The Rocket: A Cultural History of Maurice Richard

“Melancon’s book is impressive in its exhaustive detail and breadth of information about all things Richard. …[The Rocket] manages to score a lot of points by convincingly proving how tightly Richard is woven into the fabric of Quebec society.”—Winnipeg Free Press"Melancon has succeeded wonderfully in this illustrated, matter-of-fact volume. Every anecdote and cheesy advertising campaign he recalls weaves the Rocket more deeply into the fabric of his time, and beyond."—The Gazette“…refreshingly, Melancon has approached the Rocket myth with courage and honesty, and has kept his language simple and direct. He drives to the net, shaking off spurious connections and academic jargon. …Melancon brings in his tools to take apart the constellation hanging over Quebecers’ heads, and leaves just the right amount of work for the reader to put it back together. …It’s thought-provoking, yes, but also as exciting as sudden-death overtime.”—Montreal Review of Books“Rocket differs dramatically from most books about sports personalities. Instead, author Benoît Melançon… examines how the career of the hard-playing Canadiens star affected not just hockey, but also the social and political climate of "la belle province" as it forged its postwar identity of Quebec nationalism.”—Hamilton Spectator“Thoroughly researched, well-written and cleanly translated, The Rocket is highly recommended for anyone whose interest in hockey extends beyond the action on the ice to the deeper significance of our national game.”—Waterloo Region Record"The handsomely illustrated volume…shows no quit as a scrupulous record of the Richard commercial industry from its early days, during his playing career, right up until near his death in May, 2000."—The Globe and Mail“The author breezily, intelligently and wittily shows the evolution of Richard from taciturn goal-scorer into mythological figure . . . It is fine reading.” —British Journal of Canadian Studies“Rocket fills a hole in critical studies of hockey…this is not just another Canadian hockey biography bursting with glossy pictures; yet neither is it a dry academic effort to de-mythologize a sporting icon.”—HT Online“open-minded folks will be intrigued by Malencon’s exploration of the ways in which people attribute all sorts of cultural significance to the accomplishments and personalities of champions like Richard...”—onlyagame.org