You know Christmas is in full flight over the "read" line when new hockey books start hitting the desks of book reviewers - people like me. I'm reviewing three new books for Sun Media's London Free Press, the daily newspaper here in the heartland of minor hockey.
The most timely of the three is The Ovechkin Project by crusty Toronto Star hockey writer Damien Cox and Gare Joyce of ESPN. The book's tagline is "A behind-the-scenes look at hockey's most dangerous player."
Kids idolize Ovechkin for his incredible skill and take-no-prisoners approach to professional hockey. Parents hoping for good role models may cringe when they discover the less-than-moral lifestyle he leads. Wisely, Ovechkin's handlers are trying to retool the overall image of the Washington Capitals' star.
Not sure yet if this book will help in that retooling. It's written for adult hockey fans, not the kids.
Book two is a great for kids and serious NHL fans. Former Toronto Sun sports editor Scott Morrison offers a ranking of the greatest hockey players of all time in Best of the Best. Not sure why Red Kelly is pictured in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey while listed among the best-ever defencemen.
The third book on my desk hits broad demographics - all ages and all interest levels in hockey. He Shoots . . . He Skewers by editorial cartoonist Randy Duncan takes some fun jabs at the game we love. This might be the first of the three I read cover-to-cover.
Watch for my full reviews in the print edition of the London Free Press and other Sun Media newspapers (hopefully posted by lfpress.com) closer to Christmas shopping season.
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