classic "In Patagonia," with Bidini aiming to create a similar narrative structure for his hockey odyssey. 🎸 Beyond his writing, Bidini is a founding member of the Canadian rock band The Rheostatics, and has often incorporated hockey themes into his music. 🏆 The book received the 2003 Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize and helped establish a new genre of sports travel writing in Canadian literature.