Good Year For Hockey Books?

As you may know, I also run the website Hockey Book Reviews.com, where I work with most publishers and authors in promoting their new hockey books.

My general impression of the hockey book class of 2009 is it is rather average. There is an okay selection of titles, but little in the spectacular, must-have category.

Yet you might not know that if you judge the class strictly from the headlines on television and in the newspapers. The publisher's marketing teams have done an amazing job of getting their books in the spotlight in 2009.

The most recent is example is Bob Sirois' French release Québec mis en échec, where he suggests their is racial discrimination against Quebecois players by Hockey Canada and the NHL. This story dies down by the end of week, just in time for Don Cherry to reignite the fury on Saturday night.

There have also been revelations about the inner workings of the Wayne Gretzky trade in 1988, suggestions the Leafs and Oilers almost traded cities,

And of course then there is Theo Fleury. His allegation of sexual abuse at the hands of junior coach Graham James and admission of a suicide attempt takes all the headlines, although I'm sure the marketers would rather have not had to rely on those disturbing stories.

Then if you look at the Globe & Mail best sellers lists, you'll find Gretzky's Tears, Leafs Abomination, Hockey Dad and Why The Leafs Suck all as regulars, with Fleury's Playing With Fire sure to join them.

I'm not convinced it is a spectacular year for hockey books, but all the media attention suggests otherwise.

Here's a listing of books I've reviewed so far, with more to come:

100 Rangers Greats
Biggest Book of Hockey Trivia
Blue Ice
From The Broadcast Booth: Brian McFarlane
Goaltenders: The Expansion Years
Gretzky's Tears: Stephen Brunt
Hockey Dad: Bob McKenzie
Leafs Abomination
Le Québec mis en échec
Let's Talk Hockey
Let The Games Begin
NHL Guide & Record Book
Pick Up Hockey
Playing With Fire: Theo Fleury
Puck Funnies
7 Pre-Game Habits of Pro Hockey Players
Squaw Valley Gold
The Hockey Goalie's Complete Guide
The Pursuit of Hockeyness
The Rangers, Bruins & End Of An Era
The Rocket: A Cultural History
TSN: 25 Years
The Year of the Penguins
Warriors of Winter
World Class Hockey Trivia

Children/Young Adult
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2009-2010 Hockey Superstars
Hockey Hero
On This Day In Hockey
Polar Bears On Ice
Rebel Power Play
The Rocket: Mike Leonetti

2009 Paperbacks and Re-Releases

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