The Hockey Library

[Larry N]

Just thought I'd list some of the hockey related books that I felt were worthwhile. Feel free to add to the list.

First up, for Flyers fans, Full Spectrum by Jay Greenberg.

I've read through this book four times and it is the definitive history of the Flyers, comprehensively covering the thirty plus years from their humble origins as a glint in Ed Snider's eye to the late 90s. Practically no stone is left unturned as Greenberg details the hardships that almost lead to the Flyers never existing, the behind the scenes of the Cup years and subsequent decline, through to the drama of the Eric Lindros acquisition. I have several books on the Flyers, but this tops the list.

It's still available on Amazon: Amazon.com: Full Spectrum: The Complete History of the Philadelphia Flyers Hockey Club (9781572431584): Jay Greenberg: Books

My second recommendation, for hockey fans in general, is The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told by Bryant Urstadt.

This is a nice little compilation of short stories on a wide variety of hockey related topics, including looks at life in the juniors, how to build a backyard hockey rink, minor league hockey in Texas, and even a portion of the script from the movie Slaphot. The book title is a bit lame, but the book itself is a great read if you just want to kick back, punch open a bag of chips, and read something about hockey.

Also available on Amazon: Amazon.com: The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told: The Finest Writers on Ice (9781592285303): Bryant Urstadt: Books

I have a couple of more recommendations in mind. But I'll hold off and wait to see if anyone's interested in the topic or if they want to chime in with recs of their own.

 

[puckhead]

Thunder and Lightning - A no BS Hockey memoir, by Phil Esposito
Amazon.com: Thunder and Lightning : A No-B. S. Hockey Memoir (9780771030864): Phil ; Golenbock, Peter Esposito, Illustrated: Books

He may not be eloquent, but he was there at every level, and absolutely pulls no punches. anecdotes, politics, history, it's all here.
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The Game - Ken Dryden
Amazon.com: The Game (9780470835845): Ken Dryden: Books

a bit more eloquent (lawyerly), but again, he was a part of a magical era, and that comes off the page.
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The hockey sweater - Roch Carrier
Amazon.com: The Hockey Sweater (9780887761744): Roch Carrier, Sheldon Cohen, Sheila Fischman: Books

Every Canadian knows this one, and every American should. Tells just how much hockey and rivalries are a fabric of the nation
or you could just watch the movie :p
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[dash]

Dave Schultz - Confessions of a Hockey Enforcer was an interesting read. Likewise, Tiger Williams' book.

I can echo puck's recommendation regarding The Game - Ken Dryden and I also enjoyed Larry Robinson's book as well.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I read Net Worth way back before the movie came out. Someone on the other board mentioned the movie a while back so I pulled it back off the shelf for a read because there was a couple of pages in it I never ever forgot dedicated to a meeting by a trio of then young new NHL agents with Alan Eagleson. They met with him to try and bring forth radical sweeping changes to the constitution of the NHLPA. David Cruise portrayed these two agents as being full of bluster and bravado and willing to stop at nothing to change the NHLPA.

Eagleson ended up using part manipulation part intimidation to squelch their ideas for change and they ended up going for a tidy business lunch and no change ever happened yet the agents came away feeling satisifed for some bewildering reason. The author surmised it was because they were in awe of "the man, the myth, the Eagle".

I forget the 3rd agent but the other 2 were none other than Brian Burke and Pierre Lacroix (their paths would cross again - lol)

 

[forty_three]

I will add "Boys of Winter" about the 1980 Us Olympic team. It's cool because it keeps moving back and forth from when it was happening to where they are now. An interesting look into the many different personalities at play there. Not just Herb Brooks.

Gretzky's autobiography was also a winner.

Ken Dryden also wrote "Home Game" which looked at how hockey affects local communities in Canada. Highly recommend it.

"In the Crease" by Dick Irvin. Lots of great stories about what it's like to be one of those nutjobs who lets pucks be shot at them.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Let me take a look at the ol' bookshelf:


20th Century Hockey Chronicle - It breaks down the events of each season
The Hockey Compendium - Perfect for fellow stat junkies
Total Hockey/Total Stanley Cup - Replaceable with Hockey Reference but nice
Without Fear - Listing of the 50 best goalies of all-time

Blood Feud - Dater's surprisingly balanced look at the Wings/Avs rivalry
Messier - Unauthorized but informative biography on Messier from Klein
Winning, Nothing Else (Le Guerrier) - Roy's father's biography on his son

 

[Larry N]

Good follow up recs, guys! Dryden's The Game was going to be one of my future recommendations. It's a great read. And I will definitely be checking out Boys of Winter, The Hockey Sweater, and Blood Feud.

Another great book is Kings of the Ice: A History of World Hockey. This is a massive, massive tome giving biographical detail on upwards of 1,000 players from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Prominent players from all over the globe are profiled. It was great for bringing back all sorts of memories (a page on Bob Bourne? Sweet!) and does a great job of giving a sense of how Soviet and Eastern European hockey rose to prominence. As with other recommendations, this is still available on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Kings of the Ice: A History of World Hockey (9781553210993): Ales Brezina, Denis Gibbons, Dmitri Ryzkov, Igor Rabiner, Jan Bengtsson, Jan Stark, Nikolai Vukolov, Pavel Barta, Andrew Podnieks, Sheila Wawanash: Books

 

[puckhead]

Just read this one.
a look at Piestany 20 years later, from a bunch of different perspectives.
some very good anecdotes in there as well.

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[ame="http://www.amazon.com/When-Lights-Went-Out-Hockeys/dp/0385662750/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421988788&sr=8-1&keywords=hockey+lights+went+out"]When the Lights Went Out: How One Brawl Ended Hockey's Cold War and Changed the Game: Gare Joyce: 9780385662758: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

 

[Nasty_Magician]

The Code

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Code-Unwritten-Rules-Fighting-Retaliation/dp/1572437561/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422020218&sr=8-2&keywords=the+code"]http://www.amazon.com/Code-Unwritten-Rules-Fighting-Retaliation/dp/1572437561/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422020218&sr=8-2&keywords=the+code[/ame]


The Final Call

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Final-Call-Hockey-Stories-Stripes/dp/0771047983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422020247&sr=8-1&keywords=kerry+fraser"]http://www.amazon.com/Final-Call-Hockey-Stories-Stripes/dp/0771047983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422020247&sr=8-1&keywords=kerry+fraser[/ame]

 

[forty_three]

Bobby Orr's book is a must read. Just bought JR's book, but have not received it yet. I have high hopes for that one.

 

[tducey]

[ame="http://www.amazon.ca/Rebel-League-Unruly-Hockey-Association/dp/077108949X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422049688&sr=8-1&keywords=wha+a+rebel+league"]The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association: Ed Willes: 9780771089497: Books - Amazon.ca[/ame]

 

[beantownmaniac]

Bobby Orr's book is a must read. Just bought JR's book, but have not received it yet. I have high hopes for that one.

This was my first hockey book.

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I'm getting this soon.

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[puckhead]

I was told the bobby orr one was really, really boring.
The Derek Sanderson one was pretty good until he got kinda preachy.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Reading and tough hockey don't mix. No one ever got a Rock Em Sock Em Reading book in their Christmas stocking eh?