Certified Beauties by James Duthie

I still remember when the affable James Duthie released his first book. The Day I Almost Killed Two Gretzkys was a joy to read, full of fun stories. He subsequently came out with The Guy On The Left, referring to his famous role as TSN studio host, and Beauties. His newest book, Certified Beauties, is a continuation of the previous title.

The series is a fun and sometimes heartfelt celebration of hockey as more than just a sport.  In this collection, the TSN broadcaster curates a rich tapestry of stories that range from hilarious pranks to deeply emotional moments, pulling back the curtain on what players, coaches, and hockey lifers really talk about when the cameras are off.

This particular book features a bit too much locker-room bravado for my liking. But that is just me. I tend to not want to know what hockey heroes are like off the ice. I just care that these guys are great hockey players, and really good people. After hour pranks - such as the time Darcy Hordichuk captured an alligator and left it on Roberto Luongo's door step - aren't for me. But they do make for funny reading for the fan who does like that type of hijinks.

I really enjoyed the much more touching, human stories. Such as the memorable tale about Sarah Nurse rising to stardom amid the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or the lifelong friendship between Darryl Sittler and Börje Salming, including Salming’s final pilgrimage to Toronto. These moments reveal the humanity behind the helmets.

Duthie’s own voice feels warm and authentic, whether he’s narrating in the book or in the audiobook version. With a foreword by Sidney Crosby, who invites readers to “have a seat on the bench,” the book feels less like a journalist’s compilation and more like a fireside chat among friends.

But the book reads like short anecdotes rather than deeply developed narratives. Maybe that is the book's charm. This isn’t a memoir or a deep investigative piece, it’s a mosaic of voices and moments, designed to be picked up and read in pieces rather than plowed through in one sitting.