Led by stars like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook, the Chicago Blackhawks are a modern NHL powerhouse, as much a part of Chicago as the Willis Tower or The Bean at Millennium Park. In If These Walls Could Talk: Chicago Blackhawks, Mark Lazerus chronicles the team's rise from the dark ages of the 2000s to the golden age of the 2010s through never-before-told stories from inside the dressing room, aboard the team plane, at the players' homes, and — especially in the case of the rowdy 2009-2010 team that started it all — in countless Chicago bars. If These Walls Could Talk: Chicago Blackhawks will bring readers closer to their favorite players than ever before. It's a book Hawks fans won't want to be without.
Now, maybe I am a bit biased. The Chicago Blackhawks are my
life and I thoroughly enjoy reading what Mark has to say on Twitter and
interacting with him. When he dropped a book about the team, it was a
no-brainer to pre-order it. I knew that I would, at the very least, have fun
reading it.
What I didn’t expect was the emotional rollercoaster that
this book was going to take me on.
Mark lays out the framework for how the Chicago Blackhawks
went from being one of the worst franchises in sports to being at the top of
the world as 3-time Stanley Cup Champions with this core group. He interjects
stories and quotes from players and coaches. It really takes you on a ride.
Now, the book is pretty short for one that spans over
multiple years, losses, heartbreaks, and the resurgence of a lifetime. Despite
its length, it packs one hell of a punch. I found myself laughing a lot at
their antics, and I founds myself crying like a baby reliving the glory of
those championship years and reading about how the players love each other and
this city.
Mark Lazerus is a writer. It’s what he does for a living.
The writing was going to be good. But he took so many years . . . so many
emotions . . . and jammed them all into a paperback novel that will make you
feel something. If you’re a Blackhawks fan, you’ll end up like me. If you’re a
fan of any team other than the Pittsburgh Penguins, it may fill you with rage
because you’re sick of these players having success. Regardless, it will make
you FEEL. That right there is what makes this a great book.
5/5 Stars
