Best products from r/hockey

Here you go:

Movies

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SlapShot|A failing ice hockey team finds success using constant fighting and violence during games
Goon|Labeled an outcast by his brainy family, a bouncer overcomes long odds to lead a team of under performing misfits to semi-pro hockey glory, beating the crap out of everything that stands in his way.
Youngblood|A skilled young hockey prospect hoping to attract the attention of professional scouts is pressured to show that he can fight if challenged during his stay in a Canadian minor hockey town.
The Mighty Ducks Trilogy|A self-centered lawyer is sentenced to community service coaching a rag tag youth hockey team. In the second movie, leads them to the World Junior Goodwill Games. And in the third movie, the gang heads to a cake-eater private school and a different, tougher coach.
Mystery, Alaska|This comedy is about the residents of a small town who get over-excited when their hockey team gets chosen to host a televised event
Miracle|Miracle tells the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad.
Breakaway|An Indian-Canadian hockey player struggles against traditional family values and discrimination from mainstream hockey players.


###TV & Documentaries

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24/7| The road to the Winter Classic details the trials and tribulations of 2 teams each season as they head into the Winter Classic. First Season: Caps/Pens. Second Season: Flyers/Rangers
Pond Hockey|Pond Hockey examines the changing culture of sports through insightful interviews with hockey stars, experts, journalists and local rink rats alike. More than just a celebration of a beloved game, Pond Hockey searches the open ice for the true meaning of sport.
The Last Gladiators|In ice hockey, no one is tougher than the "goon". Those players have one mission: to protect the star players at any price.
Hockey: A People's History|The history of the sport of ice hockey and its impact on the founding country of Canada.
30 fo 30: A King's Ransom|Story of the Gretzky trade from Oilers to the Kings.

###Books
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The Game|Ken Dryden|Ken Dryden, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, is recognized as one of the greatest goalies ever to play the game. More than that, he is one of hockey's most intelligent and insightful commentators. In The Game, Dryden captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans.
The Boys of Winter|Wayne Coffey|They were the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, a blue-collar bunch led by an unconventional coach, and they engineered what Sports Illustrated called the greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. Their “Miracle on Ice” has become a national fairy tale, but the real Cinderella story is even more remarkable.
J.R.|Jeremy Roenick|Jeremy Roenick, one of the premier hockey players of his generation and one of the greatest American stars the NHL has ever known, shares his life story in this frank and unflinching autobiography.
Crossing the Line|Derek Sanderson|The autobiography of one of hockey’s first rebels and a beloved member of the “Big Bad Bruins,” this book shares how Derek Sanderson’s ferocious style helped lead the team to two Stanley Cup victories in the early 1970s.
Playing With Fire|Theo Fleury|Theo Fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an NHL player, and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home.
Jonesy: Put Your Head Down and Skate|Kieth Jones|Jonsey is the story of Keith s career in the league as well as all of the interesting stories he accumulated over the course of his career, playing with some of the leagues best players in the last 15 years, including Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Mark Recchi and Eric Lindros. Forward by Ray Bourque.
Blood Feud|Adrian Dater|Blood Feud is a rollicking story of a fierce, and often violent, rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.
Tough Guy|Bob Probert|Documenting his notorious career with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks, Bob Probert details in this autobiography how he racked up points, penalty minutes, and bar bills, establishing himself as one of the most feared enforcers in the history of the NHL.
Journeyman|Sean Pronger|The many triumphs (and even more numerous defeats) of a guy who's seen just about everything in the game of hockey while playing for 11 teams in 16 years.
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber|Julian Rubenstein|The true story of a bank robbing backup goalie in Hungary who becomes a folk hero right after the fall of communism.
Breakaway|Tal Pinchevsky|The stories of the first players to defect and/or get work visas to play in the NHL from Czechoslovakia and the USSR.
Breakaway|Andrew Conte|A detailed, fascinating account of Penguins rise from bankruptcy to Stanley Cup champion that takes you inside the board rooms as well as the players dressing rooms.
Artificial Ice|David Whitson, Richard Gruneau|Artificial Ice explores how hockey has moved from popular pastime to commercial entertainment product, and one struggling to maintain its stature in the North American entertainment market.
Orr: My Story|Bobby Orr|Bobby Orr is often referred to as the greatest ever to play the game of hockey. From 1966 through the mid-seventies, he could change a game just by stepping on the ice. No defenseman had ever played the way he did, or received so many trophies, or set so many records, several of which still stand today. Now he tells of his inspirations, his motivations, and what drove him to become one of the greats. Avalable October 15

