Title of the Book: "The Game" Author: Ken Dryden  Number of Pages: 318  Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Review:

The magazine Sports Illustrated called "The Game" by Ken Dryden, one of the best sportsbooks of all time, and after reading the book, I can see how it earned that title. When I first started reading this book, I expected it to be strictly hockey since this book was about Dryden's final season in the NHL, but I was wrong. Throughout the book, Dryden reflected on the players he played with and against in his NHL career. He also wrote about some of the memorable games he played in during his last season and other experiences he had while playing in the NHL. Dryden also commented on other players, which gave the book a unique perspective on what the NHL was like back in the 1970s. Dryden always wrote about other players in a positive light even if they were once his competitors, which adds a sense of classiness to the book. 

One part of the book that was memorable was the ongoing competition between Dryden and his goalie partner. Dryden wrote, "We compete though we are teammates and share the same goals for the team" (Dryden 55). This quote resonated with me because I am a goalie, and I know the same competition Dryden is having with Michel "Bunny" Larocque. The rivalry between goalies is a vital part of hockey, and Dryden was able to show how he and Larocque competed against each other. Another part of the book was when Dryden wrote about the "goalies are weird" stereotype. I thought this added a little bit of humor to the book, and I was, again, able to relate to it because of my background.     

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anybody who enjoys sports, or enjoys reading about sports. The book was easy to read because the timeline of events is in chronological order, and there wasn't a lot of hockey jargon that was used in the book, making it easy for people who aren't familiar with the sport to understand.