5 comments about Jonesy: Put Your Head Down and Skate: The Improbable Career of Keith Jones.

1. First, this was a great read. I enjoyed it a lot despite thinking back to the Caps postseason woes under Terry Murray and Schoenfeld when Keith was there. Let me say he was one of the most clutch Caps ever, one of my favorites and I was ticked they dealt him for Chris Simon and Curtis Leschysin (spelling?), who was in town a minute and a half. I was never really a Chris Simon fan when he was here.
   
   Three of Keith's stories I loved: I'll try not to tell too much as I don't want to spoil them.
   
   The grueling skating regimen after Caps practice during the '92 playoffs, with Keith getting ticked that the Caps were beating the Pens and that meant more skating. High fiving Steve Konowalchuk when the Caps were losing so the skating would end.
   
   Handling his own contract negotiations with GM David Poile and bringing the empty briefcase to the meetings. I kept thinking of the Animal House scene where one of the Delta's points to his briefcase and smiles before the student body hearing.
   
   The Anson Carter stick story.
   
   I also liked the John Poor story at the end.
   
   Great job. Sure there was an error ir two in there but I got the gist of what Keith was trying to tell us. Excellent read!



2. As a WMU alum (class of '94) and hockey fan, I had the good fortune to have great seats for pretty much every home game for Jones during his junior & senior years in college. He impressed me as a player then. Given that connection, and hearing through John Buccigross' column that the proceeds for this book would go to charity, I pre-ordered this and read it immediately upon receiving it.
   
   The life and career of Jones are told through his unique voice throughout. This makes for very easy reading - if it seems aimed at a slightly younger-than-adult audience - and the 200 or so pages, much like Keith's career, go by far too quickly.
   
   Passages are both hilarious and touching.
   
   Highly recommended!



3. I liked this book. It's not horribly well written but it was enjoyable for the price.



4. Keith Jones has an engaging personality, and does a creditable job (with John Buccigross' assistance) in recounting his improbable rise through the ranks of junior hockey to the NHL.
   
   So why the 3 star rating, you ask? I prefer a more succinct, less repetitive writing style, and was hoping for more NHL insights, as well. It would have been nice to have had Jonesy's stats at the back of the book, and a few more pictures and funny stories.



5. I am honored to call Keith Jones my friend. He and I went to public school and high school together and played street hockey on several occasions with him. He may have some grit on the ice...but hes a great guy off the ice and has wrote a good book. Keep up the good work Jonesy and I will see ya in Brantford sometime.
   
   Pete Wilson

5 comments about Rayzor's Edge: Rob Ray's Tough Life on the Ice.

1. We all think of professional athletes as pampered stars who believe that the world revolves around them. Rayzor's Edge shows what it is really like for a kid growing up in a small town in Canada, working his way through junior hockey, dreaming to one day play in the NHL. What I liked most about this book was the honest and open way the authors described the fears and insecurities of Rob Ray, not just as he was on his way to the NHL, but once he got there, as well. From his first day at junior hockey to his last day on the ice as a Buffalo Sabre, authors Ray and Bailey expose the human side of the ups and downs of a professional athlete - what scares them and what drives them - first, as a green rookie putting on a team sweater for the first time and later, as a seasoned veteran. The book is engaging, thoughtful and very well-written and I highly recommend it to all sports fans.



2. This book is great. As far as I can tell, it's the best thing to come out of the Sabres this season. Rob Ray and Budd Bailey have given us a great real life story. This is a book for fans and players. Gene F.



3. As a former Buffalo area resident and Sabres fan who has been somewhat distant from the team for quite awhile, I found a couple of sections of Rob Ray's book particularly interesting. First, he discusses the controversy surrounding star goalie Dominik Hasek's injury during the 1996 - 1997 playoffs. Later in the book, Ray offers some new (to this reader, at least) thoughts regarding the mysterious departure of Buffalo Sabres Coach Ted Nolan. If you are a Sabres and/or Rob Ray fan, you will undoubtedly enjoy this book.



4. Sports superstars write books all the time, often after only one good season. Mostly it's the same story: How I overcame (insert minor setback here) by being blessed with incredible talent to become rich and famous.
   
   Rob Ray's story is a bit different. Ray had to struggle his whole life to make it in hockey. It is refreshing to see a sports biography written by a role player, by someone who watched many of his team's greatest moments from the bench or even in street clothes. And it is also refreshing to read the story of a player who made it by being the ultimate team player, a guy who had to struggle through the minors to make it.
   