Books

| | |

---|:---|:---
The Game|Ken Dryden|Ken Dryden, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, is recognized as one of the greatest goalies ever to play the game. More than that, he is one of hockey's most intelligent and insightful commentators. In The Game, Dryden captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans.
The Boys of Winter|Wayne Coffey|They were the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, a blue-collar bunch led by an unconventional coach, and they engineered what Sports Illustrated called the greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. Their “Miracle on Ice” has become a national fairy tale, but the real Cinderella story is even more remarkable.
J.R.|Jeremy Roenick|Jeremy Roenick, one of the premier hockey players of his generation and one of the greatest American stars the NHL has ever known, shares his life story in this frank and unflinching autobiography.
Crossing the Line|Derek Sanderson|The autobiography of one of hockey’s first rebels and a beloved member of the “Big Bad Bruins,” this book shares how Derek Sanderson’s ferocious style helped lead the team to two Stanley Cup victories in the early 1970s.
Playing With Fire|Theo Fleury|Theo Fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an NHL player, and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home.
Jonesy: Put Your Head Down and Skate|Kieth Jones|Jonsey is the story of Keith s career in the league as well as all of the interesting stories he accumulated over the course of his career, playing with some of the leagues best players in the last 15 years, including Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Mark Recchi and Eric Lindros. Forward by Ray Bourque.
Blood Feud|Adrian Dater|Blood Feud is a rollicking story of a fierce, and often violent, rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.
Tough Guy|Bob Probert|Documenting his notorious career with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks, Bob Probert details in this autobiography how he racked up points, penalty minutes, and bar bills, establishing himself as one of the most feared enforcers in the history of the NHL.
Journeyman|Sean Pronger|The many triumphs (and even more numerous defeats) of a guy who's seen just about everything in the game of hockey while playing for 11 teams in 16 years.
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber|Julian Rubenstein|The true story of a bank robbing backup goalie in Hungary who becomes a folk hero right after the fall of communism.
Breakaway|Tal Pinchevsky|The stories of the first players to defect and/or get work visas to play in the NHL from Czechoslovakia and the USSR.
Breakaway|Andrew Conte|A detailed, fascinating account of Penguins rise from bankruptcy to Stanley Cup champion that takes you inside the board rooms as well as the players dressing rooms.
Artificial Ice|David Whitson, Richard Gruneau|Artificial Ice explores how hockey has moved from popular pastime to commercial entertainment product, and one struggling to maintain its stature in the North American entertainment market.
Orr: My Story|Bobby Orr|Bobby Orr is often referred to as the greatest ever to play the game of hockey. From 1966 through the mid-seventies, he could change a game just by stepping on the ice. No defenseman had ever played the way he did, or received so many trophies, or set so many records, several of which still stand today. Now he tells of his inspirations, his motivations, and what drove him to become one of the greats. Avalable October 15

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

I'm saying this apolitically. I don't even live in Canada anymore, but he's the perfect fit. He absolutely loves hockey - he's a 'leader', he's been in office for almost 10 years (meaning he'll be done soon), and he is a diplomat.

Oh yeah, and he's a hockey historian: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Forgotten-Professional-Hockey/dp/1476716536

I have a feeling this would be a perfect job for him, and I actually think he'd do a great job running the NHL.

He supports bringing more teams to Canada too - and if anyone can do it, the former PM of Canada is the man.

Remember Condi Rice said her dream job is the Comish of the NFL?

So here's my thing with Bobby Hull. The guy was a remarkable piece of shit in his personal life, and yet, he's also one of the game's most important and best players.

