THE LIFE OF BRIAN
LA Car’s Brian Kennedy at Vroman’s

We know him as LA Car Editor-at-Large Brian Kennedy, writer of reviews on autos, autobooks and motorsports. But for the life of Brian, that “at large” title extends beyond the world of automotive journalism. Brian Kennedy is known throughout the North American hockey community as a writer and reporter of that sport. Following up on his two bestselling books, Brian Kennedy is back with more hockey stories. On Thursday February 9, 2012, he read from his new book, My Country Is Hockey – How Hockey Explains Canadian Culture, History, Politics, Heroes, French-English Rivalry, and Who We Are as Canadians (Edmonton, Argenta, 2011), at Vroman’s bookstore in Pasadena. The book explores the deep roots of Canada’s hockey obsession, which has become an integral part of the national mythology. Among the topics Kennedy took up are the violence in the game, French-English rivalries, the modern definition of childhood, and Canada’s relationship with its closest neighbor, the USA. "An intelligent and reflective look at hockey's place in the fabric of Canadian society,” said Globe & Mail Columnist Eric Duhatschek. “Kennedy nicely leads the reader down a path that is, in places nostalgic, and at other times, confronts the issues that bedevil the game today. Might be the best read of the current season's hockey offerings.” Kennedy’s prior books include Growing Up Hockey (Folklore, 2007) and Living the Hockey Dream (Folklore, 2009). He also appears in the documentary film, Hockey: More Than a Game, which is being screened on PBS stations in the US this winter. In addition to his LA Car credentials, Kennedy is Associate Professor of English at Pasadena City College. For more information about the book reading, click here.