The Love Of A Good Hockey Book

Risto Pakarinen had just a wonderful post on his website about his first and still favorite hockey book in his collection - Valeri Kharlamov's 1979 autobiography, written in Finnish.

First, he made it clear how much he truly loved this book:

It’s dog-eared, it’s underlined, it’s been photocopied and plagiarized (in my school essays), it’s been with me from breakfast to bedtime and back in a day, it’s got food stains and other smudge, I’ve read it as a pre-teen, a teen, a young adult, and as a grown man – and I’ll be reading it again and again in the future. I’ve had it with me on the bus and to the gym, I’ve studied it, memorized it, and lived it.

Then, he answered his friend's question as to whether he would sell it to him, for any price.

"Not for 20, 30, or 100 euro. A hundred euro is not enough because 500 is not enough. Sure, 500 euro might get me a trip to New York City, or buy me that Lego Star Wars Death Star I’ve been saving for, but I can’t ask a guy to pay 500 euro for an old book. That would be just ridiculous. And if he wouldn’t pay 500 euro, then he wouldn’t pay 5000 which wouldn’t be enough, anyway.

"Some things just aren’t for sale" 

Give the whole post a read. Risto is one of the best writers out there. Also check out his own book he wrote - Off The Post -  a whimsical and fun read hockey fans on both sides of the Atlantic can surely enjoy.

Also, join me on Twitter @HockeyLegends and tell me your favorite hockey book you woul never part with.

High Praise For New Duthie Book

Esteemed author Kevin Shea had some high praise for James Duthie's new book The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys. From his Twitter account:

James Duthie's 'The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys' -- funny as hell. It's early, but gets my vote for the hockey book of 2010. 

Here's more information on the first of two James Duthie books to hit the shelves this season.

You can also buy the book here: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com 

The Hanging Tree by Bryan Gruley

Earlier this summer we talked about Michael McKinley's highly acclaimed first novel The Penalty Killing. The novel has a definite hockey theme, as the protagonist is a former hockey player framed for murder who goes about solving his own mystery.

The book transcends hockey into the world of fiction and pop culture, which is woefully (and strangely) overdue.

Today we are going to look at another book just along those lines. It is called The Hanging Tree, written by author Bryan Gruley and released by Touchstone in August, 2010.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

This mystery novel is set in the small, fictional town of Starvation Lake, MI, where the winters are cold and hockey is a way of life. Gruley brilliantly captures the hockey culture and interweaves it throughout the story.

This novel is one of the best novels I've ever read. I truly believe this should be made into a motion picture. 

What is the book about? Here's the official line from the publisher:

When Gracie McBride, the wild girl who had left town eighteen years earlier, is found dead in an apparent suicide shortly after her homecoming, it sends shock waves through her native Starvation Lake. Gus Carpenter, executive editor of the Pine County Pilot, sets out to solve the mystery with the help of his old flame and now girlfriend, Pine County sheriff deputy Darlene Esper. As Gus and Darlene investigate, they can’t help but question if Gracie’s troubled life really ended in suicide or if the suspicious crime-scene evidence adds up to murder.

But in such a small town it’s impossible to be an impartial investigator—Gracie was Gus’s second cousin; Darlene’s best friend; and the lover of Gus’s oldest pal, Soupy Campbell. Yet with all the bad blood between Gus and Gracie over the years, Gus is easily distracted by other problems. His employer is trying to push him out, the locals are annoyed that his stories have halted construction on a new hockey rink, and Darlene’s estranged husband has returned to reclaim his wife.

When Gus tries to retrace Gracie’s steps to discover what happened to her in the eighteen years she was away from Starvation Lake, he’s forced to return to Detroit, the scene of his humiliating past. And though he’s determined to find out what drove Gracie back home, Gus is unprepared for the terrible secrets he uncovers.

For more information (and to see one of the coolest book websites I've ever seen), check out TheHangingTree.com. Also, you want to check out A Conversation With Bryan Gruley on the publisher's website.
 
About The Author

The novel is actually the Gruley's second. His first, Starvation Lake, also hockey-themed, earned Gruley an Edgar Award nomination for Best First Novel. It was a critically acclaimed masterpiece that has now been spun off into a series mystery-thrillers.

