Hockey Hall of Fame Treasures
The perfect holiday gift for any hockey fan, this presentation of more than 800 artifacts from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is so beautifully organized and printed that it should be irresistible to any sports fan--even one who doesn't much like hockey. Bowman, a former hall president, once said that the hall is "the cathedral of the icons of hockey," and the book's chapters present its treasures in great detail. "Celebrating the Game," for example, showcases a trove of trading cards, pennants, even a late 1970s Andy Warhol silkscreen portrait of New York Ranger star Rod Gilbert (the first player in Ranger history to have his number retired). And a chapter on "Playing the Game," which focuses on equipment, also features some fantastic 1950s-era black and white photos of players--posing and fighting--that are reminiscent of the best work of urban photojournalist Weegee. Interspersed are various essays by sports writers and hockey professionals, which add depth to many of the             chapters. Best of all is an essay by journalist Adrienne Clarkson, whose essay on the birth of the Clarkson Cup, given to the champion of North American women's professional hockey, adds an essential element to the sport. (Publishers Weekly2011-11-19)Visiting a sports hall of fame dedicated to a game you love is one of the most oddly emotional experiences in any fan's life. For hockey fans who aren't able to travel to the actual Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, this spectacularly designed showcase comes a close second. The contents are mostly what fans would expect--thematic essays on aspects of the sport surrounded by images of the mementos and memorabilia housed in the hall--but these pages really jump! Collages of hockey cards and pennants splatter the pages with color; a beguiling double-page spread of rumpled Team Canada jerseys float together almost as if they are billowing in the wind; a quasi-surrealistic assortment of hockey equipment-skates, whistles, bells, an I.D. badge-seems to rise in midair against the backdrop of a scarred endboard from old Chicago Stadium. And let's not forget sticks and pucks: again, the images take these most basic tools of the hockey player's trade and turn them into the stuff of modern art,             with cross-section-like images that fill the pages with color and history. Come for the nostalgia, but stay for the remarkable display of bookmaking.             For hockey fans who aren't able to travel to the actual Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, this spectacularly designed showcase comes a close second. The contents are mostly what fans would expect--thematic essays on aspects of the sport surrounded by images of the mementos and memorabilia housed in the hall--but these pages really jump! ... Come for the nostalgia, but stay for the remarkable display of bookmaking. (Bill OttBooklist2011-09-01)For the puck-possessed the Hockey Hall of Fame is without question the hockey nerd's dream vault. (Its French name carries the full religious weight: Le temple de la renommee du hockey.) If you count yourself among those nerds but can't make the pilgrimage there--or won't, because it would mean visiting Toronto--the plush new coffee table-ready volume Hockey Hall of Fame Treasures offers a good simulation, filled with high-res photos of the relics that mark out a history as rich as any in sport. (Bryan LynchGeorgia Straight2010-12-08)The perfect holiday gift for any hockey fan, this presentation of more than 800 artifacts from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is so beautifully organized and printed that it should be irresistible to any sports fan--even one who doesn't much like hockey. Bowman, a former hall president, once said that the hall is the cathedral of the icons of hockey, and the book's chapters present its treasures in great detail. Celebrating the Game, for example, showcases a trove of trading cards, pennants, even a late 1970s Andy Warhol silkscreen portrait of New York Ranger star Rod Gilbert (the first player in Ranger history to have his number retired). And a chapter on Playing the Game, which focuses on equipment, also features some fantastic 1950s-era black and white photos of players--posing and fighting--that are reminiscent of the best work of urban photojournalist Weegee. Interspersed are various essays by sports writers and hockey professionals, which add depth to many of the chapters.             Best of all is an essay by journalist Adrienne Clarkson, whose essay on the birth of the Clarkson Cup, given to the champion of North American women's professional hockey, adds an essential element to the sport. (Publishers Weekly2011-11-21)Firefly...teams up with the Hockey Hall of Fame to handsomely present many of the artifacts of the game in Hockey Hall of Fame Treasures. To diehard fans this will be a visual skate around among the talismans of hockey's greatest moments, players and contests. (Publishers Weekly Sports Issue2011-10-03)Can't get to the Hall? Save on gas or plane fare and get this striking hardcover highlight package of photos and tidbits. Artifacts you had never thought people would save and some that were too large for Hall display. (Lance HornbyToronto Sun2011-12-17)Every hockey fan, at least one time in their lives, must make the pilgrimage to Toronto.... Until you go, and even if you've been, you'll do well this season with Hockey Hall of Fame Treasures, a spectacular photographic collection of some of the best items either displayed or archived at the shrine. Superb extended captions at the back of the book describe in detail many of the items, some wacky, others wonderful, the images tied together by a series of thoughtful essays. (Dave StubbsMontreal Gazette2011-12-09)This book is a treasure trove of mementoes which will appeal to hockey fans of all ages. (Victoria PennellResource Links2011-01-00)[Treasures] provides a window onto the hockey soul, making the game's history accessible without pandering. A highlight is the collection of game-worn gear, amateur and pro, from the 19th century to the present. For anyone who has hung out in a hockey dressing room, or lived with a hockey player and his equipment bag, seeing so many pads, skates, gauntlets and helmets together will evoke a nauseating stench. Yet here dozens of them pose as art objects, beautifully photographed. (Michael WoodsworthWall Street Journal2011-12-17)There are treasures to be sure at the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto. But this book, a co-production of Firefly Books and the hall of fame itself, is also a treasure for hockey fans. With loving attention to detail and carefully chosen images, it describes and displays the special items in the Hall of Fame collection. (Jon FearWaterloo Record2011-12-09)