His case ended the league's reserve clause, giving rise to free agency in the NHL. He ended up in court because he was lured to the WHA by professional sport's first million dollar check (paid out $100,000 over 10 years), boosting not only hockey salaries, but every professional athlete's. They dropped that load of cash on him because Jet's owner Benny Hatskin (bitchin' hockey name) thought his signing would give the league credibility. Ya see Hull was probably the most popular player in the NHL and his signing meant fans knew someone worth watching would be playing. Tack on the Swedish trio (Hedberg, Nilsson, and Sjoberg back on D) and you've a group that helped legitimize European style hockey in North America. With Hull, the WHA accomplished its goal and survived to the merger,* but I won't really go into all the implications of the league outside of Hull (of which there are many, the WHA challenged everything). Admittedly, outside of the first two, Hull was only a piece of the puzzle in these situations, a big damn piece in the case of the WHA. Even then, I'd really only put a couple of guys on the same level as him when it comes to impacting hockey as a business: Ted Lindsay and Doug Harvey (founders of the first NHL union).

As for his on ice achievements - 3x Art Ross, 2x Hart Trophy, 10x 1st team all-star, 2x 2nd team all-star. Dude's arguably the Blackhawks greatest player (...but Mikita) and one of hockey's absolute best. HF's history boards have him ranked as the #2 winger (behind Howe, in front of Richard) and #5 overall player (behind the big 4, above Harvey).*

I really don't have an opinion on what Chicago should do about this. I'm not a Chicago fan and I don't live anywhere near it. I can completely understand why the team would want a statue of player like Hull in front of the arena where the team plays. On the other hand, given the piece of shit human being he is (detailed elsewhere in this thread, makes Ike Turner look like a teddy bear), the people that find something celebrating his image offensive are completely justified. Ambivalent is as strong as an opinion as I'm going to have on this topic, I just wanted to show why the they put Hull there. I'm obviously a fan of Hull the hockey player, but seriously what the fuck dude? Who tries to throw their wife off a balcony?


No, seriously, that was the business plan masterminded by Hatskin after he got snubbed during the 67 expansion. Determined to get an NHL team no matter the fashion, he figured the NHL would simply absorb any competition, like the NFL had just done with the AFL, so he joined up. He underestimated the constant dicking they would take at the hands of Harold Ballard and the Molson brothers. The trio blocked multiple mergers, entirely out of spite for challenging the NHL. I highly recommend reading Rebel League; the WHA story is crazy. As a fun aside, a failed WHA presents some crazy what-ifs without even leaving Edmonton. What happens to the Oilers dynasty? The team no longer exists. Who ends up with Gretzky? Coffee? Messier?Does Kurri even come to North America? Do the Islanders win a fifth straight cup?

**Take these rankings as you will. I'm presenting them to give a general sense of how Hull is viewed by hockey history buffs and I like their methodology. I don't even agree with them. Hull over Harvey? Bullshit!

Alright well Bobby Orr's book is a given but I devoured it over the course of a single flight because it's just so well-written. I'm still working on Derek Sanderson's book.

BUT that being said, I've also read Ken Dryden's book and found it awesome as well!

Other good hockey books I've read:
Kerry Fraser--really provides insight into the life of a guy in stripes.
This book about the Miracle on Ice team because murrica.

I know they may not be players you've watched in your lifetime--they're certainly not in my case, I'm just too young--but they are all just really good and I recommend them anyway!

Because hockey has so many random things happening quickly, I find it's useful to first start to try and understand the very general "game situation" of any individual point in time during the course of a game.

It's about pattern recognition. "Okay, the defending team recovered the puck and the defenseman has it behind his net, the attacking team is changing lines. This is a breakout play". Then you go research breakout strategies and will begin to recognize the different types.

"Okay, the attacking team has made the breakout to centre ice and now they are trying to cross the blueline. This is a zone entry play."

"The attacking team is on the powerplay. Looks like they only have one player at the top of the zone, the only powerplay setup I know that has one guy up there is the Umbrella."

Also keep in mind that modern hockey relies less on position (F, LW, RW, LD, RD) and much more on relative things. A lot of it comes down to where players are in relation to the puck.

"Okay, the team recovered the puck and is setting up to break out of their zone on attack. The defending team is sending one guy to chase the puck carrier, this is F1 (closest to the puck). Looks like the second closest player on the defending team, F2, is doing such and such."