If Bryan Gruley is a familiar name for some it is because he is the Chicago bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal where he shared in that paper's Pulitzer Prize coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Pretty heavy stuff, but it turns out Gruley is an avid hockey player and fan, and very much wanted to include hockey in his adventure into novelling.

Be sure to check out the author's website, BryanGruley.com.You will also want to check out A Conversation With Bryan Gruley on the publisher's website.

Great Reviews

The Hanging Tree has had incredible press since it's release. So much so that there is speculation that these novels could be turned into major Hollywood productions. Check out these raving comments:

“The Hanging Tree is a terrific story, a dark-hearted mystery entwined in a bullet-fast thriller. Gruley is one of the good ones.” —John Sandford

“The Hanging Tree is an engrossing, sure-footed mystery that manages to be both suspenseful and deeply touching.” —Gillian Flynn, Edgar nominee and New York Times Bestselling Author.

“Haunting, observant, and filled with complex characters that will remind you just how much you don't trust your neighbors. The Hanging Tree will pry its way into your imagination. And it won't leave." —Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author


“As with ‘Starvation Lake’ before it, ‘The Hanging Tree’ is an exceptionally well-written novel by an author who has mastered the conventions of his genre. Discriminating readers will be anxiously awaiting the third book in this promising series.” —Associated Press


“Gruley captures the hardscrabble life of a recession-rocked small town and the deep interrelations of the inhabitants while delivering complex, intriguing characters caught up in trouble. His take on contemporary journalism is Evelyn Waugh-worthy. Another winner.” —Booklist


“Absorbing. . . Gruley vividly evokes the frigid Michigan winters and the even chillier atmosphere of an insular community determined to keep its secrets.” —Publishers Weekly

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Hockey Is A Funny Game

About a year ago I mentioned a rare book I found in a used bookstore in Chilliwack, British Columbia. It was a cartoon book called Hockey Is A Funny Game Book 5 by sports cartoonist Merv Magus.

I was able to contact Mr. Magus and let him know how much I enjoyed the cartoons. I was happy to learn that he was looking into re-releasing the book complete with new content.

Magus' idea has now come to fruition with the release of Hockey Is A Funny Game Book 5.5

Magus, a Vancouver based sports cartoonist with over 20 years experience, offers some classic cartoons as well as the popular Hockey History Series. Magus looks at 10 great moments in history, telling you the story while adding his own comical twist. Magus completes the book with a series of puzzles and games designed to test your hockey knowledge. The games are ranked from amateur to pro.

Here's a couple of samples of what you can find inside the book:

And a sample of one of the puzzles:

You can see several more samples at the the author's website.

Right now about the only way to get a copy is through the author's website CartoonRoom.com. Be careful though. The site is so full of cartoons of many different natures that you could end up spending a lot of time here!

Bottom line - this is a fun book to flip through. Whether you are a kid or seasoned hockey fan, this would make for an excellent stocking stuffer.

Dragons, Donkeys and Dust

"He changed china, albeit in his own way…"

- Anthony Germain, CBC

At first glance Canadian vagabond Rudy Kong's discovery of life in China would not be high on the reading list of most hockey book enthusiasts. But I am here to tell you that you would be wrong, and that there is one at least one chapter in Kong's book Dragons, Donkeys and Dust that you simply must read.

Kong is a Canadian physical education teacher living in and raising a family in China. I'm still living in the town I grew up in. This guy moved half way around the world! Fortunately I can live vicariously through him in this highly acclaimed book.

How acclaimed? None other than CBC's China correspondent Anthony Germain (there's someone who would understand Kong's journey if there ever was one) says the "book is filled with fantastic anecdotes . . . . some marvelously critical, others just very charming."

I haven't had a chance to read the whole book. Unless you live in Vancouver (where it is for sale at The Travel Bug on W. Broadway), you can only order this book online (author's website, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com) or pick it up in China. But he does have one chapter available for free on his website - and fortunately for hockey fans, it is the chapter we should all be reading.

"Buddha Loves Hockey" is all about the authors' discovery of the few locals who love hockey (and that unfailingly means they love Igor Larionov) and his introduction of the sport to his students and his community. It is great writing where shares not only what he learns about China and it's people but about himself and the great Canadian game.