   The book's main weakness is the Ray may be too nice a guy. While he would happily deck anyone on the ice, he seems to hesitate to say anything that might offend anyone he played with (with the notable exception of a certain Czech goalie), or even fought against.
   
   Enjoy this book for the story of a player who did his job as best he could, and still can't seem to believe he got to play in the the bigtime.



5. When I found out that Rayzor had the book coming out, I was quick to order it. I'm a life-long Sabres fan, and enjoyed watching him contribute to the team over the years. He was always fun to watch, and a smart player.. (I don't know if there ever was an enforcer better at goading his opponent into a penalty.)
   
   The book left me wanting something different. Rob tells about the history of the Sabres, from his perspective.. He tells some interesting stories, but I was left wanting more. I wanted to know more about the off-the-ice antics; who were the best/worst fighters in the league, and why? How about some stories from the lockeroom? Nights on the town in Buffalo? Overzealous fans?
   
   I must also note that the copy editing in the book was not great. Similar to Keith Jones' book, there are multiple errors in text that should have been caught. (Although there were many more in the Jones book.)

5 comments about Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts.

1. I have no idea how accurate the facts are, but this is brilliant storytelling. Think Douglas Adams in the post-Communist Eastern Bloc.



2. This is a well-written, well-researched book that captures a unique moment in history and a bizarre character who's also a product of his place and time. Rubinstein goes the extra mile to follow the thread of this true-crime story, and his engaging prose takes you with him.



3. Excellent book! Great true crime story that is action packed, and very funny...plus a little bit of history!
   Highly recommend this book!



4. Julian Rubinstein tells the true story of Attila Ambrus, the Transylvanian-born backup hockey goalie in Budapest who also lived the life of a pelt smuggler and daring bank robber between practices and games. It was a story the author first heard about in a short news piece in Sports Illustrated in 1999 and on writing the book he's able to set the story in hilarious style against the backdrop of the changing Hungary and Romania of the early 1990s. At one point Ambrus is described as "a sizable conundrum within a notable contradiction, the best unpaid hockey goalie in a filthy-rich slum town". The photo section in the middle, the appendices and interview with the author at the end, and the references throughout to world events the west would be familiar with serve to remind us that this is largely a work of non-fiction despite all the absurdity. A great read especially for those who have visited or have lived in this part of the world in these changing times from Socialism.



5. As an economist who has often worked on the transition from socialism, I found this book to be the best single source of what really went on---OK, that's partly because the book is hilarious and has one of the best book covers of all time. But Rubinstein should have won a Pulitzer prize for managing to capture what was going on behind the scenes on the socio-economic front in the early years of the transition in such an entertaining way. Let's hope Atilus escapes and there's a sequel.

3 comments about Hockey: A People's History.

1. This book is an outstanding history of the sport of hockey. I saw the Canadian multi-part TV program of the same name several years ago and always wanted to get this companion book. I'm glad I finally did. This is a beautifully done book, with many color and black and white photos from throughout the history of hockey. It's really a coffee table style book, oversized and with many photos. It's true the book is a little oriented more towards the Canadian perspective, but not overly so.
   
   I highly recommend this book to hockey fans everywhere...and if you ever get a chance to watch the TV show, do it. One of the best I've seen about the sport.



2. Having been a Hockey buff for just over 50 years, I found this volume to be the most comprehensive and complete treatment of the subject that I have read over the years, having read several. It reveals some information not generally known to those not in the "industry". I found this book to be a fascinating, don't want to put it down read. My congratulations to Michael Mckinley.



3. If you're a hockey fan with an appreciation for the history of the game, *this* is the book you need to read... Hockey: A People's History by Michael McKinley. This both entertained and educated me, and brought the history of hockey alive in a way I've never seen it before.
   
