Hockey Books

The 'Grand Inquisitor ' is the central chapter of Dostoevsky's great work , "The Brothers Karamazov". In it the brother of intellect Ivan tells a story to the saintly Karamazov brother, Alyosha. He tells of how Jesus came once to Spain in the time of the Inquistion .He tells how Jesus performed a series of miracles which caused the people to cry out for him. He tells how the 'Grand Inquisitor ' whose exposition fills a good share of the text, tells why Christ must be banished and the Grand Inquisitor must continue to rule. The essence of his message is that the people cannot endure freedom. They are not really able to bear responsibility for themselves and must be fed, spiritually protected by an authoritarian power, the Grand Inquisitor and the Church.
This assumption that the people cannot bear their own freedom seems to me very Russian. It is I think quite difficult for an American who supposes that freedom is natural and most desirable, to understand this.
Dostoevsky as usual in powerful, dramatic, psychologically penetrating prose creates in this work one of World Literature's great chapters.
A number of readers have rightly commented that it is preferable to read this chapter in the context of the whole novel. But it too can be read and understood on its own terms.
One more point which comes to mind is that here the Church is made to be the instrument of interfering with true freedom.

The Grand Inquisitor loves humanity but the question is: Is he misguided? The Grand Inquisitor is by no means a trivial person. According to Dostoyevsky most humans are by nature incapable of handling freedom, of taking care of their basic needs, of accepting the moral responsibility of conscience or of living with differences ? we like to be sheep ? apparently. ?[?] Thee, what is to become of the millions and tens of thousands of millions of creatures who will not have the strength to forego the earthly bread for the sake of the heavenly? Or dost Thou care only for the tens of thousands of the great and strong, while the millions, numerous as the sands of the sea, who are weak but love Thee, must exist only for the sake of the great and strong? No, we care for the weak too. They are sinful and rebellious, but in the end they too will become obedient. They will marvel at us and look on us as gods, because we are ready to endure the freedom which they have found so dreadful and to rule over them- so awful it will seem to them to be free. But we shall tell them that we are Thy servants and rule them in Thy name. We shall deceive them again, for we will not let Thee come to us again. That deception will be our suffering, for we shall be forced to lie? (Dostoyevsky 8-9).

Dostoyevsky, in The Grand Inquisitor, arrives at this conclusion since his observations suggest that this has been the pattern of human behavior from the beginning of human history. Ti interpret the quote above, Dostoyevsky does believe there is a relatively small group (tens of thousands) of people who are different by nature and who can do for themselves, handle responsibility and conscience and not only live with difference, but even create it. Again, he appeals to experience, being able to cite these people in human history. When Jesus lands in Inquisition Spain, he is quickly arrested. He confronts Jesus for giving people inner freedom. Christianity proper was built for the few: only the minority go to Heaven because Christianity has very high standards: ?narrow is the way to Heaven? and ?it is easier for a candle to enter the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter Heaven? Yet, religion in general is catered to the masses, most of whom believe they are going to Heaven. There is a contradiction there, and Dostoyevsky zeroes in on that The Inquisitor proceeds to list three temptations that the Catholic Church has remedied. ?From those questions alone, from the miracle of their statements, we can see that we have here to do not with the fleeting human intelligence, but with the absolute and eternal. For in those three questions the whole subsequent history of mankind is, as it were, brought together into one whole, and foretold, and in them are united all the unsolved historical contradictions of human nature? (Dostoyevsky 7).

To summarize the issues from the quote above: [1] First temptation: MIRACLE (Dostoyevsky 7). [2] Second temptation: MYSTERY (Dostoyevsky 10). [3] Third temptation: AUTHORITY (Dostoyevsky 14). According to the Inquisitor, the Church fills the people?s need for a sense of unity. The Church has removed all temptations by being the conscience of the people. Do we really need the illusion or can and should we be able to think for ourselves? Where does Dostoyevsky REALLY stand on this issue? Read it and judge for yourself.

Miguel Llora

I don't see how you can isolate "The Grand Inquisitor" chapter from the novel in which it is situated, The Brothers Karamazov. I think that knowing who is telling the story, who he is telling the story too, what the story means to each of these people, and what the consequences of what the Grand Inquisitor have to say, are ALL important; important because it is a great novel and important in understanding the grand inquisitor!!!!!!! My suggestion: Buy The Brothers Karamazov instead of this. It's excellent.

