The CBC host discusses his evolving, lifelong relationship with hockey as well as his experiences playing in a recreational hockey league with fellow creative types, and shares anecdotes about the sports history and cultural importance.

“The Tragically Hip… the soundtrack our lives.” – Justin Trudeau On August 20th, 2016 11.7 million Canadians stood transfixed, watching the final concert of The Tragically Hip, and the rest of the world asked, “Who is this band?” New York Times Bestselling pop journalist Marc Shapiro answers that question in the first American book about this Canadian rock band that largely shunned the spotlight but has become the standard bearer of a resurgent sense of Canadian pride and patriotism. What is Hip? The Life And Times Of The Tragically Hip delves deep beneath the surface of this rock and roll story to discover how a band that spent more than three decades in the rock and roll trenches selling millions of albums and opening for the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin’s Page & Plant, remained almost unknown outside their home country, even as they rose to the level of rock royalty in Canada. What Is Hip: The Life And Times Of The Tragically Hip reveals: • The behind the scenes story of how the band took over The Horseshoe Tavern and made it their own • How a high up political personality was instrumental in landing the band their manager • The day-to-day, often unforgiving, spirit-grinding days of life on the road in Canada • The ins and outs of opening for three of the biggest groups in the history of rock and roll The Tragically Hip are not cartoon rockers. They are real men who live by their creativity and their principles. Through extensive research and a couple of well-placed sources, author Marc Shapiro has put together a complete look at The Tragically Hip’s rise: from their humble Kingston, Ontario roots, to endless tours, to their internal struggles to keep their music fresh, to the fanatic loyalty they fostered in millions of Canadian fans. These fans shed more than a few tears when it was announced that singer Gord Downie had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and that The Hip were about to embark on what might be their final tour. Marc Shapiro is the author of more than 75 books. His most recent releases include Trump This! The Life And Times Of Donald Trump and Hey Joe: The Unauthorized Biography Of A Rock Classic. When he is not working, which is rare, he can usually be found mowing the lawn, taking out the trash and walking the dog.

The long-awaited, first-ever print biography of “Canada’s band” “A clever, touching, and very informative book that may well be the definitive work on an important piece of Canadian pop culture.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review In the summer of 2016, more than a third of Canadians tuned in to watch the Tragically Hip’s final performance. Why? Partially because Gord Downie’s terminal brain cancer made the event much bigger than merely a musical occasion. But also because these five men were always more than just a chart-topping band. They defined a generation of Canadian rock music. They were a tabula rasa onto which fans could project their own ideas: of performance, of poetry, of history, of Canada itself. Acclaimed music journalist Michael Barclay talks to dozens of the band’s peers and friends about not just the Hip’s music but about the opening bands, dealing with disease through art, Gord Downie’s role in reconciliation with Indigenous people, and the Hip’s role in Canadian culture. It’s a book for those who have always loved the Hip, and for everyone else. As Downie said at that final show watched by millions, “Everyone is invited. Everyone is involved.”

Praise for James Duthie's The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys: " I was lucky to survive the day Duthie played in my golf tournament. Little did I know he'd turn the experience into one of the best books on sports that I've read in a long time." - Wayne Gretzky "Tragedy is easy. Comedy is hard. Sports comedy is even harder, but James Duthie, who we now know is as comfortable in front of a keyboard as he is a camera, treads whimsically through a sports landscape that certainly needs a smile. His is a biting wit, guaranteed to leave teeth marks." - Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated " If you like James Duthie on TSN, you're in for a treat. He's just as clever and witty in print. James is simply a great storyteller whose creative style will make you smile over and over." - Dave Naylor, The Globe and Mail "The Quiz sucks but Duthie's book is fantastic. He is one warped writer, but genius." - John Tortorella, New York Rangers coach " Duthie writes the way I played: With an edge, but never forgetting the game is supposed to be fun. This book is a ton of fun." - Jeremy Roenick, former NHL star "This guy does it all-he writes as well as he does television. That same somewhat aberrant sense of humour leaps off the pages. Sports fans will love this book!" - Brian Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs GM "I don't have kids nor can I legally admit to owning a monkey, but I do love hockey and Duthie manages to make them all work together. He effortlessly modernizes sports writing while respectfully tipping his hat to the old school." - George Stroumboulopoulos , Hockey Fan and Host of CBC's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight So what's this book about? Well... This book is about hockey. And golf. And the Olympic Games. And being a broadcaster, a sports fan, a father, husband, and son. And having an unhealthy fascination with Anna Kournikova. It's a collection of things that marched through James Duthie's head over the years and spilled out into his weekly columns, selected, collected, and randomized for your reading pleasure. It's also educational! You'll learn about: Sidney Crosby's secrets Where you rank on The Jeter Meter of male success Why hockey's loser point has to go The best four-legged athlete ever What the clichés that come out of athletes' mouths really mean What it's like to be upstaged by a monkey And yes, how Duthie almost killed two Gretzkys on the same day. James Duthie has been writing columns about hockey, sport in general, and his own twisted view of the world for over a decade. This book is the first and only collection of some of his most popular and controversial columns, with several brand new, previously unpublished pieces. In The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys, he brings his famous sense of humour, deep hockey knowledge, and his passion for sports of all kinds to fans and readers everywhere- no matter what team you cheer for. Often hilarious, sometimes insightful, occasionally touching and always passionate, Duthie's off-kilter view of sports and life shows how the spirit of sport unites us all.

A book about Zen meditation and writing by a Zen meditation instructor and award winning writer in the tradition of Zen In The Art Of Writing, Wild Mind, and The Artist's Way

An insider's guide to Toronto for all hockey lovers—fans and players alike. Attention hockey heads: Want to know where to join a league, play a pick-up game, or get your blades sharpened? Where to grab some grub before heading to the rink or where to find a post-skate brew? In Hockey Addict’s Guide Toronto, beer-leaguer Evan Gubernick highlights the city’s best hockey hubs, along with the go-to spots nearby. The local hockey community chimes in, from rink rats to pros, and takes readers beyond the stadiums to discover the best sports memorabilia, pro shops, sneaker boutiques, and more. For Torontonians and tourists, this is a top-shelf guide to all things hockey—on the ice and off.

The author of the Canada Reads–nominated The Bone Cage tackles the ups and downs of amateur hockey, from a mother’s point of view Over 570,000 people are registered in Hockey Canada and over 600,000 in Hockey USA. It’s a national obsession. But what does that really mean when your child wants to play on a team? As a former varsity athlete and university instructor teaching sport literature, novelist Angie Abdou is no stranger to sport obsession, but she finds herself conflicted when faced with the reality of the struggles, joys, and strains of having a child in amateur hockey. In Home Ice, with equal parts humour and anguish, Abdou charts a full season of life as an Atom-level hockey mom, from summer hockey camp to the end-of-season tournament. Her revealing stories and careful research on issues such as cost, gender bias, concussion, and family pressures offer a compellingly honest and complex insider’s view of parenting today’s young athlete in a competitive and high-pressure culture.