Give the free chapter a read and then consider buying the whole book. See if you laugh as heartily at David The Aussie's introduction to hockey as I did. You also will find yourself so very impressed with the author's writing and storytelling that you will want to read all of his non-hockey chapters, as well.

The Hockey News Yearbook

Great news hockey fans. The Hockey News Yearbook is arriving in subscribers' mailboxes and store shelves in the coming few days. Finally a break from the summer heat with some anticipation of ice-filled days ahead!

Did you know that there actually nine different cover images of the THN Yearbook that are available for sale? Let's take a look at these region by region images:

Chicago Detroit

 Buffalo/Boston

New York/Washington

Philadelpha/Pittsburgh

Toronto/Ottawa

Montreal (English)

Montreal (French)

Edmonton/Calgary

Vancouver

Japer's Rink Has The Low Down On The Ovechkin Project

It is a safe bet that Gare Joyce and Damien Cox's new book The Ovechkin Project: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hockeys Most Dangerous Player.will be one of the best selling hockey books later this year.

JP over at Japer's Rink already has excerpts from the unauthorized biography coming available this week. Be sure to check out the critically acclaimed Japer's Rink for more.

Hockey Book Awarded Top Prize

Congratulations must go out to Oksanna Crawley. Her children's book, "So, You Be Keon and I'll Be Mahovlich" just got a rating of Excellent from the Canadian Association of School Libraries!

"So, You Be Keon and I'll Be Mahovlich" is a heart-warming story about a little boy's dream to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The story cleverly weaves historical fact with fiction as it tells a magical and action-packed tale of the boy's hopes and of the mysterious hockey player who tries to help him overcome his fears and pursue his passion.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Here's more information about the author, Oksanna Crawley.

Wendel: My Life In Hockey

The first book of 2010-11 hockey season appears to be Wendel Clark's book Wendel: My Life In Hockey.

The book is published by Jackson Events, which is a handling service for celebrities, namely hockey players. It is available at Chapters but not Amazon so far.

I am trying to get a review copy. In the mean time, be sure to read Mike Zeisberger's Toronto Sun article about the book.

Also be sure to check out WendelClark.ca and his Facebook and Twitter feeds for more information on the book and sales locations.

Used Bookstore Treasures

I love going to used bookstores. Surprisingly, I have never come across either of my own books at any used bookstores. I took that as great news - everyone wants to keep my books!

I was able to find a copy of World Cup of Hockey in Russell Books in Victoria when I was on vacation this summer. It was a nice surprise:

If you are ever in Victoria be sure to check out both Russell Books on Fort Street and Snowden's on Johnson Street. Also head out to Sidney for 12 other bookstores in all within walking distance of each other. Just go early. Most close early.

Probert Book Coming

From CP:

The family of Bob Probert has decided to go ahead with a memoir the longtime NHL enforcer was working prior to his death.

“Tough Guy,” due to be published Oct. 26, will recount his career with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks when he was one of the most feared players in the game, and also delve into his off-ice troubles.

Probert was co-writing the book with Kirstie McLellan Day before he suffered a heart attack and died last month.

“He was really excited and happy about the opportunity to tell it like it really was — behind the headlines,” Dani Probert, his widow, said in a statement released by publisher HarperCollinsCanada. “After much deliberation, my family and I have decided to fulfil Bob's dream and publish the book.”

Here's more from the publisher, HarperCollins:

TORONTO (August 13, 2010)—Hockey enforcer legend Bob Probert was hard at work on a raw and candid memoir with acclaimed writer Kirstie McLellan Day when he died unexpectedly of a heart attack in July.

“Bob was working on his own book with Kirstie when he passed,” said his widow, Dani Probert. “He was really excited and happy about the opportunity to tell it like it really was — behind the headlines. After much deliberation, my family and I have decided to fulfill Bob’s dream and publish the book.”

“HarperCollins has made it its mandate to publish the stories of Canada’s most interesting personalities and most important contributors,” said Iris Tupholme, Vice President, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at HarperCollinsCanada. “Bob Probert’s memoir represents a rare opportunity for Canadians to take a hard look at the game we all love. We are proud to have him on our list.”

