Patriot Hearts

Patriot Hearts by John Furlong

A riveting behind-the-scenes account of the transformative 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games--an extraordinary story of visionary leadership, love of country and the ability to dream boldly.

When John Furlong emigrated from Ireland in 1974, the customs officer greeted him with "Welcome to Canada. Make us better"--an imperative that has defined Furlong's life ever since. A passionate, accomplished athlete with a track record of community service, Furlong was a volunteer for Vancouver's Olympic bid movement when it began in 1996 and then spent the next 14 years living and breathing the Olympics. Furlong and his organizing team, including 25,000 volunteers and many partners, orchestrated a remarkable Winter Games. Patriot Hearts is the story of how they did it.

Working with Globe and Mail columnist Gary Mason, Furlong recounts the lead­up to the Games and describes how he handled seemingly insurmountable setbacks--such as the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, a global recession and the washed­out snow at Cypress Bowl--to achieve a runaway success and, ultimately, a pivotal moment of nationhood.

Patriot Hearts will be published on February 12, 2011, a year after Canada welcomed the world at the opening ceremony. Furlong will donate part of his book royalties to the Own the Podium program.

John Furlong is Director at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK.

Marilyn Cochran-Smith is John E. Cawthorne Chair in Teacher Education and Director of Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College, USA.

Marie Brennan is based at the School of Education, University of South Australia, Australia.