The Gift of A Hockey Book

Ken Campbell of The Hockey News penned a brilliant and personal article for Christmas. It was about how he received a hockey book - Brian McFarlane's Hockey Annual - for Christmas 1973, and how that changed his life forever:

Prior to getting that book, I was what is known today as a “reluctant reader.” But after receiving Brian McFarlane’s Hockey Annual, I couldn’t get enough of the written word. I consumed that tome cover to cover hundreds of times, used the information in it for class projects and speeches and because of it, became a student of hockey history. I swear there were passages from that book that I could recite verbatim. From there, I picked up every other hockey book I could find and read each one voraciously.

And now, when I look back almost 30 years later, I can trace my chosen profession back to that one book. Becoming a reader made me want to write and wanting to write, combined with my passion for hockey, led me to journalism school at Carleton University and a career in hockey journalism. I’d call it a job, but it rarely ever feels as though I’m working. I’ve covered Stanley Cup finals, World Junior Championships and Olympics and travelled the world, in large part because of the seeds that book sowed in 1973. I still own it, in fact. Actually, I’ve already passed it down to my 13-year-old son Lukas, and he vows to keep it for his son.

Was there ever a hockey book from your youth that had a profound effect on you? For me I have a fairly similar story with Stan Fischler's Hockey's 100. Tell me your influential hockey book from your youth.

1972: The Summit Series: The Untold Story

It is a little late to the 40th anniversary party, but 1972: The Summit Series: The UNTOLD Story is now hitting the bookshelves.

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

Researcher and 1972 Summit Series fanatic Richard J. Bendell has put together this fantastic look at the Summit Series. I can vouch for Bendell first hand as I have participated in many conversations with him regarding 1972 and international hockey. His passion is simply unbeatable. Bringing Paul Patskou and Robert MacAskill - two of the top hockey historians - in on the project was a great move.

Their ideas for further understanding the series itself are impressive. Impressive enough to fill nearly 450 pages! They re-analyze every aspect of the series from every angle imaginable, resulting in the most in depth quantitative and qualitative look at series ever produced. The fresh insights accurately and comprehensively reveal new layers of the fascinating history of the series.

At 450 pages the book is daunting - almost overwhelming. It is not for the casual 1972 fan, but for the true hardcore fans who want to understand it at an even deeper level. That market might be somewhat limited as more than a month of 40th anniversary celebrations tested the exhaustion levels of the tournament's hype. It took 40 years, but they might finally have reached that point.

In some ways it is too bad this book does not have the push of a major publishing house behind it. It could benefit from their polishing and marketing/promotional machine. But on the other hand it is a god send that Bendell and company went at it on their own. A publishing house would have killed a lot of the content and shrunk the project considerably. That would have been a significant loss for hockey fans everywhere.

Bendell's passion for 1972 is almost unparalleled and certainly not exceeded. He presents all of his passion right here in this 450 page book - a true treasure chest of the 1972 Summit Series.

The Adirondack Kids #12: The Pond Hockey Challenge

For the past twelve years, father and son Gary and Justin Van Riper have been creating The Adirondack Kids series to families, schools and libraries throughout New York state and right around the world.

2012 sees the release of their latest book: The Adirondack Kids: The Pond Hockey Challenge. Focusing on the adventures of three friends, Justin, Jackie and Nick, this brand new adventure, winter has arrived and beloved characters, Justin Robert and Nick Barnes are on school break and discover their best friend, Jackie Salsberry, has committed them to a pond hockey game against an experienced team from the community next door. It's the Inlet Snowcats verses the Old Forge Hammers. The Adirondack Kids books explore historic and familiar places around the Adirondack Park.

Over 100,000 copies of the Adirondack Kids books have now been sold. And they keep getting better. Long time readers of the series will note that this is The Adirondack Kids first wintertime adventure.

Be sure to visit adirondackkids.com for more information.

H is for Hockey: A NHL Alumni Alphabet

"Where was the first organized indoor hockey game played? When did the tradition of engraving winners’ names on the Stanley Cup start? Which six brothers collectively played in more than 5,000 NHL games? Answers to these questions and many more can be found in H Is for Hockey: A NHL Alumni Alphabet.

Formed in 1999, the National Hockey League Alumni Association is affectionately known as “Hockey’s Greatest Family” for good reason. Members of the NHL Alumni are considered hockey ambassadors, supporting the game and its history through many charitable causes and programs.

Written by one of the game’s foremost historians in Kevin Shea, this book pays tribute to them and the sport they love. Adding a personal touch are the memorable quotes sprinkled throughout the text. When 17-year-old Sidney Crosby was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005, he said, “This is amazing. It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifices. It’s unbelievable!”"

The book is wonderfully illustrated by Ken Dewar. Dewar's work really does steal the show, and will keep kids and parents enthralled time and time again.

Shea's simple rhymes to teach children the alphabet are short but sweet. The best part of the book though is the side column information that really is intended for parents more-so than the kids. There is so much to learn, creating much value for readers of any age.

The best part of this book is the opportunity it creates for parents to spend time with their children and teach them about Canada's wonderful game and it's glorious history. H is for Hockey: AN NHL Alumni Alphabet gets an A+ from me!

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

The Green Men With New Book: Behind The Green

Just learned tonight of another new hockey book - Sully of @thegreenmen offers Behind The Green - bit.ly/UOPJoq
— HockeyLegends (@HockeyLegends) December 10, 2012

Somehow I'm disappointed to see Sully go out on his own without Force. Are @thegreenmen breaking up? Biggest heel turn since CM Punk?
— HockeyLegends (@HockeyLegends) December 10, 2012

Wearing The C by Ross Bernstein

Wearing the "C" insignia on the uniform-a badge of honor reserved for team captains-is professional hockey's highest honor, and this study discusses how many of the NHL's all-time greatest players were captains.

The exciting new book - Wearing the "C": Leadership Secrets from Hockey's Greatest Captains - an entertaining and enlightening blend of hockey stories and leadership lessons-reveals the secrets of hockey's greatest captains by asking questions such as:

• What does it take to lead a team to championship? 
• What are the keys to overcoming unexpected adversity? 
• How does a captain manage strong egos from diverse backgrounds into a unified, focused team? 

To get the inside story, author Ross Bernstein interviewed more than 100 of the all-time greatest captains, assistant captains, and head coaches, including Wayne Gretzky, Scotty Bowman, Phil Esposito, and Joe Sakic.

For me this is a fascinating read. I thoroughly enjoy the chance to learn leadership skills from people I admire. Specifically I like to see how hockey leadership can translate to the real world. Now you have to sift through the collection of quotes to find the real gems, but I believe everyone can take away something of value from this book and apply it in their own lives.

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