In the book, to be titled Tough Guy, Probert recounts in his own words his notorious career as one of the most feared men on the ice during his time with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. The book also chronicles a hard life off the ice; Probert was suspended from play, he submitted to rehab programs ten times, he was jailed for carrying cocaine across the US border and he survived a near-fatal motorcycle crash.

“There is no question that Bob Probert was one of the most dynamic and controversial players in hockey,” said Jim Gifford, executive editor at HarperCollinsCanada. “I’m grateful that he and Kirstie were able to get so much accomplished on the book before he passed away. I know he wanted to tell his
story in his own way.”

Through his turbulent career and struggles with drugs, booze and the law, Bob Probert was also a devoted family man who was involved in his community, loyal to his friends, and a committed supporter of Canadian soldiers serving abroad.

At times stark, at times funny, and always remarkably honest, Tough Guy will cover Bob Probert’s life as a boy growing up in Windsor, chronicling his junior hockey years in Brantford, Hamilton and Sault Ste. Marie, through his professional career with the NHL. The book will feature over 50 photographs, many of them never before seen. Tough Guy will publish October 26, 2010.

Kirstie McLellan Day, who co-wrote this memoir with Bob Probert, also co-wrote Playing with Fire, the bestselling memoir by Theoren Fleury, and is currently working with Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean on his upcoming book.

1949-50 Vancouver Canucks Program

Check out this Vancouver Canucks program from the 1949-50 season.

For those who do not know, the Vancouver Canucks joined the NHL in 1970. But they existed in the old Pacific Coast Hockey League which turned into the Western Hockey League from 1945 to 1970.

This program featured up coming PCHL games against the New Westminster Royals and the Portland Penguins.

The Glory Of Our Game by Richard Buell

You do not have to dig too deeply into hockey's rich history to realize the impact the community of Kirkland Lake/Timmins has had on hockey.

Dozens of players went on to the NHL and Stanley Cup greatness. Countless more are still legends in the area known as The Mile of Gold, as well as around the world.

Many Kirkland Lake players made big impacts playing in the senior leagues, especially back in the 1950s and 1960s when, with only 6 NHL teams, the Allan Cup championships really were special. There was even three local legends of the 1958 World Championship team.

Richard Buell has compiled it all in his 2004 book The Glory Of Our Game. He told me a second volume is due out soon. "Two volumes?!" I thought to myself. The first book was nearly 300 pages! How can you have another?

But it quickly becomes evident that Kirkland Lake's hockey history is so rich and so expansive that you might need the whole Joe Mavrinac Community Complex to house it all.

Buell breaks the book down into three "periods." The first is called "For The Love Of The Game" and looks at hockey's intertwined importance in the community's life. The second is called "Order From Chaos" and looks chronologically at some of the great local teams and tournaments in the city's lore. The third period is called "Exodus" and looks at the players who moved on to the pros - Ted Lindsay, Gus Mortson, Dick Duff, Bill Durnan, the Plager brothers, Dick and Mickey Redmond, Ralph Backstrom, and Darren Puppa to name a few.

Unlike a lot of books about a small town's hockey history, this book really can appeal to a large cross section of hockey fans. Obviously the amazing multi-generational alumni list helps there. But also the writing about hockey's importance in the community is so good that everyone can not only enjoy it but probably bring back memories of their own youth and their own community, too.

But the best part about this book is that, like legendary author Michael McKinley, Buell understands that the story of any community is very much a story about it's people. You will love the reading the biographies of NHL greats and local legends alike - be it the Plager brothers of NHL fame or the Viskovich brothers of local lore.

Somewhat surprisingly, I found myself really enjoying this book. After cracking the spine I was unable to put it down for a long time and then I kept coming back to it for more. I only have one question for Mr. Buell - when is volume two coming out? (Good news - volume 2 is due out in the autumn of 2010!)

Want a copy? If you're not in town, then you have two online options to order a copy:

Contact Hockey Heritage North at www.hockeyheritagenorth.ca

Or contact Frosted Forest Publishing at:

Frosted Forest Northern Ontario Publishing

438 Sixth Ave P.O. Box 403

Matheson ON

P0K 1N0

frostedforestpublishing@lionslink.com

Maple Leafs Annual 2010-2011

This is Maple Street Press's Maple Leafs Annual 2010-2011. It is a season preview magazine that focuses specifically on the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be available on store shelves right across Canada soon. You can pre-order your copy here.

