King Leary

Elderly former hockey star Percival Leary, born in one-nine-zero-zero, is contacted at his residence, the South Grouse Nursing Home, one day by a representative of "Canada's best-selling ginger ale beverage" and asked to travel to Toronto to do a commercial for the product. He agrees, taking a nurse and his roommate, Blue Hermann, former newspaper reporter who wrote about Leary (also known by his Indian nickname, Loofweeda). Leary spends a lot of time reminiscing about the antics of his youth, time spent in a reformatory, friend and fellow hockey player Manfred Armstrong Ozikean, glory days as King of the Ice, career ending injury, and two adult sons. The telling involves a lot of bragging, crazy words and humor, and a bit of sadness. The trip itself involves lots of surprises. And although I am not a fan of the sport (and could have done without the two-page dream sequence of Chapter 35), I really enjoyed this unusual, quirky-character-filled, overwhelmingly funny book chosen as the Canada Reads 2008 selection. Also good: Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand and The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb.

King Leary is an old man now, but in his heydey he was the king of the ice, leaving opponents clutching at air as he executed the famous St Louis Whirligig. He is tracked down by an androgyous advertising company hack to promote a brand of ginger ale, and together they commence a laughter-inducing trip to the big city to make ads. This book will have you holding your stomach and wiping your eyes. It would be worth the read just to find out the real meaning of the King's Indian nickname, Loofweda, which he translates as "skates like the wind".

King Leary is a very funny novel. I really enjoyed this book because its setting is right around where I live. The characters in this novel seemed real and alive. Paul Quarrington is an author who really gets involved in his work. This novel is a great recommendation to anyone who really enjoy's a good Canadian laugh! Happy Reading and enjoy!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Based loosely on hockey as it was earlier in the 20th century. Written in the first person, a style of which Quarrington is a master (see also "Whale Music"). Also, like Whale Music, very touching at times.