Mark Howe, Pierre Pilote, Keith Magnuson, Bob Plager Join Bobby Orr On Bookstore Shelves

Much of the hockey book hubbub these days is about Bobby Orr's autobiography, Orr: My Story.

But Orr isn't the only former NHL defenseman who is the subject of a book in 2013. Here's a look at some others:

Gordie Howe's Son: A Hall of Fame Life In The Shadows Of Mr. Hockey by Mark Howe (with Jay Greenberg) - Growing up in the shadows of a famous father can never be easy. But when you are an aspiring hockey player and your father is the greatest player the game has ever known, it must be a dark, dark shadow.

Mark Howe, with the help of Jay Greenberg, tells us all about that shadow, his dad Gordie Howe, and his own Hall of Fame life in hockey in his autobiography.

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

Heart of the Blackhawks: The Pierre Pilote Storyby Pierre Pilote with L. Waxy Gregoire and David M. Dupuis. When the ghosts of hockey's past reminisce about the 1960 Chicago Blackhawks, they almost always focus on superstars Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita with Mr. Goalie Glenn Hall also getting a lot of attention. Not as many people know the story of Pierre Pilote, the Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman who was so instrumental in Chicago's success and 1961 Stanley Cup championship.

That can all change this year as Pilote brings readers rinkside in this compelling biography, Heart of the Blackhawks: The Pierre Pilote Story. It is an authorized biography co-written with L. Waxy Gregoire and David M. Dupuis.

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

Keith Magnuson: The Inspiring Life and Times of a Beloved Blackhawk This biography of the late great Keith Magnuson was written with the full support of Keith Magnuson’s wife and children. It is a thrilling and insightful biography pays tribute to a Chicago icon and true hockey legend.

One of the most popular Chicago Blackhawks of all time, defenseman Keith Magnuson was raised on the raw, rough traditions of hockey in western Canada. He went on to become one of the toughest - and best - players in hockey.

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

Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Blues Stories Ever Toldby Bob Plager - Nobody bleeds Blue like Bob Plager, considered one of the funniest men in hockey. This rollicking book details Plager’s romance with the Bluenotes from day one in 1967 to the present day. He was an original Blues player, a rugged defenseman whose specialty was the hip check. He remains an original personality and a good-humored man whose specialty is now the quick quip. As a master storyteller, Plager packs Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room with insights from every level of the hockey rink.

He chronicles the puzzling mind games of a young Scotty Bowman, the quirky coach whose legend began with the original Blues. In those old-school days, Plager learned memorable lessons from veterans like Al Arbour, Doug Harvey, Glenn Hall, Dickie Moore, and Jacques Plante, all future Hall of Famers. The early years also brought the three Plager brothers—Bob, Barclay, and Billy—together in St. Louis. Bob played long enough to help break in two Western Canadian kids, future captain Brian Sutter and future Hall of Famer Bernie Federko. Plager later coached a new generation of stars in St. Louis, players like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, and Curtis Joseph.

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

Original Six Dynasties: Detroit Red Wings by Bob Duff

"Original Six Dynasties: The Detroit Red Wings" is the first in what I hope is a series of hockey books to showcase vintage photographs from the sport's golden age.

With nearly three hundred images ranging from 1942 to 1967, "The Detroit Red Wings" shows you Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuck, Ted Lindsay, Sid Abel, and other legends in their prime. The photos really do steal the show. When I sit down to actually read the book, I quickly get lost in the great imagery time and time again. The photos are black and white, which offers a great feeling of the time period. Many of the photos I have never been available to the public, making this a must have for hockey fans.

The text is written by Bob Duff, currently the sports columnist for the Windsor Star since 1988 and a regular contributor to "The Hockey News." He essentially writes captions for each photo, but most of the captions are lengthy. This adds so much more value than most coffee table books. There are plenty of stories told in the text, whether it is about the specific photo or the player featured.

All in all this a real nice hockey book and I hope the series is completed in coming years. All the Original Six teams deserve a book this special.

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

Bobby Orr: My Story

Bobby Orr may be hockey's greatest player. He is also incredibly shy and fiercely protective of his image. So when news broke that he was coming out with his own autobiography - Orr: My Story - I was not too excited by it.