While this story is truly an essential writing of Dostoevsky, it lacks the appropriate context to be read as sold in this copy. If you are interested in reading "The Grand Inquisitor" without reading the rest of The Brothers Karamazov, I would recommend the Guignon edition, sold for only a little more. This work includes the two chapters preceeding "The Grand Inquisitor" as well as what Dostoevsky intended as the refutation for this tale, "The Russian Monk," which follows this legend. Dostoevsky did not intend for this to be separated from the book as a whole, but I think it could be legitimately done when read with a little more context than is present in this copy. Additionally, this alternate edition includes a very complete introduction by Charles Guignon, which is much more informative than the brief one by Anne Fremantle provided in this copy.

It is important to remember that "The Grand Inquistor" was not Dostoevsky's final answer in The Brothers Karamazov. Reading this edition alone provides a flawed view of both Dostoevsky's writing and philosophy and The Brothers Karamazov.

I would recommend reading the book as a whole instead [and I particularly recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation for that: it is much more accurate to the original Russian]. Or at a minimum, reading the other edition of this book. Either way, you will get a more complete glimpse to the genius of Dostoevsky, which this fails to provide.

The Grand Inquisitor is truly an essential read, but not in this presentation of it.

"The Grand Inquisitor" is a story embeded within THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. However, the story is "self-contained." Nothing is lost by reading it as a complete short story. In my opinion, "The Grand Inquisitor" is the greatest single story ever written. It's an interesting look at humanity, spirituality, and the church. If you are only going to read one more thing before you die, you must read "The Grand Inquisitor."
*This particular edition, however, seems to have some typos that were not caught by the proof-reader, but they're nothing very serious.

If you want to find out who the Russian Rocket is you'll have to read this book. I would recommend this autobiography for anyone to read if they have an interest in the NHL. This book gives you details on what actually took place for the Russians to be able to come and play hockey in the NHL.

Although the author really didn't have much access to Pavel himself, he fills in lots of the gaps and dispells a lot of the myths about the most exciting player to put on a Nux jersey (sorry, Markus Naslund...you're great but you don't lift me out of my seat like Pavel did).

This book only confirms my thoughts on writers like Tony Gallagher and Al Strachan--guys who never let the facts get in the way of a story. It also is an eye opener about how Nux mgmt operates and how the Nux WILL NEVER WIN A CUP until they bag this whole Quinn and his acolytes (Burke and now Nonis) hiring policy.

It hurts to read some of this as what mgmt did during Pavel's era is jaw droppingly stupid from bad trades post-1994 to being so chintzy about contract negotiations with key members of that Cup run team and I can now understand why Pavel finally wanted out. And to those out there always talking about how "great" a place to live Vancouver is, read this and wake up to the fact Vancouver is still a backwater and not some sort of cultural and enlightened "world-class" city.

I think that this book is probably the best book out there right now. It tells the reader everything about the Russian Rocket, including his relationship with his father. And if you're a hockey fan like me, you really have to read this wonderful book.So don't delay,order today!

This book is the true meaning of perfection and excellence. He may not be Wayne Gretzky, but Bure could beat him in a speed competition easily. Through the tough times of growing up in Russia, to the glorious days of the Olympics, Pavel Bure is truly a hero and an overall nice guy too. Everyone should read this book, because I sure enjoyed it a lot, and if you know the game of hockey, you will appreciate it even more.

If you're looking as to why Pavel Bure appears to be such a "selfish little (...)" (as quoted by a certain Canadian famous hockey personality), then you should read this. The readers are treated to potential reasons as to why Bure acts like he does. He's got his reasons like anyone else does, one of them being he grew up in the former Soviet Union and their media laws towards sports are very different from that of North Americas. Another one being that he is an introvert that simply doesn't like to be bothered.

I love this book, I can just pick it up and start reading from anywhere because its so well-written. Some of the pictures are neat, like the one of him from the Soviet Union days.

There is also some other notes on other current NHL stars like Alexander Mogilny, Sergei Fedorov, and also delves into the Bure brothers relationship with their father Vladimir-who is now estranged from the family for mysterious reasons not given.

There is even some Russian Mafia rumors in this so if you're into that whole extortion stuff then you might like that too.

