Best Hockey Books?

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping for some recommendations on the best hockey books out there. For years I've read lots of great golf, football, hoops, and climbling books but it just occurred to me that I've never come across a great hockey book. I'd love a great story of the importance of hockey to kids in Canada, or even a compelling account of a season that I may or may not be familiar with, or anything really.

Many thanks!

Probably the most obvious first choice for this board.

Jacob '06
Probably the most obvious first choice for this board.

The obvious choice and exactly why I read it. A good book both because he has a good story to tell and, unlike most sports figures, he can actually write.

I'm in the process of reading it now and enjoying it very much. For some reason, I get much more "pleasure reading" done during the summer months. And yes, I am feeling shame for putting off reading it for so long.

Kerry Fraser's The Final Call is due out this fall. He wrote some teasers about it for his TSN column during the playoffs.

[tsn.ca]

KeithK

Jacob '06
Probably the most obvious first choice for this board.

The obvious choice and exactly why I read it. A good book both because he has a good story to tell and, unlike most sports figures, he can actually write.

A lot of insight into what drives an athlete.

Two other recommendations:

The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

Obviously not about Canadian hockey, and yes, I know, the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team has pretty much been done to death -- but if you haven't read this book, you're missing a lot. The book is pretty much a minute-by-minute account of the game against the USSR, but interspersed with that are stories about all of the U.S. players and coaches, how they and their families grew up with hockey, and what happened to them after the Olympics. Really a fascinating read.

Also, Ice Time: A Tale of Fathers, Sons, and Hometown Heroes tells about a season of high school hockey in Methuen, Massachusetts, the same team the author had played for about 25 years before. The author also talks about getting his 5-year-old son involved in youth hockey. It gets a little maudlin, but overall it's pretty good.

I like George Plimpton's participatory journalism. He went to training camp with the Bruins as a goalie to write Open Net.

David Harding

KeithK

Jacob '06
Probably the most obvious first choice for this board.

The obvious choice and exactly why I read it. A good book both because he has a good story to tell and, unlike most sports figures, he can actually write.

A lot of insight into what drives an athlete.

The Sports Book Hall of Fame
Looking back at classic sports literature

[www.grantland.com]

As good a place as any to post this link via ECAC, Montreal Gazette reports: Dryden Statue Finds New Home.

A five year old discussion [www.nytimes.com] of a 1980 novel.