Sport & Leisure - by Tom Trondson (Paperback)

About the Book

A dark comedic glimpse into the world of celebrity. When a cynical film producer is hunted down by a volatile hockey coach after making a play for the man's wife, chaos and hijinks ensues on a vacation island on Lake Superior.

Book Synopsis

"In this rousing, expertly layered story set in the northern grit of Minnesota, Trondson has crafted a novel somewhere between the meticulous blue-collar eye of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album and the loveable losers seen in a Coen Brothers movie." -Todd Smith, author of Hockey Strong: Stories of Sacrifice from Inside the NHL

July, 2015, in America's Heartland.

Hockey coach Ken Solberg retreats to his hometown in northern Minnesota after an affair turns his life upside down. But the past is like a centrifugal force spinning him closer to a center that won't hold. Meanwhile, Los Angeles film producer Sherman Garrity is on the brink of his big break with Sport, a script about a notorious 90s pro tennis player. He becomes so wrapped up in the film's success he stands to lose all sense of anything else.

For two tension-filled weeks on the shores of Lake Superior, Ken and Sherman's worlds collide. The producer's Hollywood crew invades his Madeline Island vacation home, hosting parties and sports outings, while the hardworking locals serve and cater to their every whim. Soon, the stark divide between the townspeople and the movie insiders becomes undeniable. But at the heart of the turmoil is Kimberly-Ken's wife and Sherman's latest lover. Her presence forces both men to confront the unresolved tragedies from their past.

Sport & Leisure is a gripping tale of celebrity allure, familial bonds, shifting notions of masculinity, the healing power of nature, and the dark undercurrents of violence that pervade American society.

Review Quotes

"In this rousing, expertly layered story set in the northern grit of Minnesota, Trondson has crafted a novel somewhere between the meticulous blue-collar eye of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album and the loveable losers seen in a Coen Brothers movie. Sport & Leisure is full of losers and fighters, problems and promises, and serves up laughs to accompany a reflection on loss and love." -Todd Smith, author of Hockey Strong: Stories of Sacrifice from Inside the NHL

"A page turner... realistic, thought-provoking... a novel steeped in a vivid sense of place and culture... women confront men, men confront themselves and each other, and life goes on." -Midwest Book Review