Either way, its a very good read.

It's too bad the author didn't wait a few more years to write this, because he missed all kinds of drama that Fleury encountered after its publication, including his suspension from the NHL for drug problems, another divorce and brawls playing hockey in Ireland.
The author could have dug a little harder, too, into Fleury's messed up family and the speculation widely throughout the NHL that he might have been victimized in several ways by authority figures in his junior career.

The Theo-specific info in this book would make a very nice in-depth magazine article. The book is poorly written, very disjointed. The author introduces a Theo story, and in the next paragraph is telling the history of the food services manager. In one place, I counted 6 pages that included only 1 paragraph of 2 lines about Theo. Theo has an incredible spirit. His story is one of triumph over truly overwhelming odds. He deserved a better effort for what is titled as HIS biography. If you want to know about the GM, coaches (at all levels), security guards, bus drivers, entertainment managers, food service, mascots and ticket sales this is the book for you. If you want to really get to know an NHL player, read Brett Hull: His Own Story.

I bought this for my husband, for Christmas. I read it out of curiosity. Theo's story will not just warm your heart. It will make you love him, and respect him. So many who have his difficult background use it as an excuse to walk around with a chip on their shoulder. Theo doesn't, he only has a chip on his shoulder on the ice, where it belongs. The author included a lot of other stuff, that sometimes made the book a difficult read, but I'd just turn the pages until he picked up Theo's story again. I liked him to begin with, now I root hard for him, this little dynamo paid his dues, and earned his success. If you only read one book this year, you have to read this one.

Parts of this biography focus on Theo's childhood development and his opening years with the Calgary Flames. I say 'parts' because it also spends a great deal of time discussing how various parts of the Flames organzation runs, with chapters devoted to the people behind the scenes. While the book doesn't concentrate completely on Fleury, I still felt it was informative in bringing me the whole picture regarding the things that affect his daily life (travel, practices, autograph hounds, injuries, and such). In a few years, I'd like to see this author revisit Fleury and write about his days with the Avalanche, the Rangers, and the 2002 Winter Olympics.

I bought FURY a while ago and hadn't gotten around to reading it. But then I saw Wayne Gretzky at his retirement news conference say how he would have liked to play with Theoren Fleury. I got out the book and spent all night reading it. It was one fun book about sports, about an interesting guy and what it is really like inside a real pro sports team. Now that Fleury is playing for an American team it's easier to follow his play--another 40 goal season. Thanks to whoever wrote this book for an interesting read. I learned so much. And it was fun doing it.

Why is this kid so messed up? This book was about a kid who played ice hockey, and he was a big goon. People all around the country knew who he was, and hated him for his style of play. Through the book it talked about his team and how he played in the different tournaments, and it was pretty good explination in the hockey perspective. This book was a fast read, but it didnt keep my attention. I just couldn't get into the book. I think that people should read this book if they are into hockey, or if they want a dramatic book that involves family problems, or if they would like to read a good book. I would recommend that you give this book a try, and who know's, you might even like it.

Kody Nolt
Block 3

This book was great it caught my attention in the beginning of the book by saying Eric the main character slammed a hockey goalie into the net and scored a goal. Eric used his brute force to win games in hockey. The people who are at the game usually boo at Eric and call him names because of what he does at the games. Eric's dad loves when Eric beats up on people in the hockey rink. Eric's brother Duane was a sports player until he had a vision that made him give up sports and play guitar. Eric's mother was a former nun and she thinks of Duane as a devil like figure. Eric has only one friend which is a water dragon named Mary. Eric has some strange obsession with dead things. He can't stop going to the cemetery. Eric is a very strange person who lives a very strange and interesting life.

In The Iceman a boy named Eric plays on a hockey team, which he doesn’t like very well and everyone on it is very mean to him calling him the iceman because he is a heartless play who is cold as ice. Eric’s father brings home people for dinner for business. He always brings home someone different and one night he brought home Mick Mackey. Mackey was an all-time hockey player who was that star of the Big Bad Bruins. The Bruins were the team who were the Stanley Cup Champions of seventy and seventy-two. Mackey comes home with him because he needs Eric’s fathers businesses to help him out with him children camps. Eric’s dad brags about him and how he wins the game on his own. The thing his dad doesn’t know is that Eric doesn’t want to play hockey anymore and that he hates it. His decides he wants to quit and tells his dad face to face. His dad just laughs and shakes it off. The next day was Eric’s last game of hockey.