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

Said Orr in a Boston Globe interview  "I'm like most people in that over time I've wanted to write down my thoughts, make sense of many things I've seen, and share some things I've learned. Having played in the National Hockey League doesn't make me a better person than anyone else but it does mean that I've met some interesting people and been through some experiences I think are worth putting on paper. This moment in my life seems the right time to do just that."

For those of us who have followed Orr over the years, you know this is very much Orr's story as he wants it to be told. There is not much earth shattering material in this book, aside from an interesting footnote on the controversial hit by Pat Quinn on a young Orr. For the most part this is, as expected, as carefully protective story in the image Bobby Orr has always wanted: Hockey's nicest guy.

Orr, of course, is arguably the greatest player who ever played the game, and that makes this book perhaps the most anticipated book of 2013. Orr completely transformed the way hockey was played, taking it from a game of grinding defence to a rushing, high-scoring affair. Along the way, Orr set scoring records, won individual awards, and led his Bruins to two Stanley Cups before a bad knee sidelined him far too prematurely. 

For younger fans this will be a great introduction to a true hockey legend. Too many years have gone by since Orr last played, and too many fans do not realize just how good he really was. For the uninitiated this is an excellent choice. I especially like Orr's recurring theme that hockey is supposed to be fun and that kids nowadays need to the chance to learn the game rather than be taught it. Orr's message is as much for the parents as the kids.

That being said the seminal hockey book on Bobby Orr will likely always be Stephen Brunt's 2007 masterpiece Searching For Bobby Orr. Once you have completed Orr's memoir, you really should do yourself a favor and read Brunt's bio.

Available on October 15th, Orr: My Story is listed at $32 (Canadian) but sells around $20.

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

Check out some of the book promotion tour below:

Bobby Orr interviewed by Peter Mansbridge



Bobby Orr interviewed by George Stroumboulopolous



And, just for fun, Bobby Orr interviewed by Don Cherry back on his 1980s show "Grapevine," followed by his interview with Elliotte Friedman at the 2010 Winter Classic

Sports Illustrated's Number Four Bobby Orr

There has been much hullabaloo over the past numbers of days about the release of Bobby Orr's autobiography, Orr My Story. But it is not the only new book on Orr to be hitting store shelves this month.

In 2012 Sports Illustrated released an interesting collection of magazine articles over the years on Wayne Gretzky. In 2013 they follow the blueprint with Number Four Bobby Orr

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

Starting with his jump from the Oshawa Generals to the NHL's Boston Bruins, Sports Illustrated began in-depth coverage of the career of Bobby Orr, a player who remains, over thirty years after his retirement, one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Orr's autobiography may be the preferred choice for some, as it is his story as he tells it. However long time Bobby Orr observers know that Bobby is an incredibly private man who has been fiercely protective of his image. His own book will surprise no one as the squeaky clean story that he wants to continue into hockey folklore. And you certainly can't blame him for that.

However literature written from the outside perspective can often be the best reads, or certainly a must-read companion piece if only for comparative purposes. As they say, every story has three sides - in this case it would be his own, the outside story, and, somewhere in the middle, the truth.

The seminal hockey book on Bobby Orr will likely always be Stephen Brunt's 2007 masterpiece Searching For Bobby Orr. SI's Number Four Bobby Orr doesn't reach those lofty standards, but what it does do is offer a glimpse into the career and life of arguably hockey's greatest player in a much more in-the-moment fashion. There is no reflecting back on a career that has become legend. The best part about SI's approach is it a collection of stories written at different times of his career. It allows today's reader to get a better understanding of Orr right in each moment of his life.

Stories include Frank Deford's 1966 piece "A High Price for Fresh Northern Ice," which introduced Orr to SI audiences. There is several excellent pieces by Mark Mulvoy, SI's lead hockey writer through Orr's years. Jack Olsen, Gary Ronberg and Peter Gammons paint their own portraits, among others.

J.D. Reed covers Orr's departure from Boston, which, as we learned years later, was had quite a different truth to it (which is briefly covered in an afterword). That's the beauty of SI's Number Four Bobby Orr. An moment-by-moment intimate look at one of hockey's all time greats.

There is even S.L. Price's 2009 retrospective that rode on Brunt's coat-tails. And Michael Farber, in typical Michael Farber style, writes a wonderful foreword.

Orr completely transformed the way hockey was played, taking it from a game of grinding defence to a rushing, high-scoring affair. Along the way, Orr set scoring records, won individual awards, and led his Bruins to two Stanley Cups before a bad knee sidelined him far too prematurely.

