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zachzakku's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
This is a good resource if you've watched hockey loosely enough over the past ~20 years to recognize names but not closely enough to really "get" it. There are a lot of inside jokes or references that simply went right over my head as someone who started watching hockey, like, a month ago.
That said, I did learn a lot, especially about the lingo and what different positions are actually trying to achieve.
There's a line later in the book where the writer is making predictions about how the game will change, some of which were right, but one of which--"We'll see the first openly gay player in the NHL in the next five years"--unfortunately didn't come true, and still isn't true, which is sad. I'm glad hockey is getting more diverse, and less toxic, but... progress is slow, and sometimes the NHL decides to skate backwards.
That said, I did learn a lot, especially about the lingo and what different positions are actually trying to achieve.
There's a line later in the book where the writer is making predictions about how the game will change, some of which were right, but one of which--"We'll see the first openly gay player in the NHL in the next five years"--unfortunately didn't come true, and still isn't true, which is sad. I'm glad hockey is getting more diverse, and less toxic, but... progress is slow, and sometimes the NHL decides to skate backwards.
emmalthompson85's review against another edition
4.0
"Take your eyes off the puck" is a book aimed at people who are quite new to ice hockey, though you'll need a bit of knowledge under your belt. It doesn't start you of presuming you've never watched a game. Rather, this book is for people who have a passing knowledge of hockey and want to develop a better appreciation of the way plays are set up and a better sense of what's actually happening on the ice instead of just knowing to cheer when the puck goes in the net.
It's a pretty good book, for that. It takes a casual tone and intersperses current player examples with more analytical stuff which is nice as you can then apply it directly what what you're seeing in the game today. I can't help but think this would be better as a visual thing than a book, though. You want the author to be pointing at a play to you and detailing how it's being put together. You want video. At times, the written word just doesn't give you a clear enough idea of what he's talking about.
Still a valuable book to read if you're new and want to get more out of watching the game.
It's a pretty good book, for that. It takes a casual tone and intersperses current player examples with more analytical stuff which is nice as you can then apply it directly what what you're seeing in the game today. I can't help but think this would be better as a visual thing than a book, though. You want the author to be pointing at a play to you and detailing how it's being put together. You want video. At times, the written word just doesn't give you a clear enough idea of what he's talking about.
Still a valuable book to read if you're new and want to get more out of watching the game.
jennifermreads's review against another edition
4.0
In the grand scheme of things, I’m fairly new to hockey. I didn’t become a fan until I was in my 30s but attending one game live made me a fan. I love the speed, I love the skill, I love how classy most hockey players are.
So, if being a fan for 15 years is new (and it is considering the lifers out there), that is how I came to this book. So, I learned some things – but really, REALLY would have appreciated some diagrams to illustrate some of the points. I enjoyed the stories and occasional joke; to me, it made it a more smooth read and less textbook-like.
Favorite parts included the chapter on defense (mostly because these tend to be my favorite players and where my eye is drawn most often) as well as the glossary. I loved learning about the Mario Lemieux Hat Trick (that will NEVER get repeated!) and I appreciated the Puck Bunny definition (because if someone ever calls me that … errrrrrr!).
I really am watching games a little bit differently and, I didn’t think this was possible, it increased my love for the game.
So, if being a fan for 15 years is new (and it is considering the lifers out there), that is how I came to this book. So, I learned some things – but really, REALLY would have appreciated some diagrams to illustrate some of the points. I enjoyed the stories and occasional joke; to me, it made it a more smooth read and less textbook-like.
Favorite parts included the chapter on defense (mostly because these tend to be my favorite players and where my eye is drawn most often) as well as the glossary. I loved learning about the Mario Lemieux Hat Trick (that will NEVER get repeated!) and I appreciated the Puck Bunny definition (because if someone ever calls me that … errrrrrr!).
I really am watching games a little bit differently and, I didn’t think this was possible, it increased my love for the game.
mrfrenchtoasts's review against another edition
3.0
A nice little book to learn a bit more about the game. But don't read this if you've only seen a few games, because it assumes quite a bit of prior knowledge. There were some nice jokes also sprinkled all over the place, I laughed a few times. Can't really say I learned where to look, but I learned a bit more about how the game is played.
biblialex's review against another edition
3.0
I listen to Puck Soup and Marek vs. Wyshynski every week, so I figured why not read greg's book. I'm glad I read it after developing a basic understanding of hockey, because there's definitely some underlying assumptions that the reader isn't a complete stranger to the game. I enjoyed the humor and feel like I learned something, so it was worth the read.
k5tog's review against another edition
Likes: humor, explaining different plays, explaining why lines are put together with certain individuals, etc.
Dislikes: no map of where the different parts of the rink are or what defines them (the slot, etc.); using phrases to describe situations without giving an explanation of the phrases (e.g., "weak side", "strong side").
Conclusion: not appropriate for rank-beginners to the sport. I've been following hockey seriously for a couple of seasons now, and I was hoping for more explanations of those things in my dislikes section above. Sigh, I guess that's what the internet is for.
Dislikes: no map of where the different parts of the rink are or what defines them (the slot, etc.); using phrases to describe situations without giving an explanation of the phrases (e.g., "weak side", "strong side").
Conclusion: not appropriate for rank-beginners to the sport. I've been following hockey seriously for a couple of seasons now, and I was hoping for more explanations of those things in my dislikes section above. Sigh, I guess that's what the internet is for.
dcox83's review against another edition
3.0
Informative, but the writing was too casual with too many in-jokes and asides.