Books
Sport books reviewed and read closely: histories, memoirs, tactics and the craft of writing about games, with notes on the sources behind each one.
Books as sources, not decorations
A good sport book does one of three things: it explains how a game works, it records a life that saw the game change, or it argues a position and shows its work. This section treats each title by what it actually delivers.
Reviews here name the structure, the sources and the limits, so a reader can decide before buying.
Random Hockey Book of the Week, Week 1: SI Hockey Book
Week one of the Friday book feature: Sports Illustrated The Hockey Book, a photographic history of the game from frozen ponds to the present.
Random Hockey Book of the Week, Week 2: The Great Expansion
Alan Bass on the March 1965 decision that doubled the NHL: furious Original Six fans, irate owners, and the 1967-68 season that changed everything.
Random Hockey Book of the Week, Week 3: Gretzky's Memoir
The Great One's autobiography is old enough to drink and still a good read, with one Amazon reviewer surprised by how opinionated Mr. Lady Byng is.
Random Hockey Book of the Week, Week 4: Original Six
Six stories, one for each Original Six team, with Paul Quarrington on the Bruins and a Red Wings piece about a grandfather and a radio broadcast.