Orr deserves to be a hot topic of hockey literature. SI's Number Four Bobby Orr offers a unique anthology that should be on every hockey fan's reading list.

Bobby Orr Interviews with Peter Mansbridge, George Stroumboulopolous, Don Cherry

Bobby Orr interviewed by Peter Mansbridge



Bobby Orr interviewed by George Stroumboulopolous



And, just for fun, Bobby Orr interviewed by Don Cherry back on his 1980s show "Grapevine," followed by his interview with Elliotte Friedman at the 2010 Winter Classic

Peter Mansbridge Interviews Bobby Orr

Canada's top newsman Peter Mansbridge of CBC's The National sat down with Bobby Orr, arguably Canada's top hockey player. It is a rare gem of an interview as Bobby opens up about many topics.



A major reason for the interview is Bobby Orr is releasing his autobiography this week. Buy The Book: Amazon.ca- Chapters - Amazon.com

The Best, Worst And Biggest NHL Trades Of All Time

Veteran hockey writer Andrew Podnieks has teamed up with up-and-rising Rob Del Mundo (of TMLFans.ca fame) to give us the new book "The Best, Worst, and Biggest NHL Trades of All Time." At $12.99 this 240 page book is going to be a hit.

Buy The Book - The book is available exclusively at Chapters/Indigos stores in Canada and websites. Shipping is available throughout Canada and the United States.

What a great trip down memory lane. For me, and many fans of my generation, the trades that rocked my world the most were the Gretzky to LA and Lindros to Philadelphia trades. To the authors credit, they didn't get too crazy re-hashing these two trades. Yes, they are among the most important moments in the history of the game, but their coverage has been largely exhausted. The authors don't allow any trades to dominate the book.

While the Gretzky and Lindros trades jump to mind immediately, the authors certainly do not forget about Brett Hull or Doug Gilmour leaving Calgary, Rod Langway going to Washington, Boston fleecing Vancouver with Cam Neely or Patrick Roy's hasty exit from Montreal.

Though the book is heavy on trades in the 1990s, and with proper merit, the authors do an excellent job digging through history. The trades of King Clancy, Howie Morenz, Teeder Kennedy, Ted Lindsay, Phil Esposito (twice) and Lanny McDonald, amongst others, shaped hockey history.

While the authors do not allow any one trade to dominate the entire book, perhaps the authors do not dig deeply enough in some cases. I was hoping to learn what really prompted Boston and Montreal's swap of unknown prospects to land 16 year old Ken Dryden. Or what the real story was behind New York Islanders fans discontent towards Kirk Muller. The did do an excellent job digging, for example, to explain why Eddie Shore left Boston, so it is there, just not consistently.

This book is sure to be a hit. It is a perfect Christmas gift idea for the hockey fan on your shopping list. It is well priced and nicely produced, and is sure to bring back memories and renew a few debates.

The book is available exclusively at Chapters/Indigos stores in Canada and websites. Shipping is available throughout Canada and the United States.

Peter Mansbridge Interviews Bobby Orr

On Thanksgiving Monday (Happy Thanksgiving, Canada) Peter Mansbridge of CBC's The National interviews none other than the great Bobby Orr. Here's a sneak peak:



Mansbridge also offers this behind the scenes look at the interview:

Between The Pipes By Randi Druzin

This is Jacques Plante.

Plante literally changed the face of hockey, but deserved far more recognition as an innovator than that. No one had as a big an impact on the world of goaltending than Plante. We all know he was a quirky loner, with his love of knitting well known. But did you know when visiting Toronto he absolutely refused to stay at the Royal York hotel, the finest hotel in the city that the Habs always stayed at? I had no idea.

This poor fellow is Gump Worsley:

While in New York he once quipped that the team that gave him the most trouble the Rangers. We can see why here!

Did you also know that Gump was an excellent and avid soccer player? Neither did I.

This is Ron Hextall.

Hexy was a third generation NHL great who revolutionized the way goaltenders play the game. He was also one of hockey's great villains.

Did you also know Martin Brodeur, about as nice a guy as ever played the game and who is featured in the book himself, grew up idolizing Hextall? I sure didn't.

I learned these things - and so much more - in Randi Druzin's new book Between the Pipes: A Revealing Look at Hockey's Legendary Goalies, released in early October, 2013. It is a fascinating collection of stories of the most intriguing goaltenders in the history of the National Hockey League.

