This is a book geared at introducing the reader to recreational hockey. It gives advice on what to look for and how to buy hockey gear. There is also some information on how to play hockey as well as how to keep from looking too stupid on the ice.

As I started to read the book I noticed the same bizarre sense of humor I found in Scott’s epinions articles. It is packed with information if that is what you want but at a seemingly random pace he would throw something in left field. Half the time I would laugh out loud, the other half I probably had this puzzled look on my face. Eating Mexican food before a game, running into Yugos, kangaroos wear gloves? Hua? And his self-obsession with his own body odor started to be a bit much. But his timing of when to add humor and when to focus on the information at hand was very well balanced and keeps the reader enthralled. And at a 9th grade reading level, the book is easy to read. I can easily see how some people finished the book in one reading.

The information provided all centers around recreational hockey. It is not geared towards the NHL couch potato’s out there. Half the book is a guide in how to buy hockey gear. This is the biggest value of the book, especially for parents of young children starting to get into the sport. The rest of the book are stories about Scott of the people he has interacted with or the basics of the game. While not as valuable as it could have been, these stories are still worth reading.

The chapters.
Chapter 0- Why the heck should I buy this book? (1 page)
Chapter 1- Why would anyone play hockey in their thirties? (8 pages)
Chapter 2- Fitting and selecting hockey protective gear (8 pages)
Chapter 3- Buying hockey skates (11 pages)
Chapter 4- Picking out a stick (10 pages)
Chapter 5- Protective gear (6 pages)
Chapter 6- Helmets (6 pages)
Chapter 7- Shin guards (3 pages)
Chapter 8- Shoulder pads (3 pages)
Chapter 9- Elbow pads (3 pages)
Chapter 10- Gloves (4 pages)
Chapter 11- Pants (3 pages)
Chapter 12- Other items you will need (5 pages)
Chapter 13- Taking care of your stuff (8 pages)
Chapter 14- Getting on the ice (8 pages)
Chapter 15- On-Ice basics (8 pages)
Chapter 16- Hockey tips (11 pages)
Chapter 17- Rules of the game (7 pages)
Chapter 18- Off ice training (7 pages)
Chapter 19- Interacting with referees- You blowing that whistle at me?! (7 pages)
Chapter 20- The language of the game (11 pages)
Appendix- Just a single diagram of the rink and the positions. (1 page)

Some of the chapters are just plain funny. “Interacting with the referees” and “Why would anyone play hockey in their thirties” will make you laugh out loud (consider yourself warned.) And other chapters like “Buying hockey skates” and “Picking out a stick” are gems of knowledge. In between his humor is good information and I learned quite a bit from the book.

Who is this for?
-Adults interesting in playing hockey as a hobby.
-Parents of children interested in playing hockey.
-If you like his articles on Epinions then you will probably enjoy reading the book.

It is not for people that already know the gear and the culture of recreational hockey. A couple of discussions, although not inappropriate, may offend the strongly conservative individuals in our society.

Cleaning it.
Dust it off with a dry cotton towel. Dipping it in water is not a good idea, neither is hanging it out of the car window.

What I like.
-Bizarre comments, otherwise known as humor, thrown in.
-Informative, really showed me what to look for when buying hockey gear.
-The information was brought down to a level the average individual could understand. (or clueless individual such as myself)
-Self-depreciating humor.
-Tips to keep from embarrassing one self while on the ice.

What I do not like.
-Not enough charts, graphs, of pictures. For example, I really wanted some pictures showing the basic mechanics of skating.
-No references.
-His advice recommending that we don’t buy neon green helmets.
-Some of his topics could have been a little deeper.
-Doesn’t go into the finer details of the game.
-Not enough diagrams or pictures.

Materials
It appears to be some sort of broken down cellulose material and a type of pigment.

Ergonomics and ease of use.
Very easy to use. Just open and flip.

Weight and dimensions
Weight: 8 ounces
Length: 13/32 inch
Width: 6.5 inches
Height: 8.25 inches
Number of pages: 160 total, 148 for just the chapters themselves.
Capacity: Unless you want to cut holes in the pages, none.
Price: “$9.95 (13.95 in Canada)”
Approximate grade level reading difficulty: 9th grade.

Disclaimer and rating
As with a small handful of H&G products I have reviewed, I received this as a gift and a request that it be reviewed. In no way is my rating influenced by this fact. If you don’t believe me then check out some of those H&G reviews I got for free. Sometimes I wonder why they still send me stuff..
I was originally going to buy this book but B&N as well are Borders, could only special order the book in their warehouses. I decided to put off buying the book until a later day because I hate ordering from warehouses. Instead Scott offered the first 5 people that e-mailed him a free book. So that is how I came to get the book.
For the most part, I hate to read. I have never enjoyed reading except for some isolated incidents. In addition, I wasn’t too optimistic about this being a book I would enjoy. Although I enjoyed his articles, I know how hard it is to write a 150-page book/project. Surprisingly, this book was one of those rare exceptions. I actually took this book with me everywhere I went and finished it within 6 days. For anyone else that may not seem like much, but for me and my busy schedule, that is fast. I actually looked forward to reading it. For that reason, the book’s purpose, and the information presented; I have chosen to give it a 5.

Summary
This is a book on hockey from an amateur’s point of view. It is down to earth, simple, and very humorous. The book is an overview of the world of recreational hockey. It is not for the person that knows it all but rather for a person starting to get interested in recreational hockey or hockey in general. It does not give any detailed charts or graphs nor does it tell you how to improve your game. Serious information was mixed in by humorous information and you never got too much of either one at any one time. But his humor is a bit weird and feels like it came from left field. But for what it was designed for it is a good introduction to recreational hockey.


Recommended: Yes