This is a great book and a must-buy. Recommended by broadcaster and student of the game, Jeff Marek: https://www.amazon.com/Hockey-Plays-Strategies-Ryan-Walter/dp/0736076344

Also find things that Jeff Marek talks in (podcasts) and subscribe to them all. I also recommend Hockey Central at Noon podcast for keeping up with general hockey discussion. Very homerish Canadians, enjoyable banter.

Hockey is a lot like futbol, actually, but faster. You have to recognize the game situation at a very low-level of detail, and that then can be built on with more detailed knowledge you acquire about each game situation.

Let me know if I can describe this a bit better.

There are a lot of comments here advising you to learn about the current league players and such, and that's okay. However, you'll acquire more knowledge if you focus more on watching games for the sake of watching them and reading about different situations and plays. When I was getting into football, it was nice that I knew who Diego Costa was and where he was at all times on the pitch, but it was MORE useful to know that he was a striker, how a well-placed through ball might reach him for a chance, what formation Chelsea played and why, etc.

If I had to have a gripe about the Canucks, it was not beating the Rangers in 1994 . . . but the Rangers winning it all that year, certainly made the case for the Devils-Rangers Conference Finals before being the best ever.

There's even a book about it.

If the Rangers lost that series, don't think that Conference Finals' legacy would have lasted.

But I still would have traded that book and "greatest series ever" tag for a Canucks Stanley Cup in 1994.

Like many others, I recommend watching Buffalo. I live in NC and always love when they come to play the Hurricanes. I also love watching Chicago, Pittsburgh and Nashville. If you want to learn more about the game, I suggest the book Take Your Eye off the Puck. I'm reading it now and it's entertaining and informative. https://www.amazon.com/Take-Your-Eye-Off-Puck/dp/1629371203

It's not exactly what you are looking for but I've enjoyed what I've read of Greg Wyshinski's Book. It's a guide to the game, it breaks down the game and some of the things you wouldn't think of - the little moves to get an open shooting lane for another player, etc.

Greg is a good writer, and a funny guy. Check it out!

http://www.amazon.com/Jonesy-Skate-Improbable-Career-Keith/dp/0975441981

Not exactly written about one of the game's greats, but Jonesy is highly entertaining, and offers a look in on a lot of interesting things that happened during his career. I highly recommend this one.

Picking a team, I would just watch games and see who you like. Maybe pick up one of the NHL video games and do the same. I know it's not the best advice but nobody else can really tell you who to root for. I agree to pick a team in your time zone so you can watch the games. A good book is Take your Eye off the Puck, although it might be better once you know the basics already

i haven't read [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Take-Your-Eye-Off-Puck/dp/1629371203) because I'm a cheap bastard but the author is a pretty respected guy I think and it looks like its not too expensive.

Probert was my favorite player growing up. I never had the opportunity to meet him but I've got a signed stick from him. One of my prized possessions.

EDIT: Also his autobiography is an interesting read if you're into that sort of thing.

I own this book. It has a nice overview of the history of the game. Not too in depth, but very interesting facts and statistics. Definitely worth the price and very informative (plus some bad ass pictures).

Journeyman by Sean Pronger Very amusing, even to my non-hockey fan mother. Interesting due not only who his little brother is, but rarely do the guys who bounce in and out of the minor leagues get a platform to tell the story.

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubenstein The true story of a bank robbing backup goalie in Hungary who becomes a folk hero right after the fall of communism.

Breakaway by Tal Pinchevsky The stories of the first players to defect and/or get work visas to play in the NHL from Czechoslovakia and the USSR.

if you're into reading, I received this book as a gift recently and it's supposed to help with getting a better understanding of the game

Identifying break-outs is probably one of the easier places to start. Here's a short article on some.

The idea of dumping the puck in, is getting through all the defenders that clog up the neutral zone. Just skating the puck in is pretty hard to do at times, so toss it in and use the built up speed to get past defenders, then setup down low.

I think this book, Hockey Plays and Strategies is pretty awesome. There used to be an EA NHL site that had many excerpts but I can't find it. It has 'look inside' on amazon so you can check some of it out that way.

If you havent read his book, I highly recommend it. It was a great read. He had some kinda life, and puts it all out there - both good and (lots of) bad.

