Today, we're looking at Cornell University Hockey, by Adam Wodon, with Research by Arthur Mintz.

Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York, and from everything I've seen in this book, the fans are 2^nd to none. Their hockey history is stellar, they're support of their team is without question, and they are considered some of the rowdiest fans in college hockey.

They've got a winning tradition at Cornell, and, in the modern era, are the only school with a perfect season; 29-0 during the 1969-70 campaign.

NCAA hockey is an excellent proving ground for future NHL players, and Cornell is no different. Brian Hayward played over 500 games in goal in the NHL, not to mention all-star Joe Nieuwendyk, Steve Shields, and NHL all-star, and 6-time Stanley Cup winning goalie Ken Dryden.

The pictures, going all the way back to the school's early days in the early 1900's, are quite interesting. Personally, I love history, and historical photos, and there are plenty in the book, especially at the back, where “campus life” is portrayed; for example, students in the midst of various traditions at the hockey rink.

I recommend this for any fan or alumnus of Cornell University, or even a fan of college hockey.

Special thanks to Arcadia Publishing for making this book available for reviewing purposes.

Link to Arcadia Publishing: http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/9780738536729/Cornell-University-Hockey

Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780738536729-0

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cornell-University-Hockey-Images-Sports/dp/0738536725/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372566380&sr=1-1&keywords=cornell+university+hockey

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cornell-university-hockey-adam-wodon/1100095094?ean=9780738536729

Today, we're looking at Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge, by Bob Probert and Kirstie McLellan Day.

There was a time in the late 80s and early half of the 90s when Bob Probert was considered the toughest player in the NHL. But there was so much more to his playing career than just fighting. He was a skilled forward, even making the All-Star Game one season, and assisting on a goal by none other than Wayne Gretzky. Probert was also the last player to ever score an NHL goal in Toronto's old Maple Leaf Gardens.

The first chapter is, ironically, his last. It chronicles his last day, in rather great detail. This was written by his wife.

In this book, you will get an up-close at his rise to fame, and his eventual fall. Along the way, you get a sense of his undoing, the drugs and alcohol.

His devotion to his family is second to none, and that is evident in every sentence written about his kids and his wife.

Kirstie McLellan Day is an excellent writer, and while she pulls no punches, she clearly has a talent for hockey writing. I like her style, and the way that the story flows easily from one topic to another. You don't have to know a lot about hockey to follow the story, as it's described in detail.

All in all, it's an excellent story about one of my favorite players.

Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600786389-0

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Guy-My-Life-Edge/dp/1600786383/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372126045&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+probert

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tough-guy-bob-probert/1102044117?ean=9781600785627

Today I'm looking at Tretiak: the Legend, by Vladislav Tretiak.

Tretiak has been considered one of the greatest players of all time, and many believe he's the best player to never play in the NHL.

He rose to prominence in 1972 in the 8-game Super Series against Canada, and made a name for himself. He led the USSR to countless World Championships and other tournament wins throughout the 1970s, and up to the Lake Placid Olympic Games in 1980.

Unfortunately, Tretiak gave up two goals in the first period, and his coach pulled him. Many people, including Tretiak himself, believe that if he'd stayed in the game, the Soviets could still have won the gold medal.

He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1983, on the belief that they'd eventually be able to get him over to North America. That never came to fruition, and so it is left to speculation as to whether he would have been able to keep up with the NHL. None other than Wayne Gretzky has said that Tretiak would have been just fine.

This book is a look at a humble person who just happened to become a superstar goalie. Along the way, he shows us his teammates, his coaches, and some of the methods that the Soviets used to become world-class champions.

It's an amazing book. I would encourage any hockey fan to find this book and read it. You don't have to know anything about the Soviet system; that is all explained in great detail. Just remember that most of the book took place during the Cold War, so politics played a part in much of what was going on, and the thinking of many people.

All in all, definitely worth your time.

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tretiak-Legend-Vladislav/dp/0140109188/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371773815&sr=1-1&keywords=tretiak

Note: At this time, I can only come up with an Amazon link.

Today, we're looking at Score! My Twenty-Five Years with the Broad Street Bullies, by Gene Hart.

Philadelphia hockey in the seventies was summed up in three words: Broad Street Bullies. They acquired a reputation for being an extremely physical team, pushing, pounding and banging every single team they faced. The team was successful to the point of winning back to back Stanley Cup titles in the mid-seventies. Colorful characters such as Dave “the Hammer” Schultz, Bob “Hound” Kelly, “Moose” Dupont, and, probably the best-known Flyer from the seventies, Bobby Clarke, who would captain the championship teams.

This book will appeal to even the non-Flyers fans, because of the depth that Gene Hart goes into with the history of the team, as well as what's happening around the league. He draws you into a story with an easy-going, yet descriptive style. I found myself wanting to focus on every word as he would describe an incident, or tell a story about a player's career. He drops humor in the same paragraphs as dead-serious prose.

The ups and downs of this 25-year period are chronicled in a manner that is almost conversational; you get the feeling that you're sitting in the living room while he tells you story after story, and in some cases, that's exactly what he's doing.

The book ends around 1990, with the firing of Bobby Clarke from his General Manager position. While time has left us the ability to see what the Flyers have done since, the book leaves us with the anticipation of what will come next.

As a final piece, there is a list of all the players that have played for the Flyers to that point, listed by jersey number. It's a fun few pages, and a nice way to finish off the book.

Even if you're not a Flyers fan, it's worth reading as a history of a hockey team with the ups and downs, through championships, the highs and lows that players can go through. Extremely well written.

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Score-Twenty-Five-Years-Street-Bullies/dp/0929387171/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371166526&sr=8-1&keywords=score%21+my+twenty+five+years+with+the+broad+street+bullies

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/score-gene-hart/1111631416?ean=9780929387178

Today, I'm reviewing The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes, by legendary referee Kerry Fraser.

Kerry Fraser was an NHL official for 30 years and 2,165 games. His stature as a legend in stripes is without question. He was well-respected by coaches and players alike.

This book is laid out extremely well and straight-forward. It's an easy to follow method, and you don't have to know anything about hockey to be able to keep up with each tale that is told. Each chapter chronicles his last appearance in a city with that team, plus a look back at memorable events in previous games involving that team. From the ups and downs, you can see that he truly worked his way to the top of the ladder, earning the respect of everyone along the way. Not afraid to call penalties on players and coaches if needed, but equally unafraid to simply skate over and give them a gentlemanly warning, he treated everyone the same.

It's an amazing look into just what a ref goes through in the course of a season, and a career. The names and incidents along the way are too numerous to mention here, but Mr. Fraser does touch on incidents like the great Detroit-Colorado wars of the mid-90s, as well as the infamous "Have another donut, you fat pig!" incident with New Jersey in the late 80s.

Definitely worth reading in my opinion... just settle back and let him tell the story.

Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780771047985-0

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Final-Call-Hockey-Stories-Stripes/dp/1551683539/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370816606&sr=1-1&keywords=the+final+call

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/final-call-kerry-fraser/1102305587?ean=9780771047985