Eric’s friend McLaughlin works at a mortuary and Eric decides he wants to be like him and work where he does and do all that stuff he does. Eric one day decides to show his brother, Duane, what the mortuary and what it’s like. He takes him there before school and it found McLaughlin, his mortuary friend, next to, whom he called, Evangeline. McLaughlin, his partner, his buddy was dead right in front of him. To find out what happens next read the rest of this intense book, The Iceman.

Iceman By, Chris Lynch

Iceman is about a hockey player named Eric. He is the best player on his team. He is always getting in fights and hurting people badly. Nobody on the team likes him, they think that he is too violent for hockey. Eric doesn't really enjoy playing hockey. He starts to get sick of it because his teammates, his opponents and the fans all hate him.
Eric's only friend is the undertaker at Gromley's funeral home. His name is McLaughlin. Eric often skips school to help McLaughlin prepare the bodies for the funerals. He enjoys this work because he feels that he can relate well to McLaughlin. McLaughlin is like Eric because he doesn't get along well with other people.
Eric has an older brother named Duane. Eric idolizes him. Duane used to be a star in all sports. His hockey number is retired and he was a star in Lacrosse and football. One day Duane decides that he doesn't want to play sports any more. He said that he saw a vision when he was trying out for football, so he sells all his equipment and buys a new guitar. Eric's dad loved to see Duane play sports and he is saddened that he will never get to see him play again.
Eric's dad loves to go to his games. He practically lives for it. He goes crazy when Eric makes a hit or does any thing good. His dad loves to be hated. At a tournament in Quebec he gets soda poured all over his head and he doesn't ever flinch. Erics dad works as a Public Relations man. He is always bringing clients to the house. One day he brings home a former hockey player and Eric and Duane really connect with him.
Eric's mom was a former nun. She reads the bible all the time and tries to get Eric to go to church. She is worried about him because he is so violent. He once broke his stick over a teammates head. Eric said he didn't even feel angry. Eric goes to church once and he hates it. He only goes to church that one time.
I think this is a really good book. I like is because it has a lot of action and it makes you want to keep reading. I also like how the whole book isn't about him playing hockey. There is a lot of other part of the book. Like Eric's relationship with McLaughlin and how he cant make friends. I also like the book because Duane is funny. He is always saying things to his parents that get them mad. I liked how you can see the change in Eric from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. There is a really big change in his attitude and how he plays hockey. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a good read.

This book was mainly about a 14 year old boy named Eric and his everyday life. Eric has a very strange life.
Eric has this weird knack of being around dead people. Eric says that he can stop looking at dead people. Eric plays hockey. But when he is on the ice someone usually gets hurt because of Eric.Eric has an older brother named Duane. Duane used to play sports until, he said that he had a vision while trying out for football. Now Duane plays a guitar. Eric's mom was a nun and she thinks of Duane as a Lucifer. Eric's dad is a sports freak. He hated it when Duane quit sports. Eric's dad loves it when Eric pummels other player when playing a hockey game. Eric has a pet its a water dragon named Mary. Mary is also Erics only friend.
Overall, this is a great book to read. I enjoyed reading this book more than other I have read in a while.

If you grew up watching hockey in L.A this book is for you.

As a Kings fan I really enjoyed this book by Bob Miller who is one of the 3 legendary LA sportscasters, including Chick Hearn and Vin Skully. Bob's book isn't a scholarly endeavor but who cares. He relates a bunch of anecdotes about Kings players, coaches and management down through the years and the stories are pretty entertaining.

Anyone who follows the Kings knows that Bob is a genuinely nice guy and couldn't imagine Kings broadcasts without him.
If you're expecting a heavy chronological history of the franchise-this isn't it. If you're looking for something quick to read while you wait for the next season to start then Bob's book might be for you.