Theo Fleury - Playing with fire

I really enjoyed Jonesy's book, Buccicross co-wrote/ghostwrote it.

Really entertaining.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice#References

Use the references from wikipedia, other people did the hard work for you.

Also consider picking up The Boys of Winter - its relatively cheap and is a great read about that.

Another good resource

I would also consider watching the movie Miracle

And watching the game itself cant hurt

Keith Jones book Put your head down and skate was a great read. The inside look at a non allstar grinding guy just trying to play hockey and drink beer.

I read a pretty good book on the subject (I know- A Book!), from the perspective of the players involved. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1118095006

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0736076344/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2IV0CFIBC6CNM&coliid=I3IX11FOZWQD69

is supposedly pretty good. however that is more of a book for coaching.

I can't recommend enough Bob Probert's book. What a fascinating dude - crazy, but fascinating.

And even then, colorized images can look pretty darn cool, like all those pictures from The Hockey Book that show up on /r/hockey from time to time.

I picked up some finer points watching the game live, pretty close to the benches. Finally the whole When Do They Do Line Changes and Why made sense (especially as a soccer player, it's weird to watch a game that they don't blow the whistle to make changes)

This book was helpful.

Another book to add would be Adrian Dater's Blood Feud. Great information about the Avs-Wings rivalry.

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/0736076344/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1QYEER05O5WSK&coliid=I2LSUJUJ1HLOWO

This book is great

Harper loves hockey. He wrote a book on hockey. Chill.
https://www.amazon.ca/Great-Game-Forgotten-Professional-Hockey/dp/1476716536

Our past Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is a huge hockey fan and wrote a book about hockey.

https://www.amazon.ca/Great-Game-Forgotten-Professional-Hockey/dp/1476716536

I didn't hear a lot of hockey analogies out of him.

I really enjoyed The Game by Ken Dryden

I mean, Stephen Harper wrote a book titled A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs & the Rise of Professional Hockey

The Oilers had to smuggle fugitive forward Frankie “Seldom” Beaton out of their dressing room in an equipment bag, the Jersey Knights played on a rink that actually had a slope to it, the NHL owners messing with the WHA teams (the leafs owner had the toronto WHA team's arena's lights dim for their first game, got rid of the pads on the home team bench).

WHA also had their draft age at 18 while the NHL's was 20 at the time, allowing the WHA to poach young kids with more money then the NHL would offer at a younger age. (The NHL would lower their draft age to compete with the WHA there). WHA also went after European players at a time when the NHL was primarily North-American.

Book i read was The Rebel League. Highly recommend it, really entertaining.

I'm not a newbie to the sport or anything, but just for the Hell of it I picked up the following book: Take Your Eye Off the Puck by Greg Wyshynski

It's just a fun read and it'll give you some insight into things you might not pick up just by watching the surface. The author is a blogger for Yahoo! and he does a pretty decent job.

Wyshynski wrote a book like that. Take Your Eye Off The Puck: How to Watch Hockey by Knowing Where to Look

Would you like to know more?

Greg Wyshynski's new book "Take Your Eye Off the Puck: How to Watch Hockey By Knowing Where to Look") will probably be helpful. I can't say for sure because I just started reading it last night and am only a handful of pages in.

PM Harper is actually a big hockey fan, wrote a book on it too.

Harper was a big hockey fan, even wrote a history book about the early days of the game.

Those interested in reading more on the intersection of hockey, economics, business, and culture may want to take a look at Artificial Ice: Hockey, Culture, and Commerce, edited by David Whitson and Richard Gruneau. The book was published seven years ago, but it still provides relevant discussions on league expansion/contraction, marketing, rule changes, etc. This book review from the Canadian Journal of Sociology gives a more detailed summary.

Bring a book! Don't forget us :(

For what it's worth the Stephen Harper that wrote this book is the Stephen Harper that was prime minister when the book was published.

That never made me like him though.

He was replace by Jacques Plante who missed practices so he could go cross-country skiing.

Plante later return to playing because the WHA's caliber was so low ho could earn some easy cash. He became the first player in history to miss a game because he got sunburned laying on the side of a pool in Phoenix.

