The Fastest Game in the World, 6: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports

Played on frozen ponds in cold northern lands, hockey seemed an especially unlikely game to gain a global following. But from its beginnings in the nineteenth century, the sport has crossed boundaries and drawn from different cultures--between Canada and the United States, across the Atlantic, among different regions of Europe. It has been a political flashpoint, within countries and internationally. And it has been a venue for far-reaching cultural changes and firmly held traditions.

The Fastest Game in the World is a global history of a global sport--drawing upon research conducted around the world, in a variety of languages. Taking us from the Canadian prairies to Swiss mountain resorts, from Soviet housing blocks to American suburbs, Bruce Berglund seamlessly weaves hockey's local, national, and international currents. Written in a lively style with wide-ranging breadth and attention to telling detail, The Fastest Game in the World will thrill both the lifelong fan and anyone who is curious about how our games intertwine with politics, economics, and culture.