October 10, 2016
For the National Hockey League’s 99th season, Gretzky (number 99), its greatest player ever, offers a look at back at some of hockey’s pivotal moments and its greatest pioneers—and for hockey fans, the book is great fun. Gretzky’s well-known love for the game and respect for its history are evident in his narration. The book breezes through short histories of NHL teams, from the formation of the original six teams to expansion and the World Hockey Association, as well as memorable events such as the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the U.S.S.R., the Miracle on Ice, and the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup tournaments. And of course the book is filled with a robust cast of great players, from the NHL’s original superstar, Howie Morenz, to Gordie Howe, Gretzky’s teammates and contemporaries, and the influx of great Russian and European players. There is even a short chapter on the experiences of hockey’s first black players, Willie O’Ree and Herb Carnegie. It’s fun to have “the Great One” narrate some of hockey’s key moments, but the book feels hastily assembled, and for hardcore NHL fans, much of the history will be familiar. The book also lacks any real insights or revelations from Gretzky’s own playing days. He remains one of hockey’s great ambassadors, but as a hockey historian, he just misses the net.
September 15, 2016
The Great One delivers a personal history of the National Hockey League.Many professional athletes live a charmed existence blithely unaware of the histories of the games they play, but there are those who admire and respect that which came before them. Hockey Hall of Famer Gretzky (99: My Life in Pictures, 1999, etc.), arguably the best player ever, is among those latter athletes, venerating the history of the game he played and loves. "One of the truly amazing things about coming into the NHL as a rookie," he writes, "is that you are pretty much guaranteed to find yourself in the dressing room with, or lining up against, a guy you grew up idolizing. For me, that was Gordie Howe." In the process of becoming a legend of the NHL, Gretzky wore number 99, which he chose in honor of the great Howe, who wore number 9 in forging his own legend and who in many ways seems to be the inspiration for this book, which provides a more-than-serviceable history of the (not coincidentally) 99-year history of the NHL and its players. Gretzky wrote the book with Day (co-author, with Marty McSorley: Hellbent: An Autobiography, 2016, etc.)--who has also co-authored books by hockey players Theo Fleury and Ron MacLean--and while the voice and admiration for the sport are inevitably Gretzky's, the readable narrative is largely due to her. Gretzky's sense of his sport's history rings clearly throughout these pages, as if he is the tour guide of a museum in which he also has created some of the best art. Throughout, he modestly intertwines his own story of his love for hockey, which began early on in his life, with the larger narrative of the history of the NHL. Not a complete history of the NHL, but this enjoyable book provides an overview that will educate longtime fans and relative newcomers alike.
COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
October 15, 2016
Gretzky (b. 1961), #99, nicknamed "The Great One," and arguably the best player in the history of hockey, has written a warm and enthusiastic collection of memories and stories to celebrate the National Hockey League's (NHL) 99th anniversary. Despite being the leading scorer in NHL history and holding dozens of league records, Gretzky here retains the same youthful passion for the game that he had growing up in Brantford, Ontario, watching his hero Gordie Howe. Part memoir and part history, this book is a fun, positive, and sometimes humorous salute to all of the people who have made hockey great over the past century. Starting with the NHL's first star, Howie Morenz, and meandering up through the present day, Gretzky spins stories about the people, places, and events that have shaped the sport. Throughout, whether discussing the Stanley Cup, Bobby Hull's slap shot, or hockey's greatest dynasties (such as the legendary Edmonton Oilers teams he was a part of), this book showcases some of hockey's best moments through the keen eyes of an avid student, lover, and ambassador of the game. VERDICT Essential for all hockey fans, old and new.--Brian Sullivan, Alfred Univ. Lib., NY
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from October 15, 2016
Gretzky is one of the half-dozen greatest hockey players of all time. He's also a student of the game and its history. He believes that every young player who enters the NHL is suddenly in the presence, either as an opponent or a teammate, of at least one idol. The idols and the newcomers will share stories and pass along anecdotes of other players, games, and histories. It's one of the game's charms and exactly what Gretzky tries to do in this collection of memories of a life in hockey. Among the stories he includes (more than 99that was his jersey number), there are looks at various team histories as well as a nod to the World Hockey Association, founded in 1971, which opened the sport to European players and transformed hockey from a niche sport into a major attraction. He also offers some new insights into the 1980 Miracle on Ice, in which the underdog American hockey team won Olympic gold. Some of the stories Gretzky tells involve him but usually in a minor way. This is not a memoir or the slightest bit self-aggrandizing. It's a great player doing his best to explain why he loves his sport. One of the most enjoyable hockey books to be published in many years.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)