At the start of one of the busiest seasons for CanLit in recent memory, one of the most hotly anticipated titles must be the forthcoming book on our national sports obsession, written by sitting Prime Minister (and leader of “Canada’s Founding Party”) Stephen Harper. Due to be published by Simon & Schuster Canada on Nov. 5, the book has already garnered extensive word of mouth attention  in and out of publishing circles, as much for the notoriety of its author (a lifelong hockey fan who apparently wrote the book in daily 15-minute chunks) as for its subject.

In a press release yesterday, S&S released the title of the volume “ A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs and the Rise of Professional Hockey “ along with a cover image and a video trailer.

From the release:

Drawing on extensive archival records and illustrations, histories of the sport, and newspaper files, A Great Game delves into the fascinating early years of ice hockey. It tells of the hockey heroes and hard-boiled businessmen who built the game, and the rise and fall of legendary teams pursuing the Stanley Cup. With a historian’s perspective and fan’s passion, Stephen Harper presents a riveting and often-surprising portrait, capturing everything from the physical contests on the rinks to the battles behind the scenes and the changing social conventions of the twentieth century.

An article by Toronto Star political reporter Susan Delacourt indicates that the PM consulted the ethics commissioner about which publisher to sign with and what to do with royalties from the book. Proceeds from A Great Game, which will also appear in a French translation, will be donated to the Military Families Fund, which provides financial assistance to the families of Canadian soldiers and military personnel.