Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Staff Review by Patricia Covley:
If you are even casually a follower of hockey, you’ve heard of Barry Melrose. Known to younger fans as ESPN’s premier hockey analyst, he is known to us older folk as a rough and tumble WHL and NHL player and as a Stanley Cup-winning coach. Famous for being a battler as a player, he became perhaps more well-known as Wayne Gretzky’s coach with the Los Angeles Kings.
Melrose’s book, Dropping the Gloves: Inside the Fiercely Combative World of Professional Hockey, is a quick, fun read. Is it a shocking tell-all which will keep you on the edge of your seat? No, rather it is a collection of Melrose’s recollections of growing up in small town Canada and anecdotes from his time as a player, coach and analyst. There isn’t a lot of depth to the book, but it is a fun ride as the chapters fly by.
Melrose ends the book by naming a list of what he refers to as “The Best.” Here he includes those he rates the best in numerous categories including funniest, toughest, smartest and best teammate. With the notable exception of Wayne Gretzky, many of the players and coaches noted here are not household names. Like the rest of the book, it is just for fun and not to be taken seriously.
If you’re interested in this book, there is a library in your neighborhood where you can find it. Your public library is a source of immediate gratification. Take a walk to your local branch and discover a vital resource that is there for the taking. Whether it’s current events, a visit to our downtown cafe called Fables, something for the kids, or even booking a librarian, we’re not just books anymore! Your free Buffalo & Erie County Public Library card is your ticket to millions of free resources – e-books, downloadable music, research databases, genealogical materials, our complete catalog, and of course, more than 3 million book titles. All of this is at your fingertips at any Library in Erie County or from your own computer – check us out at www.buffalolib.org.