99: Stories of the Game

He scores! What an amazing book this is and likely the easiest 400 page read you'll find in print. The Great One shares stories, history, facts, and fun that made this impossible to set down. A boyhood idol of mine (along with many Islanders of their dynasty era) his accounts are very balanced and evenly representative for those he both played beside and against. That style allows the reader to appreciate the heroes of the game from all sides of the storyline. I simply loved this book and put it near or at the top of my all-time favorites!

Not only could he skate... Not only could he score... As it turns out, he can also write! The book is an absolutely unputdownable tour de force of sports literature genre. Probably the most eloquent summary of what the book is all about can be gleaned not from the literary reviewers, but from the author himself: "I was lucky enough to play with guys who were in the league [NHL] in the 50's and 60's... I am just one guy, and I was on ice with players who had skated in eight different decades. Through coaches and teammates and guys on other teams ... I made connections to many more. Every player does. Recently, the sons of the guys who were in the league with me have been showing up in the NHL. That's just one more way that the stories of our game come together." And what stories! Written in a language that is as lively as the game itself, Wayne Gretzky tells the story of the game, players, coaches, managers, owners, teams, arenas, leagues, cities, and even countries... Yes, it is one story of all these many things: from the fabled "Miracle on Ice" (USA vs. USSR, 1980), to heartbreak on ice (LA Kings vs. Montreal Canadiens, 1993); from the humble beginnings of the game in North America, to it's expansion into Europe and formation of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League... What is the smallest hockey arena in NHL? ... Why is Smythe Trophy, named "Smythe" tropy?... Why is Stanley Cup, "Stanley" cup?... As it turns out, when it comes to hockey, every inside story has an inside story of its own, and there is no one better to tell it than Wayne Gretzky. Personally, one of the most striking features of the book is the style of its narrative. The tone is that of someone who does not need to boast of his accomplishments. It is as if the reader is lucky enough to listen to "one of the guys." And, IMHO, it is that sense of humility that truly earns Mr. Gretzky the title of "The Great One."

Even the casual hockey fan knows the name and the legend of Wayne Gretzky and it's hard to separate the person from his reputation as The Great One. This is a wonderful book because it celebrates Gretzky's love and reverence for the game by examining the 99 year history of the NHL through the eyes of its greatest player. The stories of the players that made hockey such a wonderful sport through the early years are interspersed with Gretzky's stories of how those players impacted his development as a person and as a player. As such, this book is not only a terrific work of sports history, but also a fabulous autobiography that yields compelling insights into Gretzky himself. Much like Gordie Howe's autobiography, Mr. Hockey, I was left with an overwhelming sense of just how down to earth some sports superstars can be. Rather than extolling their own virtues, these players constantly talk about Gratitude. It's all about how grateful they are to their parents, coaches, teammates and their fans. If you are sick and tired of the typical ego-maniacal professional athlete, read this book for a breath of fresh air.

I'm a Sports Hypnotherapist who works with hockey players on the mental game of hockey. I bought this the day it came out because I'm writing a book on the mental game of hockey that I can give to my clients and thought this was great timing to read this hockey book. There are 95 hockey stories in this book. 90 of them are GREAT and so vivid that you can smell the ice. 2 of the stories are ok and 3 of them suck. But thats ok because when you do the math on the price per story its still a great deal. I love how Wayne tells about his passion of hockey, discusses Gordie Howe playing different teams and games and more.If you are looking for tips. This isnt really the book for that but he does discuss how it comes down to Aggressiveness, passion and hard work of course.Hockey fans and players will love this awesome hockey book by Wayne Gretzky, " The Great One"

Always was a huge fan of Wayne Gretzky, and this book is excellent.

99 is unquestionably the greatest hockey player of all time. the same cannot be said for his writing skill. there is not great flow in his thoughts and at times the chapters feel a bit disjointed. however, the quality of what he writes about is fantastic. i love reading books by some of the greatest sharing their insights and stories and this point certainly satisfies. a must for any hockey fan!

My grandson is a hockey player. He's 10 years old. He read the book on the plane going to a playoff game. His team came in second. Wayne Gretzky is his idol.

Perhaps due to being part of the 50's/60's generation I found the first half of the book more interesting than the later. Wayne's insights of the game is informative, even if at times the omission of over praising some questionable players and their contributions to hockey/NHL might not have produced a better read.

It was well worth the read. This book shed light on hockey’s rich history. I have always loved the game but I have a much deeper appreciation after reading details shared I had no previous knowledge about. Wayne Gretzky shares his wins and losses and his honest feelings and thoughts which follow those games he played during his career. Read it, and enjoy it.

seht gut.

Un meraviglioso atto d'amore del più grande giocatore di hockey di tutti i tempi verso lo sport che lo ha consacrato al rango di celebrità immortale. In questo libro Wayne Gretzky attraversa l'intera storia di questo sport, dai suoi albori ai giorni moderni, regalando storie, aneddoti, curiosità "behind the game" che faranno la gioia di tutti gli appassionati.Gli Original six. I Canadiens. Gli Hawks. I Bruins. La Canada Cup. I giochi olimpici. E tanti tanti episodi fondamentali nello sviluppo dell'hockey, raccontati da chi li ha vissuti da "dentro", o comunque da vicino.So che questo libro non attrarrà l'interesse del grande pubblico, vista la pressochè inesistente diffusione dell'hockey ghiaccio in Italia, ma sono sicuro che i fans apprezzeranno quest'incredibile prova di amore verso il gioco da parte di "the great one", io non posso far altro che consigliarlo a tutti.Servizio Amazon come sempre impeccabile, l'articolo è stato ricevuto in condizioni perfette e nei tempi previsti.

Bought this as a gift for my husband and he can't put it down, he is learning more of the games history and it has a lot of interesting anecdotes.

great book to read. if you like hockey legend. great player