The Horn of a Lamb

Book excerpt: From the author of the internationally acclaimed The African Safari Papers comes a story of a man caught between civic responsibility and sweet revenge. Meet Fred Pickle. He has a severe brain injury. For the past seven years Fred has lived under the loving guardianship of his uncle Jack on his sheep farm. Fred’s annual creation of a perfect neighbourhood rink is a joyous quasi-religious ritual for him. And his local NHL team means more to him than it would to the average fan; it renews hope and happiness. So when the team’s owner announces he is moving the team, Fred’s world begins to fall apart. Torn between the law-abiding influence of Uncle Jack and the radical urgings of Badger, an 81-year-old anarchist, Fred must decide whether a plot of vengeance against the owner is a path to independence or oblivion. The Horn of a Lamb charts an unforgettable year in the life of the incomparable Fred Pickle, a year that begins with the promise of another hockey season, and ends in a way few could have foreseen -- especially the lambs.