Pee Wees

"Welcome to the world of youth hockey in Connecticut . . . What emerges for Cohen in this warmhearted memoir is a love for his son beyond hockey, as well as the acknowledgment that 'there is little to match the intoxication of seeing your child do something well.'"—Mark Rotella, The New York Times Book Review

"A joy to read . . . [Cohen is] funny, smart, and charming."—Rick Kogan, The Chicago Tribune

"A must-read . . . Pee Wees is the perfect book for two groups of people: those who are involved in youth hockey and those who are not. The former will delight in seeing their struggles reflected and nod knowingly. And the rest, like me, will feel a rush of relief at having been spared the ordeal."—Neil Steinberg, The Chicago Sun-Times

"At its core, Pee Wees is a story about a father trying to reach his son (and perhaps his younger self) through the game. 'I was now my father. My son was now me.' A familiar tale and the makings of a great tragedy . . . While some might view this as a cautionary tale about youth hockey, I say that caring that much is the game’s most convincing selling point, its very appeal. Good luck finding another youth sport that can stir the emotions Rich Cohen reveals on every page of Pee Wees. Something that causes you to lose all perspective? I call that a blessing."—Bill Keenan, Air Mail

"Memoirist Cohen (Sweet and Low) scores with this heartfelt account of watching—and agonizing over—his 11-year-old son’s season playing kids’ competitive hockey. Starting with April tryouts and ending with a soul-churning state tournament in March, Cohen provides a fascinating glimpse into the players’ egos and excels in profiling the parents and coaches who live and die with each shift in their children’s fortunes . . . Cohen’s soulful, poignant examination is a winning testament to the ways parents often live for—and through—their children."—Publishers Weekly