A few have noted that the updates at thecurler.com have been pretty infrequent this fall and the question asked – have you packed it in? The answer is no but I must confess that the curling season has gotten started a little sooner than I was ready for. I also confess there is a chance that the Toronto Blue Jays might continue to slow me down – but once the season is into full swing, so will I be.

Besides – I have had a good book to read.

I was intrigued when I saw that David Florig had written a novel (THE STONES OF AILSA CRAIG ) with curling as a background. I was willing to give it a read – after all I’m not aware that anyone has ever tried and I wondered how he could make it work.

I won’t say it was a “couldn’t put it down” book – but close. Mine arrived in the mail just over a week ago. I finished it today and would have been done a few days ago but there were Blue Jays games to occupy the spare time.

If you are reader – it is a good read and if you are interested in the history of our sport, you’ll love the way he has built some curling history into a book with an interesting genealogy search, a good bit of how it feels to be a beginner curler, a dash of why we curlers love a bonspiel, some insights into the state of Maine (which Florig obviously loves), and an understated but intriguing love interest. Oh yes, and a couple of murders with a good courtroom-trial chapter.

The opening chapter of THE STONES OF AILSA CRAIG has the feel of someone who “has been there”. It certainly read that way to me.

A passing reference, in chapter two, to the Duddington Curling Society told me that in Florig I had found a kindred spirit. (Note of explanation – simply put Duddington pre-dated the Royal Caledonian Curling Club as an organizing body for curling.) You’re wondering why I know about it – and as old friend would say – it just one of those things in my “bank of worthless knowledge”. But the fact that an admitted newcomer to the sport was using the reference told me I had found a kindred spirit and I read on!

Half way through the book, I was in awe of both his ‘bank account” (curling history that is) and of the way he had written a story that I wanted to read, for the story itself.

Like most good novels, THE STONES OF AILSA CRAIG has a plot twist as sharp as a nasty pick on your last shot draw to the button.

In his notes at the back of the book, David Florig admits, in a chapter dedicated to explaining the sport of curling to non-curlers who might pick up the book, he has never seen an 8-ender. He explains that teams with the hammer would like to score 2 or 3 points in an end – and explains that a “three or four point end is a significant score”. I am not prepared to give the book an eight rocks out of eight rating – but I’ll do better than the four he calls significant.

thecurler.com’s rating for THE STONES OF AILSA CRAIG ….. six rocks out of eight!!!