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Playing with Fire

Average rating: 5/5

Based on 143 ratings

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Playing with Fire

by Theo Fleury
As told by: Kirstie Mclellan Day

Harpercollins Publishers, Incorporated | October 14, 2009 | Hardcover

Theo Fleury, at 5'6" made a name for himself in a game played by giants. A star in junior hockey, he became an integral part of the Calgary Flames' Stanley Cup win in 1989. Fleury's talent was such that despite a growing drug habit and erratic, inexplicable behaviour on and off the ice, Wayne Gretzky believed in him. He became a key member of the gold medal-winning men's hockey team at the 2002 Olympics.

The Colorado Avalanche picked up Fleury for the playoffs, and when he signed with the New York Rangers, he was a kid in a candy store. After one season of his next multi-million-dollar deal, this time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Fleury suddenly called it quits and wouldn't explain why.

In Playing with Fire, Theo Fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an NHL player and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home. Dark personal issues haunted him, with drinking, drugs, gambling and girls ultimately derailing his Hall of Fame-calibre career.

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Reviews

    • Was this review
      helpful to you?

    Rating: 5/5

    Triumph over Tragedy!!!!!

    Avid Reader

    4 weeks ago

    This is one of the best books I've read. I know allot of hockey fans who are reluctant to read this book because they are squeamish about what they might have to read about. To them as well as all others I say - read this book. Fleury has done a good job of telling his story while at the same time being mindful of his reading audience and their sensitivities. The language is straight forward hockey talk - written the way many professional athletes speak. The narrative is compelling and follows Fleury from his early childhood through his junior hockey teen years and into his professional career. Fleury tells the reader frankly about how the demons of his past haunted him through a stellar professional career and ultimately led to the end of that career. That Fleury was able to persevere through all the challenges and continues to work forward as he now helps others is a testament to the strength of the human spirit when faced with seemingly overwhelming odds. The positive contributions of family and close friends are also highlighted. A truly human story of triumph over tragedy and quite simply a great read both for hockey fans and for those who don't know the game.

    • Was this review
      helpful to you?

    I used to think Theo Fleury was a bully. Reading this biography has changed my opinion greatly. What Theo went through was truely brutal, and nobody deserves that. It's amazing that he's overcome so many obstacles to become the amazing Canadian that he is today. A great read, even if you're not a hockey or sports fan!

    • Was this review
      helpful to you?

    Rating: 5/5

    Awesome book!

    Andrew Coughlan Coughlan

    2 years ago

    This book full of intense and very descriptive parts the early years of the disturbing early years of Canadian sports icon in Theo Fleury. But throughout this book we can understand why he went down that road of drugs and alcohol. He was confused, scared and pressured by his coach Graham James which sent in that downward spiral. He gives us that sense of exactly how he felt with his coarse wording and raw depictions of each of his life changing experiences throughout his Junior hockey career right on through his career in the NHL. He reveals so much to us readers and by doing so it gives us the true understanding of his troubles that truthfully ended his NHL career and nearly ended his life. The story is scary in that its true and I thank him for being brave in getting his story out to the world.

    • Was this review
      helpful to you?

    Rating: 4/5

    Degrees of seperation

    Daisygal

    2 years ago

    My husband is cousins with Stu Grimson, my parents are great friends with Lyle Odelein and his parents, my brother in law played hockey with Barry Trapp's grandson, and my home town is only a few hours away from Russell Manitoba, all these reasons to check out this book as recommended to me by my mom. but once I got into it, it turned out to be an amazing story.
    The ups and downs that Theoren Fluery has made throughout his life, and how he is using his experiences, both good and bad, to help others is incredible.
    Kudos to Theoren for writing such raw, emotional, and bare all story.
    If you are not into hockey, the detailed hockey stats, and all the players mentioned can get a little confusing, but otherwise a good read!

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From the Publisher

Theo Fleury, at 5'6" made a name for himself in a game played by giants. A star in junior hockey, he became an integral part of the Calgary Flames' Stanley Cup win in 1989. Fleury's talent was such that despite a growing drug habit and erratic, inexplicable behaviour on and off the ice, Wayne Gretzky believed in him. He became a key member of the gold medal-winning men's hockey team at the 2002 Olympics.

The Colorado Avalanche picked up Fleury for the playoffs, and when he signed with the New York Rangers, he was a kid in a candy store. After one season of his next multi-million-dollar deal, this time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Fleury suddenly called it quits and wouldn't explain why.

In Playing with Fire, Theo Fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an NHL player and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home. Dark personal issues haunted him, with drinking, drugs, gambling and girls ultimately derailing his Hall of Fame-calibre career.

About the Author

"I've known Theo Fleury since back in junior, and I always hated playing against him. Theo was the ultimate competitor. He would do anything to win. That kind of attitude is tough to beat. He was an emotional guy, and when we ended up on the same team in Colorado in 1999, he was still a pest. If I scored, he would come over and pound me on the back or jump up and hug me and get on me for not celebrating enough. I am really glad Theo has come out on top."
- Joe Sakic, Captain, Colorado Avalanche ()

Hardcover

6.25 x 9.5 x 1.21 in

October 14, 2009

Harpercollins Publishers, Incorporated

English


1554682398
9781554682393

From the Critics

"I've known Theo Fleury since back in junior, and I always hated playing against him. Theo was the ultimate competitor. He would do anything to win. That kind of attitude is tough to beat. He was an emotional guy, and when we ended up on the same team in Colorado in 1999, he was still a pest. If I scored, he would come over and pound me on the back or jump up and hug me and get on me for not celebrating enough. I am really glad Theo has come out on top."
- Joe Sakic, Captain, Colorado Avalanche ()

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