   Contents: Prologue; The Temple and the Chalice; Gold After Silver; Blood and Champagne; The Dustbowl Dream; A Cool Medium; Us and Them; The Soul of a Nation; Hope and Betrayal; The Winter of Our Discontent; Reclaiming the Game; Acknowledgements; Index
   
   This is a coffee-table companion book to a CBC series of the same name. Not living in Canada, I can't say I've seen the series. But if it's anything like the book, it must be outstanding. McKinley goes back to the beginning of the game we know as hockey, back to 1875 when the first game was played in Montreal. Many other variations of the game existed before then, but generally speaking, this is when the game started in its modern form. Lavishly illustrated, he works his way up through time, from the birth of the Stanley Cup to the lockout season of 2004-2005. In between, you learn about the great names of the sport who often are just names attached to trophies unless you know the history... Hobie Baker, Frank Calder, Conn Smythe, and many others. The stories of teams put together to challenge for the Stanley Cup, back in the day when it was up for grabs to just about anyone. There's even coverage of the Portland Rosebuds, who challenged the Montreal Canadiens in 1916. Junior and women's hockey also figure prominently in the story, so whatever your particular interest niche is for the game, you'll find it in here.
   
   I remember a few years back when my kids attended a hockey camp in Penticton, British Columbia. The final day included a game played in the city arena that was home to the Penticton Vees. It's an old-time barn, with plenty of memorabilia from years gone by. But until I read this book, I didn't realize just how big a deal that team was. That team went over to Germany in 1955 and beat the Russian team for the World Championships, and was the toast of Canada in the midst of the Cold War tension of the time. Walking through the arena, you could almost feel the ghosts of history, the thousands of games that had been played there. It's hard to explain, but hockey in Canada is more than just a sport, it's a national identity and obsession.
   
   I don't know that I've spent as much time lingering and savoring a book than I did this one. It's a pleasure to read, and will add immensely to your understanding and respect of the game.

2 comments about Number Four, Bobby Orr!.

1. This book is great for boys and girls all ages. My grandson is 2, and loves this book. His Dad is a Bobby Orr fan, so it was a perfect gift for him!



2. My five year old son loved this story. Great for young hockey fans.

2 comments about Sidney Crosby: A Hockey Story.

1. If you are a true fan of "Sid the Kid" this book is for you. Sidney Crosby's adventure into hockey is covered in great detail.



2. Good overview of a young Canadian boy, with little advantage, going on to become the next biggest potential star since Wayne Gretzky. A good read for hockey buffs and teenagers.

5 comments about Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph.

1. Travis Roy is an inspirational man, he tells everyone about the emotional state that he was through during the whole entire situation. He created a foundation that didn't just help him but helped others with the same situation. Before reading this I didn't know the process of paralysis victims, but after I was fully aware of what paralysis victims went through emotionally and physically.
   
   It is a great story for people that don't even really like hockey because any person could get paralyzed any given day. So after reading this story it made me aware of how a single mans pain can express the words of thousands.
   
   The reason why I recommend this book is because it is the story of a man that enjoyed everyday life before being paralyzed, then after 11 seconds of hockey his life completely changed, but he fought through the pain and lived everyday to the fullest and always kept his mind looking positively. He wants to walk again and keeps thinking that he can, one thing that could possibly just keep him going everyday.
   
   So this is a must read for everyone, I strongly recommend it because it makes people explicitly aware of what paralyzed people go through. After reading the book it will make you look at people in wheelchairs differently. If you do choose to read this book, enjoy it and keep in mind that Travis Roy is much luckier than many.



2. I read this book in two days! Travis Roy is an incredible person who has lived through a tragic experience. I applaud him for setting up a foundation to help other people with spinal cord injuries. As a teacher, I would love to have him speak at my school!



3. Initially I was drawn to this book because it involved my passion, hockey. But Travis' story moved me deeply. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. I was really interested in the affect his accident would have on his relationship with his girlfriend and I was rooting for them to stay together. I'll be honest I'm pretty bummed things didn't work out between them. But this was a great story of a very inspirational person. It truly made me want to make a contribution to his foundation which I plan on doing. I would recommend this book to anyone not just fans of hockey. Good Luck in the future Trav!



4. In Eleven Seconds, a story about a young man at the age of twenty-one living life and one event happens to change it all. Playing in his first collegiate game of hockey, Travis Roy crashed the corner after a dump in, tripped, fell, and broke his fourth vertebrae and becomes paralyzed from his neck down. This single event changes the way he and his family act towards each other. The story goes through his amazing recovery and the heart and determination he had. The author portrays Travis Roy as a hero to those that are in deep pain or trouble. He accomplishes this by showing the good and bad times in his recovery stages. After a few months at the hospital, Travis Roy wants to get back into the world and show that this freak accident will not keep him down. He returns to college and tries to become a normal student, but this is impossible because he has become a well-known person due to the accident. The grit and determination of Mr. Roy and his family members through the hard times to get to a level of peace and acceptance of what has happend is amazing. This story makes you, the reader, feel that you just need to make the best of the hand that is dealt and that if anything goes wrong you just have to deal with it and make the best of the situation. Eleven Seconds is a great book and should be read by all.



