| Open House |
| Canada and the Magic of Curling |
| Scott Russell |
With a keen eye and ear for story, Hockey Night in Canada
host and bestselling author Scott Russell chronicles a sport
both exotic and familiar - curling.
Canadians have a unique enthusiasm for curling. It
transcends barriers. World-class athletes curl with absolute
beginners, and grandmothers and grandsons take to the ice
together. There are more than a million registered curlers in
Canada, and millions more tune in to watch curling events on
television. The outpouring of emotion that followed Sandra
Schmirler’s death revealed that curlers are counted among
our national heroes.
Curling doesn’t offer the excitement of other winter sports -
no thunderous body checks, no vertical leaps, no million-
dollar superstars. But when Scott Russell visited curling
clubs across the country, attended the Brier in Calgary and
the Olympic games in Salt Lake City, and spent time with
curlers, from celebrities like Colleen Jones to the unsung
father, uncle and son-team who built the Eagle Hill Curling
Club in Alberta, he discovered the magical allure of curling.
As Canadian Olympic gold medalist Joan McCusker said of
curling’s appeal: “Ordinary people doing extraordinary
things is the attraction.”
Open House takes us inside the world of curling, and
captures the spirit and lore of the sport, the dedication and
passion of its participants.
host and bestselling author Scott Russell chronicles a sport
both exotic and familiar - curling.
Canadians have a unique enthusiasm for curling. It
transcends barriers. World-class athletes curl with absolute
beginners, and grandmothers and grandsons take to the ice
together. There are more than a million registered curlers in
Canada, and millions more tune in to watch curling events on
television. The outpouring of emotion that followed Sandra
Schmirler’s death revealed that curlers are counted among
our national heroes.
Curling doesn’t offer the excitement of other winter sports -
no thunderous body checks, no vertical leaps, no million-
dollar superstars. But when Scott Russell visited curling
clubs across the country, attended the Brier in Calgary and
the Olympic games in Salt Lake City, and spent time with
curlers, from celebrities like Colleen Jones to the unsung
father, uncle and son-team who built the Eagle Hill Curling
Club in Alberta, he discovered the magical allure of curling.
As Canadian Olympic gold medalist Joan McCusker said of
curling’s appeal: “Ordinary people doing extraordinary
things is the attraction.”
Open House takes us inside the world of curling, and
captures the spirit and lore of the sport, the dedication and
passion of its participants.
|
| Russell dedicates an entire chapter - entitled "The Island Way" to curlers and curling on Prince Edward Island. But, Island curlers are interviewed and highlighted throughout this gem of a history. |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EXCERPT |
| "Suzanne Gaudet's resume is an impressive one. She began curling when she was eight, and in the last dozen years she has earned a sparkling record . . . she speaks very few words on the ice and is not as demonstrative as some of the other elite curlers I have met. Gaudet is, however, intense. . ." - Chapter Eight, Young Hearts |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ REVIEWS |
| “Russell seeks out and finds the stories of the curling community, from the champions to the small-town social players. . . . An engaging, heartfelt homage to a sport Russell obviously loves.”- The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax) |
| “Scott Russell’s conversations with junior curlers, broadcasters, volunteer ice makers, world champions, faithful fans, curling heroes and legends reveal an abundance of passion and Canadian character. [He] found a sense of family and belonging as he walked through the open door of the curling world.” - Joan McCusker, Olympic Gold Medallist and CBC Curling Commentator |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Introduction Chapter One: School Boys Chapter Two: The Place Chapter Three: Keeping Up with Jones Chapter Four: Trials and Tribulations Chapter Five: The Show Chapter Six: The Big Top: The Brier Chapter Seven: Little White Houses Chapter Eight: Young Hearts Chapter Nine: The Island Way Chapter Ten: Our Secret Handshake Chapter Eleven: Back to the Hack Chapter Twelve: Extra Ends Photo Credits Acknowledgements |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Russell |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RELATED INTEREST |
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