Bob Miller has always been by bar none one of the best in his job. kings hockey would not be the same without bob one thing I will never want to see is bob miller retiring and the kings win the staney cup without him
if theres any hope i hope one day bob miller calls his last game as he anounces the los angeles kings are the stanley cup champions and ride of to the sunset. with a stanley cup ring in his finger
the book has alot of interesting details about the history of the frnachise form the the miracle in manchester to the 1993 stanley cup run
to the stunner at staples in 2001 against the red wings.
it talks about the greatzky trade form bruce mcnalls ownership duties.
its a very intesresting book for all kings fans we love l.a.
do u love it.

All right. I'll admit it. I bought this book despite the fact that I am a fan of the Anaheim Ducks and have been since 1993. I was a Kings fan before that--for twenty years--so I was interested in this stuff. Mainly, however, I wanted to get more of Bob Miller's insight. I can never get enough. He is the Vin Scully and Chick Hearn of hockey. I also wanted to support his book. It was an interesting read, and I knew he was thinking those things about previous owners, at the actual time they owned the Kings. Now that I'm a Ducks fan (I live five minutes from the Honda Center.), I root for the Ducks when they play the Kings, of course; however, a big part of me wants to see the Kings succeed again (ala 1993)--just because of Bob Miller.

Bob Miller has ALWAYS been a class act. His book is an easy read and I enjoyed it. I hoped for more but who else can expose much of the Kings History than Bob Miller? I learned more about the Kings Management that I previously knew. The boorish behavior of MOST Canadian born Managers, Coaches is MORE than I ever imagined but I can appreciate WHY things have been so screwed up all these years! Great talent, good coaches, poor management! Mr Cooke takes the cake! I can honestly say that Bob Miller has ALWAYS been Positive towards the Kings no matter how BAD they have been! I have a personally autographed copy as I got mine a full price at the Staples Center on November 27th. It was great meeting Bob Miller!!

Sure, some people won't like this book. Decca passed on the Beatles.

It takes a few pages to understand what Quarrington isn't writing about. He is not writing about baseball, the circus, giants, midgets or two-headed dogs. He is writing about you and me.

The characters that populate his books, and this one especially, are there solely to guide us along a self-focused analytical path. By providing a wacky and zany world that reflects a pseudo-reality that allows us to examine ourselves from afar we learn more than if it was a self-help book.

What could be a better read than reading about yourself?

I have read and re-read this book several times over the years. It is an excellent comedic fantasy, as well as a surreal commentary on life-and-what-you-make-of-it. This isn't a book about baseball: rather it is a book about people, of all shapes and sizes (and when I say "All shapes and sizes" I mean just that).

I can't help but think, each time I read this, about what a wonderful movie it could make...quirky enough to entice someone like Tim Burton to direct, and star Johnny Depp as Isbister!

Do yourself a favour and read this book if you can find a copy.

As for the idiot who clicked that this review wasn't helpful, I can't help but think Amazon would be best served to force someone to type a reason why he/she/it did not find this review helpful.

Paul is a funny guy. I was surprised by how funny the novel was. I'd recommend it to any baseball fan. As for content, Home Game is filled with humour and subtle freak humour. Nathaniel Isbister eventually transforms into a freak himself and lives with other freaks. In the event that Nate had felt accepted in his previous normal life, the freaks would have no place at all in Home Game. I don't know what to make of the crazy freak related events of Home Game. Paul didn't seem to present any reasons as to the freaks. Nate could have easily just wandered upon some sort of jugglers or something. Good book, though. You probably won't think much of it if you don't like baseball.

If readers will allow an author of Quarrington's calibre some lattitude, they'll be in for a great time. This is a wonderful book that moulds freakish absurdity into humanity, an approach that reverses the course of today's trendy writers. Along the way, Quarrington teaches us something about people and the poetry of baseball. Quarrington is refreshing. I wish he'd write more. I lost my only copy of this book and have been looking to replace it since.

I am shocked that this, my favourite book from my teenage years, is consistently out-of-stock! Quarrington being a Canadian author, I sometimes find the book hidden in the stacks at various Toronto stores. But that does nothing for the vast American audience who would do well to read a fictional chronicle of their national pastime. See this review as the first step on my personal crusade to revive the life of this great book.

Early in my teens, baseball was my religion. I memorized statistics, and read up feverishly on the history of the game. When given to me as a gift before the summer of my thirteenth year, I was excited about beginning Home Game. It exceeded all of my expectations! The baseball scenes were magnificent, but the characters and the story still managed to overshadow even that.