The WHA ladies and gentlemen.

Source: Rebel league https://www.amazon.ca/Rebel-League-Unruly-Hockey-Association/dp/077108949X

Jonesy -Keith Jones

http://www.amazon.com/Jonesy-Skate-Improbable-Career-Keith/dp/0975441981

I was a bit too young at the time, but this book documents it pretty darn well.

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Feud-Colorado-Avalanche-Nastiest/dp/1589793196

If I had my copy with me, I'd give you the exact page/paragraph, but it's covered in there in excruciating detail.

Actually, two of his teammates later ended up defecting themselves - Frantisek Musil went to the North Stars, and Petr Klima (yep, the guy who scored in triple-OT in 1990 for the Oilers) to the Red Wings. This is a great book with lots of stories about Czechoslovakian and Russian hockey defectors.

Not entirely about hockey, but Theo Fleury's Playing With Fire was a fantastic/sad read

Take Your Eye off the Puck: How to Watch Hockey By Knowing Where to Look by Greg Wyshynski

book

This one is really good.

This book helped me immensely when I first wanted to know what was actually happening on the ice.

The Game by Ken Dryden.

Orr - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399161759/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_AroEDbYZZHR8P

Unmasked https://www.amazon.com/dp/0984384537/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_CsoEDbDZA6F2V

And Eddie shore and that old time hockey https://www.amazon.com/dp/0771041292/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_FtoEDbA5T0ZT8

Hockey Prospectus 2011-12 or The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association

Blood Feud: Detroit Red Wings v. Colorado Avalanche by Adrian Dater tells the story of the one of the biggest rivalries in the NHL.

Missing two big ones imo:

• Breaking Away - Patrick O'Sullivan
  
  
• Take Your Eye Off the Puck - Greg Wyshynski

The reason they went bankrupt is because of mis-management. They spent beyond their means as far as player contracts go when they were dominant in the early to mid 90's. Tickets sales couldn't make a dent in the contract debt that was owed to current/former superstar players as well as keep one of the oldest arenas in the league from falling apart. Add in the death of the steel industry and not too many Pittsburghers could afford to go to games. Lemieux was owed so much by team when he retired, he was able to use that as a stake in the franchise. Ron Burkle provided the big bucks. The biggest reason for the threat of relocation was to get a new arena instead of being stuck with a money pit that cost them more and more to maintain every year. Read Breakaway: The Inside Story of the Pittsburgh Penguins' Rebirth to see what really happened. It's not a bad read - especially for a Pens fan. Dunno how a Flyers fan would take it, but as with anything, it's not as cut and dry as saying fans weren't buying tickets.

From the playing with fire prologue:

> What took me down was rage. Rage fuelled by drugs, alcohol and relationships. I had two exes and three great kids back home in Canada, yet I wanted to die. I went on a three-monthbender. Just me and mounds of cocaine. I would run out into the desert at night and scream at the trees. At the end of the three months, I was just fuckin' crazy. Could not stop doing drugs, could not stop drinkin', could not stop partyin'.

http://amzn.com/1600786375

The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber. By Julian Rubinstein

DESCRIPTION: Elmore Leonard meets Franz Kafka in the wild, improbably true story of the legendary outlaw of Budapest. Attila Ambrus was a gentleman thief, a sort of Cary Grant--if only Grant came from Transylvania, was a terrible professional hockey goalkeeper, and preferred women in leopard-skin hot pants. During the 1990s, while playing for the biggest hockey team in Budapest, Ambrus took up bank robbery to make ends meet. Arrayed against him was perhaps the most incompetent team of crime investigators the Eastern Bloc had ever seen: a robbery chief who had learned how to be a detective by watching dubbed Columbo episodes; a forensics man who wore top hat and tails on the job; and a driver so inept he was known only by a Hungarian word that translates to Mound of Ass-Head. BALLAD OF THE WHISKEY ROBBER is the completely bizarre and hysterical story of the crime spree that made a nobody into a somebody, and told a forlorn nation that sometimes the brightest stars come from the blackest holes. Like The Professor and the Madman and The Orchid Thief, Julian Rubinsteins bizarre crime story is so odd and so wicked that it is completely irresistible.