Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup fever has settled over the city. Here are books for the NHL hockey fan's nightstand:
"Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places"
By Dave Bidini
The Lyons Press, 312 pages$24.95
After opting to watch Martha Stewart instead of the Stanley Cup playoffs, writer Dave Bidini sets out on a trek around the world to rediscover hockey in its purest form in this smart, comedic travelogue.
"The Game"
By Ken Dryden
Wiley, 308 pages$22.95
Named by Sports Illustrated to their list of best sports books of all time and often called the greatest hockey book ever written, "The Game" is a thoughtful, sharp memoir which looks at the heart and guts of a life devoted to hockey, as well as the game itself and its giants.
"Zamboni Rodeo: Chasing Hockey Dreams from Austin to Albuquerque"
By Jason Cohen
Greystone Books, 240 pages$15
The story of minor professional hockey league boom in the American South, with particular focus on the Austin Ice Bats and their hilarious-yet-unfortunate adventures touring across Texas on junk food, empty malls and slushy ice.
"The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The NHL"
By Ross Bernstein
Triumph Books, 272 pages$22.95
"The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL" is an insider exploration of the history of the iconic hockey fight and the hush-hush honor system governing it since the game's early days.
"Gordie: A Hockey Legend"
By Roy MacSkimming
Greystone Books, 224 pages$15.95
This biography examines the life of hockey legend Gordie Howe, his 35-year professional hockey career and his life outside of the game.
aguth@tribune.com
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