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

Also included in the 300 page book are looks at Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Johnny Bower, Bernie Parent, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Ed Belfour, and the chess-loving Dominik Hasek. These 12 men are the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL, making for a certain great read.

Druzin is one of the most notable young journalists today, with her work being read in Time, the New York Times, The Globe And Mail, CBC, The National Post and the Toronto Star. She previously penned the book "The Complete Idiots Guide To Women In Sports."

But she grew up dreaming of being a NHL goaltender herself, and her passion for both the position and the sport comes through brilliantly in her second major book release.

Druzin offers mini-bios on each of these 12 masked marvels, highlighting their quirks with her trademark wit along the way. She breaks down each of their careers chronologically, but she also seeks new insight into what makes these men tick. Often the result is amazing and fun stories that will make you think differently about some of hockey's all time greats!

Between The Pipes makes for an entertaining read that will leave even the most knowledgeable fan learning something new.

The book was published by Greystone Books in Canada, and distributed in the United States by Publishers Group West.

You can visit the author's website at http://www.betweenthepipesbook.com/

Hockey Books In The News

Here's a look at some hockey books in the news this week:

Of Pucks and Prime Ministers

What is the worst part of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's book about hockey? - That is just one of the questions (and title of the article) that MacLean's magazine's Scott Feschuk cheekily looks to answer.

Questions such as how anticipated is this book? Feschuk concludes, "It’s probably more accurate to say that people are “awaiting” the book in the same way they “await” things like Coldplay albums or the bus—with an indifference tinged by faint curiosity. Or perhaps I’m naive and throngs will flock to Chapters at midnight, dressed as their favourite characters. (Dibs on Skene Ronan of the Renfrew Creamery Kings!)"

I think that short passage gives you a hint of why you should Feschuk's article. It's not much of a real book review but it is an entertaining, light read poking lots of fun at Canada's favorite sweater wearing - and now hockey book writing - Prime Minister.

Romancing Dave Keon

Michael Enright of CBC Radio's The Sunday Edition recently sat down with Dave Bidini to talk about his new book, Keon And Me. The new book reminds of us our romantic relationship with hockey.

“I think Keon was the most complete hockey player,” Bidini said. “Harry Neale told me that if you were down by a goal, he was the player you most wanted out on the ice to score. If you were up by a goal, he was the player you most wanted out on the ice to protect the lead. He played a very tough, fierce game, but an honourable game.”

“He was celebrated for being a non-violent player, for playing the game the right way, and that’s antithetical to so many of our figures in hockey through today. People talk about Sidney Crosby and say, 'He’s gifted, but he’s tough.' Jarome Iginla’s gifted, but he’s tough. No one ever says, 'He’s tough, but he doesn’t fight.'"

Bidini fans, and there are many, will also want to read this feature article from The Torontoist, where he talks about hockey, Canadian identity and childhood heroes.

Maritime Heroes

In other news, the Cape Breton Post looks at Philip Croucher's new book "Road To The NHL." The book chronicles the life and careers of NHL stars from Canada's Maritime provinces. That includes Sidney Crosby, Al MacInnis, Willie O'Ree, Brad Richards and Mike McPhee, as well as lesser knowns like Scott Pellerin and Norm Ferguson.

(Wheat) Kings Of The Game

The Regina Leader-Post talks to Darrell Davis about his new book Fire On Ice: Why Saskatchewan Rules The NHL. Davis has made a living covering the CFL's Saskatchewan Rough Riders but he has a very personal connection with the hockey world, too. His dad, Lorne, played in the NHL, which made researching this book so enjoyable.

"It was wonderful when I got to talk to Glenn Hall and Elmer Lach and guys who played with my dad. I talked to Marc Habscheid about growing up in Saskatchewan and he reminisced with me because the Oilers drafted Marc Habscheid. It was a lot of fun (researching and writing the book) because of my father. And my sister (Liane) is a power-skating instructor who teaches a lot of these guys in the off-season. She taught Jordan Eberle how to skate."

Tough Guy Hints At Book

I had to look up who this guy was, but the Montreal Gazette caught up with Al Globensky, a former Montreal junior sensation who never made the NHL. He was a fan favorite tough guy who now is speaking out against fighting in hockey. He hints he is hoping to release his own book in the future.