5. On Oct. 20, 1995, two of my friends and I gleefully took our seats in Walter Brown arena. We'd saved up the money to purchase season tickets (huge money for undergraduates), and couldn't wait to see the triple crown banner be raised. The beginning of the night was all of the heartpounding celebration it could be.
   
   And then only a short time later, that all changed--That night of joy became one of profound sadness as we watched a (then) unknown freshman player fall to the ice, motionless. It was the first and only time I've personally witnessed someone injured so severely.
   
   Since that night, I've kept up from time to time to see what Travis is doing, how he's doing, and am constantly amazed at how he's fighting. He is an inspiration, and his book should be on anyone's reading list.

2 comments about King of Russia: A Year in the Russian Super League.

1. This book is a terrific almost day-by-day account of the experience Dave King had coaching in Russia. I was particularly interested in this title because, besides being an avid hockey fan from Minnesota -practically a Canadian province in terms of hockey- I am also someone who has been interested in first, the Soviet Union as a teenager, and now Russia and its transition away from communism. Before I read it, I wondered how the Russian players, media and fans would treat him. I also wondered whether or not and to what extent he would succeed in this literally foreign hockey league, if he would be mugged or meet the Russian mafia (as Russia has a bit of a reputation for "lawlessness"). I also wondered how he would manage to reside in a country and if he would be insulated from some of its problems. ALL of these questions are answered, but you'll have to read it to find out! It is a GREAT and EASY read!! I highly recommend it!



2. I really enjoyed reading this book. Had to put it down once in a while to get some sleep! I had read an earlier book about the first NHL player that went to Russia. This fits in well with that book. A very good update about the players. The world hockey that you don't hear about in the States, and Canada.
   You will recognize the names. A good book.

5 comments about Searching for Bobby Orr.

1. If you like Hockey and grew up during the time of the legend Bobby Orr playing against the Canadians, the Maple Leafs, the Blackhawks and others this book is well worth the read. I enjoyed the book and will pass it on to others to enjoy as well.



2. I purchased and read this book only after receiving a recommendation from a hockey buddy. I originally passed on it based on the few reviews on Amazon.com; however, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the "up and down" reviews, I thought this book was interesting and well written. One reviewer wrote, "In the course of researching this book, author Stephen Brunt was not able to talk to Orr or any of his close knit circle of friends and family. As a result, Brunt's account is superficial and, ultimately, disappointing and unsatisfying." I disagree. Because Orr was, in the reviewer's own words, a "secretive, introverted man", I do not believe that he is inclined to reveal any more of his private life than was shared in this book. The book provides an objective account of the best and most exciting hockey player ever to lace a pair of skates. Included are Bobby's battle with knee problems that robbed him (and all hockey fans) of a lengthy career and his financial difficulties linked to his association with Alan Eagleson.



3. Just how good was Bobby Orr? Harry Howell said it best during the National Hockey League awards ceremony, where he was presented with the Norris Trophy as the League's top defenseman: "I've been around for fifteen years, and thank God I finally won the trophy. I've got the feeling that for the next twenty years it will be known as the Bobby Orr Trophy." High praise indeed, but consider this: Orr had just completed his rookie season, earning respect almost unheard of at that stage of a career, and he wasn't even the runner-up for the award.
   
   Bobby Orr was regarded as a savior for the Boston Bruins from the very moment he was first seen on the ice by members of the Bruins management, playing in a junior game with children three and four years older than him, dominating the game and controlling the puck better than anyone. He was just an average kid from an average town --- not well off financially and not the greatest of students, though he tried hard --- but on the ice he became a legend.
   
   Stephen Brunt likens Orr to the Greek hero Achilles. The National Hockey League was Troy, and Orr was the most powerful and dynamic hero of the game. And yet, like Achilles, Orr had a flaw. While he had the heart, the determination and the will, it was his knees that ultimately would cut short an exciting and record-setting career. He was the flash of light, the great fire that burned too bright for too short a time. He would win the Norris Trophy the next eight consecutive seasons and lead the League in scoring twice.
   
