Born into It : A Fan's Life
Author(s): Jay Baruchel
In Fever Pitch meets Anchor Boy, Montreal Canadiens superfan Jay Baruchel tells us why he loves the Habs no matter what
It’s no secret that Jay Baruchel is a die-hard fan of the Montreal Canadiens. He talks about the team at every opportunity, wears their gear proudly in interviews and on the street, appeared in a series of videos promoting the team, and was once named honorary captain by owner Geoff Molson and Habs tough guy Chris Nilan. As he has said publicly, “I was raised both Catholic and Jewish, but really more than anything just a Habs fan.”
In Born Into It, Baruchel’s lifelong memories as a Canadiens’ fan explode on the page in a collection of hilarious, heartfelt and nostalgic stories that draw on his childhood experiences as a homer living in Montreal and the enemy living in the Maple Leaf stronghold of Oshawa, Ontario. Knuckles drawn, and with the rouge, bleu et blanc emblazoned on just about every piece of clothing he owns, Baruchel shares all in the same spirit with which he laid his soul bare in his hugely popular Goon movies. Born Into It is a memoir unlike any other, and a book not to be missed.
Review(s):
“A funny, unexpectedly moving memoir that mixes prose, poetry and the occasional hate e-mail to the Boston Bruins.”
“Even those who don’t know their Bruins from their Sabres will enjoy this because the writing is really what it’s about. He lived in both Montreal and Toronto so he has stories to tell and Baruchel’s book is top notch.”
“Hilarious, gritty and poignant . . . a hard-hitting, soul-baring new book on hockey fandom.”
“Hilarious, heartfelt and nostalgic.”
“A really powerful book.”
“Funny and heartfelt.”
“Captures the essence of what it means to be emotionally attached to the Habs.”
“Details his lifelong love affair with the hockey team woven into his very heartbeat.”
“Born into It is only nominally about hockey; it is as much about the bonds of family and the lure of heroism and the complicated, often contradictory history of the city in which Baruchel spent much of his childhood.”
“A compelling read.”
ISBN: 9781443452793