Sawchuk: The Troubles and Triumphs of the World's Greatest Goalie

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT ATHLETE WITH A DARK PAST
Review: Before I read this book, all I ever knew about Terry Sawchuck was that he was the greatest goalie ever to play the game of hockey. After reading this book I found out how a great athlete of the past is so much like the athletes of today. Sawchuck was an alcoholic womanizer who physically and mentally abused his family. This book tells a compelling story about his personal life and the greatest moments from the games he played. This book is a must for any hockey fan.

Rating:
Summary: Top Shelf (4 1/2 stars)
Review: David Dupuis does an admirable job in marshalling the facts in this eminently readable biography of one of hockey's most difficult subjects, the incredible Terry Sawchuk. Illuminated with generous contributions from Sawchuk's family and colleagues, it captures both the highs and the lows and should set the record straight regarding the life, death and career of perhaps the greatest goalie who ever lived. Even though we know how the story ends, the book builds up momentum to become a page-turner, and one almost wishes there were more pages. Its only small shortcoming is a somewhat static style that abruptly jumps back and forth between sporting and domestic scenes. Dupuis makes an earnest effort to understand the roots of the inner rages that drove Sawchuk to excel on the ice and to self-destruct off it. One is left wondering if the lives of Terry and his family might've been any more stable had he been born a couple of generations later; in that sense, his story becomes something of a cautionary tale as well. This compelling biography and hockey history is worthy of addition not only to the shelves of Red Wings and Maple Leafs fans, but to that of anyone who wants a better understanding of Sawchuk's incomparable legacy to the game.

Rating:
Summary: Honest and Interesting Book, Good
Review: I started reading this book because I had heard that Patrick Roy, who passed Terry Sawchuk's record of most winningest goalie, was reading it in order to find out more about the goalie he would be passing in the record books. What I found out as I continued reading was that even if you are just a fan of hockey in general, this is a great read. It is so honest that it is almost surprising that the Sawchuk family would want to release some of the information the reader finds out. It is even more interesting to read if you know someone who was an alcoholic, because Terry goes through many of the same troubles that other alcoholics do. The pictures included in the book are helpful and they give an idea of the people in Terry's life as well as the surroundings in his life. The writing style is easy to follow no matter how good of a reader you are, though sometimes the many statistics and names of other hockey players get confusing and boring. All in all, the Sawchuk book is fun to read and it really lets you in on Terry Sawchuks life on and off the ice.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT LOOK AT THE GOOD AND BAD
Review: THE AUTHOR DOES A SPECTACULOR JOB SHOWING THE GREAT CAREER OF A HOCKEY LEGEND. FROM HIS CHILDHOOD TO HIS FINAL DAYS, TERRY SAWCHUK WAS A VERY COMPLEX MAN. GOOD VS. EVIL FIGHT ALWAYS GOING ON INSIDE HIM. THE DREADED DEMON ALCOHOLISM IS WELL DESCRIBED AS TO WHY HE HAD SUCH ANGER AND MOOD SWINGS. A GREAT CAREER AND TURBULENT FAMILY LIFE. EVERY ASPECT OF SAWCHUK'S LIFE IS SO WELL DESCRIBED BY MR. DUPUIS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BIOGRAPHIES I HAVE READ. THANKS FOR A GREAT JOB MR. DUPUIS. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.