   As popular and as masterful as he was on the ice, Orr was savagely private about his personal life. He was quiet and reserved, and Brunt shows us that even though he would join his teammates at a party, he often was the first to quietly slip away unnoticed. In putting together this book, Brunt approached Orr about being involved, but he declined and also made a stipulation: Brunt would not be allowed to approach his family.
   
   In some ways that is a loss. Hearing about the storied career from the man who wrote it with his play would have been enlightening and lent a sense of charm and closeness, a way for those who worshiped him to get closer to their hero. Perhaps, however, it was more of a boon that Orr did not wish to be involved. It freed Brunt to seek his own answers and create his own path. The story he chose to pursue could not be shaped and molded, and things he discovered may never have come to light in speaking with the man himself.
   
   One of the fabulous aspects of this book is that Brunt seems to know that a hero, no matter how grand or powerful, is not self-made. Along the way Orr has people who shape his world-view and his life. Those figures are given definition here, particularly Wren Blair, who saw the young boy play in Canada and tried to secure a contract for Boston. "Bucko" McDonald, his junior coach, recognized that Orr was exceptional: a rushing defenseman who was small. McDonald let Orr be who he was and didn't attempt to turn him into something he wasn't. Alan Eagleson was the lawyer who worked with Orr in drafting up a healthy contract in his first season and paved the way for the creation of player agents and sports management groups. However, Eagleson, who would also be the ruin of many a good man by pilfering their retirement funds, ultimately was brought down by Orr and fellow player Carl Brewer. And then there were Orr's parents, who were both encouraging and very protective.
   
   As quickly and beautifully as he came, Orr would be gone. Brunt does an excellent job at revealing him, yet, when all is said and done, there is still so much unknown. The title, SEARCHING FOR BOBBY ORR, is very accurate. Brunt had to search, and could probably keep searching for years. What the author has done, however, is give us an exceptional biography of the greatest hockey player ever to lace up a pair of skates.
   
   --- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard



4. In the course of researching this book, author Stephen Brunt was not able to talk to Orr or any of his close knit circle of friends and family. As a result, Brunt's account is superficial and, ultimately, disappointing and unsatisfying. Orr has hinted that he might tell his story himself some day but I won't hold my breath. I suspect he will remain a secretive, introverted man, someone who plied his trade for too short a time, then bowed out with dignity. There's really nothing new in SEARCHING FOR BOBBY ORR and, as much as I like and respect Mr. Brunt, he has done little to disspell the mystery surrounding Number 4...and perhaps that's for the best.



5. This book looks not only at the brilliant but tragically short career of Bobby Orr, but also at the historical development of Canadian hockey and the NHL, and the significant changes at the time of Orr's career. I consider it mandatory reading for any passionate hockey fan.

3 comments about What It Means to Be a Red Wing: Detroit's Greatest Players Talk About Detroit Hockey.

1. I mulled over this book for a long time thinking it was some fanboy "history" lesson, but I broke down and bought it anyway. I was so thrilled after I started reading it to see that it was all from the players' words! I loved reading about the guys from the 40s all the way to now. It is a inspirational book and it makes me proud to be a fan even though I was not born into hockey. No I was not a recent convert or riding their tails when they won, I started with the in the 80's (yes when they were not at their all time best). Anyway, the only thing about the book I was disappointed with is it did not have Gordie Howe's words (even though he wrote his own book, he could have something in it), Larionov, Federov, Vernon, and many others who did not contribute. Of course, it could have been the authors choice to not include them so I hope there will be a volume two!!! Still, this is a fabulous book to have if you really are a fan of the Red Wings and a fan of hockey.



2. My daughter started into hockey while going to Northern Michigan University. She then got hooked on the Wings. I was hoping that Art's book would introduce her to the culture of the Red Wings. She loves it. Thanks Art, miss you on the radio and hope you land on your feet soon.
   Mike from St Clair



3. What a great read! As the youngest daughter growing up in Detroit, I grew up in a family that loved professional hockey and college football . . . I watched from the fringes. Hockey did intrigue me, but I never really got hooked into the sport. As I went through the bookstore recently I spotted this book on the Redwings. I saw that it was individual stories and I thought that might be a great way to get a taste for what I may have missed, since my family goes on and on about the Wings. So glad I made the purchase. What a wonderful read. A few stories each night before bed, what a great way to retire. Each one is insightful and I was really drawn in. Guess what, I think I'm hooked . . . I will now be attending some live games. Go wings!!!