Nathanael "Crybaby" Isbister is a good focal point. He was a great baseballer, whose major league career was curiously brief. His mysterious past is slowly revealed, and always provides wonderful revelation about his character. He is found wandering in the Michigan countryside, when he happens upon a troupe of carnival freaks. They are under constant scrutiny from a religious sect called the House of Jonah, whose baseball playing is legendary, and whose leader, Tekel Ambrose, is neck and neck with Isbister for the title of the greatest ballplayer ever to lace up spikes. Through a serious of wonderfully convoluted circumstances, The House of Jonah challenges the freaks to a baseball game, with the loser to leave town.

The carnival freaks are a beautifully eclectic and wonderfully drawn cast of outcasts. Dr. Sinister, their leader, speaks in an English so byzantine that no one can understand him. Major Mite is the shortest man in the world, and also the most belligerent. Angus MacCallister is the strongest man in the world, with passions run deeper than the Grand Canyon. There's the Hisslop sisters, Siamese twins and second basewomen. Davey Goliath, the tallest man in the world, but so full of paranoia that his every move is haunted. Stella, the fattest woman in the world, and surprise love interest. And Zap (a.k.a. the Wild Man From Borneo), who is the focal point of one of the greatest plot twists I've ever come across. Each character is given a detailed personal history so carefully constructed that you really feel like these people are alive and walking around.

The story moves along with great momentum, constantly being pushed forward by a plot that is logically structured toward one defining moment. I especially liked the framing device he uses (the author's grandfather has returned from exile, to bully him into writing the story of The Game). Nothing like a hearty dose of meta-fiction to brighten your day.

The game itself is achieved with a perfect balance of comedy and drama, suspense and light-heartedness. After coming to its conclusion, I went back to read it again. It was only then that I realized that every at bat is presented... in detail! This is an amazing achievement when you realize that Quarrington never repeats himself. Each at bat is interesting in itself.

I've re-read this book several times over the years. It is still a comic tour de force, and emotional treasure. And even though it can never recapture the excitement of that very first read, I still marvel at this wonderful, little story.

This biography is well written, pretty complete (although it was written before Messier retired) and fun to read. But it is unauthorized, as all Messier's biographies until now. So let's hope that some day Mark will tell his own story. That will be even more interesting.

Comprehensive. Objective. Revealing. Gives a clear picture of
where Messier came from, what he achieved, how he persevered,
failed, resurrected ... his meanness and kindness. Sometimes
too thorough. Great anecdotes throughout.

Love him or hate him (and I love him), Mark Messier was the total hockey player. He could skate, shoot, score, play D and handle himself when the going got tough. The book does a great job of capturing the man who could almost will his team to win by his presence and his play. Klein does a great job of illustrating Messier's "lead by example." mentality. He also paints a fascinating picture of a guy who isn't just a jock, but is well-read, articulate, wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to shed some tears. I also appreciated the fact that, like anyone, he has shortcomings, and the author didn't overlook them. Any hockey fan will find this book ranks right up there with all the best hockey books.

Jeff Klein does a nice job of interviewing not only Messier's legion of supporters but also captures those who were and still are not enamored with Messier's commanding presence as the premier leader in team professional sports today. I enjoyed reading both sides of this biography that I found difficult to put down. A great read, one that all Oilers, Rangers and even Canucks fans who watched Messier over the years should take time to read.

There I was, lying in the Italian sun reading about one of the greatest hockey players ever. Hardly a good preset to enjoy such a book but I tried it anyway.

The first thing you should know is that Mark Messier himself did not bother with the writing of this book. Messier doens't like to talk about his personal life and preferrably keeps it out of sight. With this, the book loses its personal touch so much other biographies have where the person is involved.

Everybody who's a hockey fan knows the player Messier. Those who saw him play remember the leader Messier. Unfortunately, this book doens't show you the person Messier enough. But then again, what are the alternatives...

The incredibly horrible production quality of this book nearly outweighs its excellent content.
Picture selection is terrible, often not illustrating the intended point; photo quality is abysmal. Typos galore. Entire paragraphs repeated. Entire paragraphs dropped out.

Vic LeMire provides some excellent technical advice for those who play the position and I recommend the book.

The picture quality is not that great and in some instances, distracts from the concepts explained. For an advanced goalie, its no big deal because it is easy to visualize Mr. Lemire's style tips and pointers, but for somebody new to the position, it could be a bit confusing.

