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A Wild Stab for It: This Is Game Eight from Russia by Dave Bidini


The critically acclaimed Dave Bidini is back with a new hockey book dedicated to the 1972 Summit Series' 40th anniversary: A Wild Stab for It: This Is Game Eight from Russia.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Published by ECW Press, Bidini offers a brief look at the 1972 Summit Series. The small book is only a little over 100 pages long, but Bidini makes each and every page worth the purchase price.

For the 40th anniversary of what was arguably the single-most important sporting event in Canadian history, the writer shepherded Canadians of all backgrounds—artists, athletes, politicians, and pundits—shared interviews, anecdotes, and memories of September 28, 1972.

People like players from both Team Canada and Team USSR. People like political cartoonist Aislin, who actually tried his best to get arrested in Moscow. People like Russian women who fell in love with the bombastic Phil Esposito. People like internet sensations Arthur Chidlovski and Dennis Kane, who found freedom and found love, respectively, courtesy the 1972 Summit Series. People like Dave Bist, who tried teaching Russians how to chew gum.

Bidini brilliantly weaves this greatly eclectic collection of stories into a wonderful and original re-telling of the events of September 28th, 1972. The day Paul Henderson became immortalized. The day Canada began celebrating itself.

Simply put, this a brilliant little book. That is no surprise given that comes from Dave Bidini, Canada's most poetic hockey journalist.

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