For the second year in a row I have had the great pleasure of contributing to the magazine. This year I have taken a look back at the most significant trades in the Maple Leafs history. From King Clancy to Teeder Kennedy to Frank Mahovlich to Darryl Sittler to Doug Gilmour to Wendel Clark, I look at how every distinct era in Leafs history is defined by a major trade.

Also contributing to this year's edition are some big names I am happy to call colleagues - Kevin Shea, Greg Wyshynski, James Mirtle, and Dirk  Hoag amongst others.

So be sure to watch for Maple Leafs Annual 2010-2011 hitting magazine racks near you soon.

Gordie Howe French Magazine

Here's what I would assume would be a rarity - a French publication honoring Rocket Richard's arch nemesis Gordie Howe!

I would be curious to learn just how well this magazine sold in Quebec!

By the way, published by Robert Desjardins in 1966, the magazine features 120 black & white photos over 66 pages.

The Hilarious History of Hockey

Author Helaine Becker and Scholastic Publishing have combined to look at some of the funniest and oddest moments in hockey history in the kids' book The Hilarious History of Hockey. It is illustrated by Bill Dickson.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Here's the specs:

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Canada (Sep 1 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1443100390
• ISBN-13: 978-1443100397

From the Publisher

Did you know that early hockey pucks were made of cow poop? No? Well then crack open a copy of The Hilarious History of Hockey and get the all the funny facts and most ridiculous trivia about hockey history! Young hockey fans will learn the playful truth about the time the Montreal Canadiens left the Stanley Cup in the snow at the side of the road. Oops! And the real scoop behind the debacle of the Hockey Night in Canada Song contest. From trivia about the players to all of the gaffes, misses and downright embarrassing moments in hockey history, each page is guaranteed to bring a smile to the reader''s face.

About the Author

Helaine Becker is the winner of two Silver Birch Awards for juvenile non-fiction and the author of the popular Looney Bay All-Stars series. Helaine is a self-proclaimed "please, kick me again!" Leafs fan. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. Bill Dickson is the very talented (and funny!) illustrator of Famous Dead Canadians and Hilarious Canadian Histories: First Folks and Vile Voyageurs. He lives in Sauble Beach, Ontario.

Humor In Hockey

Here's a rare and odd find from my personal library:

It is a Philadelphia Flyers-centric book from 1971. Put together by Ed Conrad, writer for the Philadelphia Daily News and The Hockey News at the time, it is essentially a goofy caption book. There's a couple of dozen dark, grainy black & white pictures, mostly of unknown players then and especially now, with a simple caption to go with each. None of them are particularly hilarious. In fact, I would say the cover shot of the gap-toothed goal Doug Favell is about as funny as it gets.

1950s Hockey Tattoo Book

Here's an odd book I found listed on eBay: It's a "Hockey Tat-oo" book from the 1950s:

The near-mint book is listed at eBay at $100. No, I do not have any affiliation with the sale.

Here's a couple of examples of the tattoos inside the book:

Hockey by Gerald Eskenazi

I once referred to the following title as "obscure" simply because I, a proud hockey book collector, had never seen it.

It turns out I was wrong. The book is written by famous New York Times sportswriter Gerald Eskenazi, and he told me just how important the book was in it's time (1969):

"When it came out, it sold about 20,000 copies at a (then) pricey $12.95. It was, in fact, the first really good-looking, and serious, big picture book on the sport. Got big play in the Gazette, the Globe and Mail, The New York Times--and a host of radio and television appearances. That led to five other hockey books in quick succession. The book came out just as hockey was bouncing into the 20th Century, a bit late. Expansion was on its way (a few years later, I updated the book into "The Fastest Sport")."

I have yet to see the book in person. The book features the photography of Ken Regan.

Eskenazi wrote several other hockey books, including A Thinking Man's Guide To Pro Hockey, Hockey Is My Life (Phil Esposito's 1972 autobiography) and The Derek Sanderson Nobody Knows (1973).