That said, it is a superb manual for anybody seeking self-development as a hockey goaltender.

Goaltenders are not targets - how true is that! This book has helped me, my son and his best friend to become the best 3 goalies the southern hemishpere has ever seen! This superb book, coupled with Vic's second book, "Off The Post", has given us the knowledge to do our job as best as we can, and after practising what Vic preaches, we can all see the great improvement in each other, as well as ourselves. Thank you Vic, for helping us acheive our best.

This book has been an enormous help. I read the section I want to work on just before going to the rink and put it into practice. The advice has been sound and very accurate. I learned everything I needed from this book to begin building the skills needed to be a success in the net. You will use this book whether you have just begun goaltending or have been doing it for years. It is something you can use your whole netminding career.

This is a very good book for the beginning goalie or parent of a new goalie. I did notice some helpful tips in the latter part of the book that might be of use for some advanced level player, but for the most part this is for the new kid on the block. It's 5 stars for the beginner, 3 stars for the advanced.

A good resource for an inexperienced coach to find the info needed to introduce the X's and O's to a house Pee Wee team. Very helpfull

The book is layed out well, and the drills are helpful. My only disappointment was that the book is taylored to older kids who can more readily grasp the basic concepts. Most of the book is too advanced for Mites and squirts.

Over-all this was an easy to read and understand book. The special teams aspect of the book lack 5-3's on the power plays and penality killing.

I remember learning basketball as a kid...watching it on TV was boring, one team scored, the other scored and not much looked different.

Then I learned about offense and defense and it all changed...became a lot more enjoyable and to this day I can watch a game and get involved.

Well, I'm learning Hockey now...as an adult. I don't have coaches around me to teach me...this book gives a good insight on what to look out for in a game...Offense and defense.

After one reading I went to a game....and it was a different experience. More enjoyable...a deeper connection with the game.

I didn't know exactly what was happeneing on the ice, but knew the basics and was able to more fully follow what the guys were trying to do.

I look forward to a few more readings through this book...and getting ready to watch the playoffs this year....with a more tuned in eye.

My son is the head coach of a Tier 1 girls hockey team. This manual has been invaluable for developing plays, systems and a players manual. I highly recommend this to any serious coach.

Though bullies and childhood exploits seem to be all too common in juvenile literature, Maggie Lewis creates a delightful story with Morgy MacDougal-Macduff. Through the story one can picture what it must be like to move from California to Puckett Corner, Massachusetts as a boy and experience the wonders of life: making friends, learning how to deal with the school bully, becoming proficient in hockey, and braving the harsh winters that New England has to offer. As someone who went to college in Maine, it gave me additional perspective of what life might have been like as a kid for my New England friends. Maggie Lewis gives us delightful character sketches and wonderful detail of setting in this charming book...

This story has shown successfully the transitions a child goes through when moving across country. It was well written so that a child could easily understand and relate to the characters. There were many funny situations and obstacles that Morgy had to overcome in order to fit into his new neighborhood. The way Morgy handles the bully was excellent. The book was written in a way that would appeal to both boys and girls. Children will be begging for more stories with their favorite character, Morgy. Maggie Lewis' first book was a hit! I am looking forward to reading more stories from this author.

Despite its humorous, well written start, Morgy fizzles into a "list of stuff" by the end. Written with simple, choppy sentences and too many undeveloped characters, this novel left us wondering where all the raves came from? What promises to show how a character changes and grows through a series of crises remains a series of crises...and Morgy, who feels like a hockey puck...stays one. He simply never makes his move! If you want a good book about "moving" and growing in a new location, try HEY, NEW KID...it's a winner.

This is a terrific book. It is funny and sweet and shows real insight into the emotions and experiences of a young child in a new town. I want more Morgy!

I read this book to a grade four class. Not only did it become their instant favourite, but mine too. As a librarian, I recommend this book for its quality and content. The main character is sincere, and like any other North American kid, one with strong emotions and feelings. I was very pleased to see a fresh new approach to how he dealt with the local bully and started coping with the changes in his life. The inclusion of hockey made it popular with both boys and girls, as it is not the main focus of the story. I look forward to seeing a lot more work from Maggie Lewis!